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NEW YORK -- The latest high-priced addition to the New York Yankees stood on the dais in front of a large news conference, put on his pinstriped jersey with No. 19 and smiled. "Hello. My name is Masahiro Tanaka," he said slowly in English. "Im very happy to be a Yankee." After chartering a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for his trip from Tokyo to New York, the 25-year-old right-hander with the $155 million, seven-year contract was presented Tuesday not in the news conference room downstairs at Yankee Stadium, but in the Legends Suite Club, where the high rollers congregate on game days. Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo concluded the teams latest Pacific overture drew New Yorks most-attended news conference since Hideki Matsui was introduced in January 2003. Managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said obtaining Tanaka was worth the economic pain of exceeding the $189 million luxury tax threshold New York had hoped to stay under. "We needed another starter, and when we do things, we try to do them right," Steinbrenner said. "And this guy, hes tough. Hes got tremendous ability. We all know that. And hes going to be very exciting to watch. And hes going to be great for the team, a great teammate. And $189 (million) or not, we wanted a good quality starter, and we got it." Tanaka charted a Japan Airlines plane, which seats about 200, for the trans-Pacific trip to New York, reportedly costing about $200,000. There were just five passengers on the plane, including his pop star wife Mai Satoda, plus their poodle Haru. The flight, originally scheduled to depart at noon, was delayed many hours by a snowstorm. "There wasnt many choices of planes," he said through a translator when asked about the big jet. And a lengthy commercial trip could have been uncomfortable. "I thought about my conditioning, just wanted to get here in the best condition possible," he said. For his first meal in New York, he ventured outside his room at the Mandarin Oriental hotel overlooking Central Park. "I ate a sushi," he said, "which I bought at a grocery store nearby." New York, which also added Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran during the off-season, figures to have a big following in Japan this year. Tanaka joins pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki on the roster, and reliever Yoshinori Tateyama will be at spring training with a minor league contract. "This would make the Boss proud," general manager Brian Cashman said in a reference to late owner George Steinbrenner. "The Yankees obviously are about always trying to acquire the best talent and a collection of talent that can compete for a championship, but he also liked a lot of attention, and this certainly represents a lot of attention. So this is Yankee big. This is Steinbrenner big." Tanaka was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year, leading the Rakuten Golden Eagles to the Japan Series title. That left him with a 99-35 record and a 2.30 ERA in Japan, where he had 53 complete games in 172 starts. New York had one of the most successful Japanese players in the major leagues with outfielder Hideki Matsui, the 2009 World Series MVP. And the Yankees experienced costly flops with pitchers Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa. Manager Joe Girardi was behind the plate for Irabus debut in 1997. "They feel a little bit more weight of representing their country than maybe players that are here on an everyday basis, because they kind of pave the way for the next guy and then the next guy," he said. Girardis advice: "Dont feel like you have to live up to the contract." On a tour of the U.S. with a Japanese high school all-star team in 2006, Tanaka met Matsui when one of the young pitchers games was rained out. During the off-season, he spoke briefly by telephone with Matsui about his pending decision. New York appealed to Tanakas desire to pitch on the biggest stage. "This is where you need to be. A great star. The biggest franchise. The biggest brand. The biggest city," Yankees President Randy Levine remembered saying during the teams pitch session with the player on Jan. 8 in Beverly Hills, Calif. "He said some other teams he had met with wanted him to transition in, and he didnt like that. He wanted to take the ball on Day One, and that told us a lot about him." Tanaka sounded prepared for the Yankees win-or-else mentality. "Ive heard that this place is -- it could be very harsh to you at times," he said. "Just wanted to put myself, though, in this environment and try to see where I can get to with my ability." Cashman is trying to lower expectations, saying Tanaka will slot in as No. 3 in the rotation behind CC Sabathia and Kuroda. "We could be getting more than a three. Maybe its a two. Maybe its even a one at some point," Cashman said. "I think that the adjustments are real, and as excited as we are to have and as much as we need a player of his capabilities, I want to make sure that people understand