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. Cheap Yeezy . 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." Fake Yeezy . As the only competitor to try two quads, much less complete them, Kovtun ended the day nearly nine points ahead of Japans Tatsuki Machida, who opened with a clean quad but then stepped out of the triple toe loop that was the second jump in his combination. Black Friday Yeezy . Here is a look at all the moves through the first week of NHL Free Agency. The most significant deals will get the full Numbers Game column treatment, like these:Briere-for-Parenteau trade. https://www.fakeyeezywholesaleonline.com/ . - Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II says the NFL has told the team it will not be docked a pick in this years draft for coach Mike Tomlins foray onto the field against Baltimore last November.Womens Teams Province Skip Third Second Lead AB Kelsey Rocque Danielle Schmeimann Holly Jamieson Jessica Iles BC Corynn Brown Erin Pincott Samantha Fisher Sydney Fraser MB Beth Peterson Robyn Njegovan Melissa Gordon Breanne Yozenko NB Justine Comeau Emma Le Blanc Brigitte Comeau Keira McLaughlin NL Sarah Hill Danielle Wiseman Sarah Ford Heidi Trickett NO Krysta Burns Leah Hodgson Sara Guy Laura Masters NT Carina McKay-Saturnino Karly King Rayna Vittrekwa Hilary Charlie NS Mary Fay Jennifer Smith Karlee Burgess Janique LeBlanc NU Sadie Pinksen Christianne West Katie Chislett Manning Kaitlin MacDonald ON Chelsea Brandwood Claire Greenlees Brenda Holloway Danielle Greenlees PE Veronica Smith Chloe McCloskey Sabrina Smith Katie Fullerton QC émilia Gagné Claudie Gobeil-Tremblay Julie Fortin Marie-Pier Harvey SK Kristen Streifel Karlee Korchinski Hayley Unrau Haylee Jameson YT Bailey Horte Kelsey Meger Kelly Mahoney Sian Molloy Mens Teams Province Skip Third Second Lead AB Karsten Sturmay Tristan Steinke Brett Winfield Mac Lenton BC Paul Henderson Duncan Silversides Benton Boychuk-Chorney Jacob Zorn MB Braden Calvert Kyle Kurz Lucas Van Den Bosch Brendan Wilson NB Rene Comeau Andrew Burgess Alex MacNeil Ryan Freeze NL Greg Smith Ryan McNeil Lamswood Kyle Barron Craig Laing NO Tanner Horgan Jacob Horgan Connor Lawes Maxime Blais NT Matt Miller Logan Gagnier Deklen Crocker Braeden Picek NS Matthew Manuel Nick Zachernuk Ryan Abraham Alec Cameron NU Kane Komaksiutiksak Tyson Komaksiutiksak Darren Makkigak Sidney Nichol ON Mac Calwell Kurt Armstrong Morgan Calwell Matt Pretty PE Tyler Smith Brooks Roche Dylan Lowery Ryan Lowery QC Felix Asselin Alex Cormier Lewis South émile Asselin SK Jacob Hersikorn Cole Tenetuik Brady Kendel Brandon Leippi YT Joe Wallingham Brayden Klassen Trygg Jensen Spencer Wallace ' ' '