NEW YORK, N. Ultra Boost Cheap Australia .Y. -- The Yankees talked frugality, then reverted to their high-spending ways. New York capped an off-season spending spree by agreeing Wednesday to a $155 million, seven-year contract with prized Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Following just the second season in 19 years that didnt include a playoff appearance, the Yankees flexed their economic might and committed $438 million to four free agents. Tanaka joined catcher Brian McCann and outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran on a revamped roster missing long-time All-Stars Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Robinson Cano. And in addition to the deal with the 25-year-old right-hander, the Yankees must pay a $20 million posting fee to Tanakas Japanese club, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. "Anybody that questioned our commitment to winning is going to have to question themselves," Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press. Big league teams had until Friday to reach an agreement with Tanaka, who was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year as the Golden Eagles won the Japan Series title. Arizona, the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston all said they were among the failed bidders. Still, the Yankees have ample uncertainty — especially in an AL East where they compete with World Series champion Boston. And especially with a veteran team that saw 21 players go on the disabled list last year. David Robertson appears set to inherit the closers role from the retired Rivera, and New York must try to make up the offence lost when Cano left for a $240 million, 10-year deal with Seattle. Alex Rodriguez is suspended for the entire season and 39-year-old shortstop Derek Jeter has played just 17 games since October 2012. "I think the entire infield is certainly something that people will focus on," New York general manager Brian Cashman said. "Whats Brian Roberts going to be? Whats Derek Jeter going to be as he comes back from his injury? Whats Mark Teixeira going to be at first base as he comes back from his wrist? Can Kelly Johnson secure and handle on a consistent basis third base?" New York went 85-77 last year, its worst record since 1992. Attendance and television ratings dropped. The pinstriped response was similar to the Yankees behaviour after they missed the playoffs in 2008. They spent $423.5 million on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Teixeira, then won their 27th World Series title. This off-season included big deals for McCann ($85 million for five years), Ellsbury ($153 million for seven) and Beltran ($45 million for three). Combined with agreements to re-sign Hiroki Kuroda and Brendan Ryan, and to add Roberts, Johnson and Matt Thornton, the Yankees off-season spending on free agents totals $471 million. Add the posting fee, and the cost was nearly a half-billion dollars. "There has been criticism of myself and my brother the last couple years that, gee, if our dad was still in charge, wed be spending this and spending that and doing whatever it takes to win," Hank Steinbrenner said, referring to late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. "He didnt have revenue sharing, at least for most of his time," Hank Steinbrenner added. "Thats what these people in the sports media dont seem to get. If it wasnt for revenue sharing, wed have a payroll of $300 million a year if we wanted to. So were doing this despite having to pay all that revenue sharing." Tanaka replaces the retired Pettitte in the rotation and joins Sabathia, Kuroda and Ivan Nova. David Phelps, Adam Warren, Michael Pineda and Vidal Nuno are in the mix for the No. 5 slot. Tanaka was 99-35 with a 2.30 ERA in seven seasons with the Golden Eagles, striking out 1,238 in 1315 innings. Yankees official has tracked him since 2007, scouting 15 of his games. They sent an eight-person delegation to meet with him Jan. 8 in Beverly Hills, Calif. "Hes got an assortment of quality pitches. Hes fastball, slider, split. Throws a cutter, too," said pitcher coach Larry Rothschild, who attended the session. "Hes showed tenacity on the mound. When he got in tougher situations, you could see he dialed it up." Tanakas agreement calls for $22 million in each of the first six seasons and $23 million in 2020, and it allows the pitcher to terminate the deal after the 2017 season and become a free agent. He also gets a full no-trade provision. Tanaka receives a $35,000 moving allowance, an annual $100,000 housing allowance to be used in New York or near the teams spring training facility in Tampa, Fla., and an interpreter of the pitchers choice at an $85,000 yearly salary. In addition to his own flight to the U.S., Tanaka annually will be provided four first-class round trip tickets between New York and Japan. Tanakas deal is the highest for an international free agent and the fifth-largest for a pitcher, trailing only the seven-years deals of the Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw ($215 million), Detroits Justin Verlander ($180 million), Seattles Felix Hernandez ($175 million) and CC Sabathia ($161 million under his original agreement with New York). His contract boosts the Yankees payroll for purposes of the luxury tax over $203 million for 20 players with agreements. Barring trades, there is little chance New York will get under the $189 million tax threshold. Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner had been saying for two years that getting below the tax threshold in 2014 was a goal, but wouldnt get in the way of fielding a contending team. New York had great success in the Japanese market when it signed outfielder Hideki Matsui, a star from 2003-09 who was the World Series MVP in his final season in pinstripes. But the Yankees had failures with Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa, pitchers who never lived up to their potential. Matsui was part of a video the Yankees created and showed to Tanana at their pitch meeting. Tanaka was the first player available under the new agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, which caps posting fees at $20 million and allows multiple big league teams to negotiate. Under the previous system, in place from December 1998 through last off-season, there was no limit on the bid for negotiating rights and only the team with the top bid could try to sign the player. "It turned everything in reverse of where it was in the past," Cashman said, "where the posting numbers were extremely high, like players soccer transfer fees, to obviously a more traditional free-agent circumstance with a much lower transfer fee." AP freelance writer Mark Didtler in Tampa, Fla., contributed to this report. NMD R1 Mens Sale . -- Victor Bernardez tied the game with his second goal in the 95th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. Adidas Superstar Black Australia .Y. - The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence these days, thanks to a standout goalie and a newfound winning attitude. http://www.nmdaustraliasale.com/superstar-shoes-australia/pink.html .S. routed Sweden 7-0 Sunday to win its fourth straight title and seventh overall under-18 world championship. Olson earned his third shutout of the tournament and the Americans allowed only four goals in six games to set an International Ice Hockey Federation under-18 record. LAS VEGAS -- NASCAR announced sweeping changes to the Hall of Fame election process Thursday, including tweaks that make Bill Elliott and Mark Martin immediately eligible for enshrinement. Among the six changes: Drivers are now eligible if they have competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR or turned 55 in the calendar year before nominating day. Previously, drivers were not eligible until they had been retired for three years, so drivers can continue to compete and still reach the hall. Martin, winner of 96 races across NASCARs three national divisions, has no plans at this time to race next year after 31 seasons in the Sprint Cup Series. Elliott, winner of the 1988 Cup title, is 58 but raced as recently as 2012. Two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte ran in five races in 2013, but is 57 and has competed in Cup for 36 years. Other drivers immediately eligible for Hall of Fame consideration include four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., who still competes at age 55, and Ken Schrader, who said last months season finale at Homestead was his final race after 30 seasons. The ballot will also include only 20 nominees, down five from the first five classes. Also, any member of the nominating committee or voting panel who appeared on the previous years ballot or current years ballot will now be recused from participation in the nominating or voting process while they are on the ballot. Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Junior Johnson are active Hall of Fame voters and were on the panel when they were elected. Jerry Cook is a present voter and has consistently been on the Hall of Fame ballot. Those were the only direct changes to enshrinement as NASCAR passed on forming a veterans committee or if fewer than five should be inducted each year. "We have decided that that time has not yet arrived, but we will give strong consideration to revisiting both of those propositions after the 10th class is seated," said chief communications officer Brett Jewkes. "This year well be seating the fifth class. Long story short, those are viable things. There was a lott of debate, a lot of discussion, but weve made the decision that we wont revisit those until the 10th class is seated. Superstar Shoes Australia. quot; NASCAR has also established the "Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions" that will begin with the 2015 class. Potential recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador. Landmark Award winners will remain eligible for Hall of Fame induction. Five nominees for the Landmark Award will be selected by the halls nominating committee. The winner must appear on at least 60 per cent of the ballots. Beginning next year, the nominating committee will meet in person to create its ballots for both the Hall of Fame and the Landmark Award. The committee previously submitted nominees via mail to an independent accounting firm. The nominating committee will meet Feb. 21 in Daytona. NASCAR previously announced that the reigning Sprint Cup champion will be an eligible Hall of Fame voter starting with the 2015 class. Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson will be the first active driver to cast a ballot in voting next year. All of the changes were made after NASCAR examined the election process via discussions with current panelists. "A couple things we learned through this process is that our process right now is incredibly strong and comparable to other sports halls of fame," Jewkes said. "We feel very strongly about the strength of our process, and thats been borne out in the fact that we have five classes that we think are an exceptional reflection of the history of the sport. What came out of this process, it really magnified the caution we should take in comparing ourselves to other sports halls of fame. "Bottom line is our sport is very unique, the industry is very unique, the structure of our ownership and competition and the feeder series and everything in our sport is very, very unique, and therefore our process will always be a little bit unique." ' ' '