how difficult this game is over here and that there should be expectations of growing pains." Cheap Nike Epic React Flyknit Rose . TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted Monday morning that Callahan - who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, is now open to a six-year contract at less than $7 million per season. Cheap Nike Epic React Flyknit Pink . Jagr had a goal and two assists, Andy Greene scored 43 seconds into overtime and Marek Zidlicky had two goals as the Devils rallied past the Washington Capitals 5-4 Saturday night. http://www.cheapnikeepicreactflyknit.com/ . Coaches are now allowed to challenge both called and potential defensive pass interference fouls under certain conditions. Cheap Nike Epic React Free Shipping . Nothing pretty. But this is 1/4 World Cup. Usually plays out this way. Cheap Nike React Mens .Do you have to be that close? Federer snapped at a TV cameraman hovering nearby as he received medical advice after losing a set on Wednesday.For Nadal and Sharapova, the nuisance was coming from the lowly-ranked qualifiers across the net.BATA, Equatorial Guinea - Host Equatorial Guinea made it to the semifinals and a referee only just made it out of the stadium in one piece as the African Cup of Nations descended into angry chaos on Saturday.Equatorial Guinea beat Tunisia 2-1 in extra time to make the last four of the continental championship for the first time, and after being helped in a big way by a hotly-disputed penalty call by the referee in the last minute of normal time.Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn was chased by furious Tunisian players, who aimed punches and kicks at him, and only just made it to the safety of the tunnel at the end of the match with a riot police escort.Congo and Republic of Congo had earlier served up a roller-coaster second half in their quarterfinal, with Congo coming back from 2-0 down with four goals in the last 25 minutes to win 4-2 and reach the semis for the first time in 17 years.But the drama of that game was completely outdone by the evenings second quarter at Bata Stadium.With Equatorial Guinea trailing 1-0 and going out of its home tournament, Seechurn awarded it the hugely contentious penalty in the last minute of normal time, when Ivan Bolado appeared to dive to earn the game-changing spot-kick. Javier Balboa slotted in the penalty deep in stoppage time to send the game to extra time, and also curled in a brilliant winning free kick in the 102nd minute.But from the moment the penalty was awarded to deny Tunisia, there was a succession of ugly scenes.Players and coaching staff members clashed near the dugouts, the Tunisian team lost their heads and kicked, tripped and pushed their opponents on the field, and Seechurn had to run for cover at the end, chased by many of Tunisias furious players. The players were battered back by riot police as they also tried to get down the tunnel to the referee.All the while, 35,000 crazed Equatorial Guinea supporters roared and stamped their feet on the metal floors of the stadium to celebrate thheir teams historic progression to the last four.dddddddddddd.At the moment, Im the happiest man in the world, Equatorial Guinea coach Esteban Becker said.Tunisia coach Georges Leekens — who had angrily faced up to Esteban on the sidelines during some of the numerous melees — said his team was cheated.At the end, its no good for football, he said. Its very difficult to accept.Earlier Saturday at the same stadium, Congo also made it to the semis, but only after defensive lapses had let in Republic of Congos Dore Ferebory for the opener in the 55th minute, and again when Thievy Bifouma swept in a loose ball seven minutes later for a 2-0 lead.It seemed that was that, and Congo goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba yelled furiously at his defenders.Less than 20 minutes later Kidiaba was crying for joy and hugging one of the defenders after his team launched a thrilling comeback. Then, he was bouncing across the field with his renowned bum-shuffle celebration.Congos progress revived memories of a bygone era, when it was champion of Africa in 1968 and 1974 and one of the continents soccer powers. It has only made the semis once since 74.Dieumerci Mbokani began the fight back for the class of 2015 almost straight away, tapping in after being set up by Yannick Bolasie. Loteteka Bokila powered a shot into the roof of the net in the 75th for 2-2. And less than 20 minutes after Republic of Congo had gone 2-0 up, Congo was ahead 3-2 when substitute Joel Kimuaki glanced in a header from a free kick.Republic of Congo had collapsed.All of us coaches all over the world know its not over until its finished, Republic of Congo coach Claude Le Roy said. It was a terrible game.Mbokani made sure with a breakaway for his second in stoppage time, and Congo awaits the winner of Sundays Ivory Coast-Algeria quarterfinal.Equatorial Guinea will face the winner of the other quarterfinal between Ghana and Guinea.___Gerald Imray is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '