MLB and NPB have agreed to a new posting system for the next three years, according to various reports on Twitter.
Under the new system, the NPB club shall notify MLB they wish to post a player, and give MLB the amount of the posting fee they are setting. That fee cannot be more than $20 million.
Once a player is posted, MLB teams will have 30 days to negotiate with the player. Any MLB team may negotiate with the player, and once an agreement with the player is reached, the posting fee will be paid to the NPB club.
Masahiro Tanaka, the 25 year old righthander pictured above, is the most prominent player who may be posted this offseason. If the Rakuten Golden Eagles, his NPB club, posts him, he is expected to command a significant contract, and will be able to negotiate a deal with any team.
The Texas Rangers reportedly are interested in Tanaka, but their history is that they rarely are going to be the top bidder on an unrestricted free agent. If Tanaka is posted, I'd expect the Rangers to look to get involved in negotiations, but if the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, or New York Yankees decide this is a pitcher they want to moneywhip, the Rangers aren't likely to be the high bidders.