TOKYO -- Masahiro Tanaka says he chose to play for the New York Yankees because they appreciated him the most among the many teams in the majors who were chasing the prized signature of the star Japanese pitcher. "They gave me the highest evaluation and are a world-famous team." Tanaka said at a press conference in Japan on Thursday after agreeing to a $155 million, seven-year deal with the Yankees. Tanaka said he was "relieved" the deal was done and looked forward to standing on the mound at Yankee Stadium. When asked what his goal will be, Tanakas response was direct: "To become World Champions." In addition to the personal deal with Tanaka, the Yankees must pay a $20 million fee to his Japanese team, the Rakuten Eagles. His agreement calls for $22 million in each of the first six seasons and $23 million in 2020, and it allows him to terminate the deal after the 2017 season and become a free agent. Asked to deliver a message to Yankee fans in English, Tanaka said he plans to let his performance on the field do the talking. "I dont speak English so Ill just have to win the trust and confidence of the fans with my performance on the field," the 25-year-old right-hander said. 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 Eagles won the Japan Series title. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs and White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros all said they were among the failed bidders. Tanaka said he consulted with 2013 Rakuten teammate Takashi Saito and Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish about life in the major leagues before deciding on the Yankees. "Everything will be new and challenging," Tanaka said. "But I have to rely on the ability that got me this far." Tanaka was 99-35 with a 2.30 ERA in seven seasons with the Eagles, striking out 1,238 in 1315 innings. Yankees official has tracked him since 2007, scouting 15 of his games. The Tanaka deal caps an off-season in which the Yankees added catcher Brian McCann and outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. The four big deals totalled $438 million. "Were going to do what weve got to do to win," Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "We had to make sure we had enough pitching to go together with our new lineup." Tanaka receives the highest contract for an international free agent and the fifth largest deal for a pitcher, trailing only those of the Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw ($215 million), Detroits Justin Verlander ($180 million), Seattles Felix Hernandez ($175 million) and the Yankees C.C. Sabathia ($161 million under his original agreement with New York). Tanaka replaces the retired Andy Pettitte in the Yankees rotation, and joins Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda and Ivan Nova. Fake Yeezy Online . Darren Collison and Blake Griffin scored 23 points apiece and the Clippers beat the Suns 112-108 Wednesday night, their fourth win in a row and 17th in the last 19 games. Cheap Yeezy Free Shipping . - The Oakland Athletics say they are stopping negotiations to extend their lease at the Coliseum. https://www.yeezychina.us/. Mitchell first announced on Twitter that he has signed with the Steelers and his agent Brian Hamilton confirmed the signing to The Associated Press. Financial terms were not released. The Steelers have not announced the addition of Mitchell. Yeezy China . DArnaud hit one of three doubles for the Mets as they took a 4-0 lead in the first. Then the catchers seventh home run of the season broke the game open in the fifth. The 41-year-old Colon (10-8) retired the first 20 batters in his last outing Wednesday against Seattle, eventually allowing two runs on three hits in 7 1-3 innings in a 3-2 win. Fake Yeezy China .B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan opened the Ford Womens World Curling Championship with a 7-5 win over Russia on Saturday. TORONTO -- Quinn Smiths CFL draft stock is on the rise. The Concordia Stingers defensive lineman was ranked fourth among the CFL scouting bureaus top-15 prospects for next months draft. Heady stuff, considering Smith wasnt rated on either the fall or winter lists. But the six-foot-two, 305-pound Toronto native raised eyebrows at last months CFL combine, excelling on both sides of the ball. And that versatility will enhance his chances of being taken early in the May 13 draft, with the expansion Ottawa Redblacks holding the first pick overall. "Obviously I felt I shouldve been on the first two but Im very happy that my hard work paid off to be quite high on the new list," Smith said during a CFL conference call Tuesday. "I want to be a professional football player. "It doesnt matter what city, what team. Im going to be happy wherever I go." Once again Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGills highly rated offensive lineman, topped the rankings. But the six-foot-five, 310-pound medical student is projected as a mid-round NFL draft pick. Where Duvernay is taken by an NFL club will dramatically impact when hes selected in the CFL draft. David Foucault, Montreals towering six-foot-eight, 300-pound offensive tackle, moved up a spot into No. 2, with Laval offensive lineman Pierre Lavertu dropping to No. 3. St. Francis receiver Devon Bailey also dropped one position behind Smith into No. 5. Manitoba defensive tackle Evan Gill remained at No. 6, ahead of Western defensive lineman Dylan Ainsworth, who skyrocketed from No. 15. Manitoba running back Anthony Coombs moved up a spot to No. 8, ahead of Simon Fraser offensive lineman Matthias Goosen (who dropped from No. 5) and Queens defensive back Andrew Lue (from No. 8). Rounding out the top-15 were Laval defensive back Adam Thibault, Simon Fraser linebacker Casey Chin, defensive lineman David Menard and defensive back Antoine Pruneau -- both from the University of Montreal -- and Western linebacker Beau Landry. Ainsworth was another player who excelled at the CFL combine, especially in the 1-on-1 drills when he steamrolled over Foucault. The six-foot-three, 225-pound native of Delta, B.C., credited teammate Landry with helping him prepare for the weekend-long audition before league officials. "Just seeing my name there the first couple of rankings was an honour for me, it was just up to me to prove myself at the combine," Ainsworth said. "As a result of training hard with (Landry) I feel like I did as well as I really couldve hoped. "To see me shoot up to the No. 7 spot is huge but the real ranking is May 13 and thats what Im most excited about, just to see what happens and how it all plays out." Withh Duvernay-Tardif expected to head to the NFL, Foucault is being mentioned as the most CFL-ready prospect among the eligible offensive linemen.dddddddddddd But he, too, is attracting American interest, having recently interviewed with NFL clubs at the leagues Super Regional combine earlier this month in Detroit despite suffering a foot injury while running his 40-yard dash. "Just three of the 33 guys on the offensive line got an interview with NFL teams and I got some good feedback," Foucault said. "Right now, I dont know what (is happening), theres a little stress because I dont control this part." Foucault, a converted defensive lineman from LaSalle, Que., would welcome playing in the CFL, but admitted his focus right now is on the NFL because its draft is first on the calendar. The NFL draft will go May 8-10 and those players not selected could still be signed as priority free agents before CFL officials begin stockpiling their rosters with top prospects. "I just want to be a football player," Foucault said. "Its a good thing to play in the NFL or CFL but I want to take my chances to go to the NFL because I want to try." The CFL draft remains first and foremost on Smiths radar. Hed prefer to play professionally as a defensive lineman but wouldnt refuse the opportunity to line up along the offensive line, either. "Ive played both but playing defensive tackle has got me a free education at university, its got me to the CFL combine and I had a really great showing," he said. "If a team drafted me and wanted me to play the O-line I would have no problem with that. "I love playing football on the offensive or defensive side but defensive tackle is my natural position." Ainsworth, too, might find himself lining up in a different position in the CFL, either as a rush end or linebacker. While hed prefer to remain on the defensive line, Ainsworth is also keeping an open mind about where he could be lining up as a pro. "Defensive line is more my natural position, its sort of what I have more of a passion for," he said. "But any team that comes knocking whatever they want me to play is what I"ll be playing. "Its not an issue of what I want, its an issue of where I can fit and best contribute." But Ainsworth definitely has a preference regarding when hed like to hear his name called May 13. "Im hoping first round," he said. "Just to go in the first round would be awesome but realistically any team that picks you youre going to be happy to go there. "Its just going to be a nice weight lifted knowing where you need to go. Then the real work starts there." ' ' '