Monday Morning CC Question
Posted by Steve Lombardi on November 17th, 2008 · Comments (20)
So, the Yankees made a mega-contract offer to CC Sabathia on Friday. And, it’s now Monday. There’s virtually no chance that someone is going to offer Sabathia a better offer than the one the Yankee made on Friday. Big CC had the weekend to sleep on the offer. If it’s true that money will win out in the end, should the Yankees not expect an acceptance from Sabathia today? And, if CC does not get back to the Yankees today, is that a sign that it’s not just about the money, in terms of what he wants from a new team, and that the odds of him coming to New York should now be considered as decreasing?
Even if money were everything, Sabathia shouldn’t tell the Yankees he accepts their offer. He ought to demand an extra 10 or 15 million. I mean, this is the Yankees “opening bid”? Why accept? All you’ve got is money? Show me some more, then!
But it means nothing if he doesn’t sign quickly. He wants to hear from other teams, particularly those on the west coast and those in the N.L., and see what he is offered for a situation that he may (or may not) value over all the money he can get. $125 million to live in California and bat? Why not accept it, unless the Yankees get up toward 170 million to make it worth his while? Considering that the Brewers offered $100 million and they are a small market team with limited means shows that, in all likelihood, the difference between a decent offer from a west coast and/or NL team will not be that far away from what the Yankees have offered.
This is only the beginning, Steve. Saying he doesn’t want to drag it out doesn’t mean the man won’t do his due diligence and find out what the market as a whole offers.
There’s virtually no chance that someone is going to offer Sabathia a better offer than the one the Yankee made on Friday.
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Virtually no chance, but not definitely. He’d be stupid not to find out for sure.
I don’t know, I think we will be surprised by a wild card team. Although the two situations are not comparable, look at the Gil Meche deal a few years ago, big money out of nowhere. CC Sabathias don’t come around every year.
he’ll be signed before Turkey Day.
No way he accepts a deal today, or this week. He will probably wait some time for other offers, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see some team try to drive up the Yankee price…whether that team is giving a genuine offer or not. When you’re the best pitcher on the free agent market and will command a giant contract, you just don’t sign on day four until the market actually develops.
This is from another article Ive read this morning:
•CC Sabathia is getting pressure from the players union to accept the Yankees offer of $140 million over 6 years. A league source tells NYBD though that Sabathia’s preference is the west coast, specifically the Giants. That same source reports that through his agent, Sabathia told the Giants he would prefer to play there, but he can’t take too much less money to go there. Ultimately I believe he ends up in the Bronx, because if anyone comes remotely close to their offer, they’re likely to raise.
Ok so assuming this is correct and he dosent want to be a Yankee. Why do we want him? I mean, does the team really need another superstar who is only here for the money? Come on!
Why do we want him?
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To shore up the rotation?
Interesting the role the Player’s Association is playing in this, and given that, it’s understandable why they’ve lost so much ground recently to the owners.
Interesting that he wants to play for the pathetic Giants…almost makes me not want him…of course with Sabathia and Lincecum they would have a deadly top of the rotation along with Cain/Sanchez/Zito. Their offense is horrible though, but in that division they could certainly compete.
The Giants OPS+ last season was 88 and Cano and Betetmit were 86 each for the Yanks, so they basically had a team full of Cano’s and Betetmit’s hitting for them last season…imagine THAT!!?
The Giants!!?? Sabean can’t afford to sign another big free agent pitcher after Zito both in a financial sense and his livelihood as a GM. $3 mill a year tied up in two pitchers for an 80 million payroll team? NO way that is happening since Sabean needs offense not pitching.
Steve, CC is in no rush. The Angels or Dodgers might make an offer to him (Colletti is a dolt who has made some of the stupidest signings that have made Cash Man look brilliant). I don’t see another team offering that kind of money BUT what if Hicks from Texas goes nuts and offers 180 mill. What then, New York makes CC the first 200 million dollar pitcher?
I was just reading that the Rangers would need to move Hank Blalock’s $6 million contract just to make an offer for Kerry Wood, so I don’t see them going after Sabathia. I would think the Dodgers and Angels are the only other legitimate options here and I don’t think the Angels would go over the $140 million mark.
Do the White Sox somehow get in this if they keep moving payroll? I wonder if that’s what Williams is up to by dumping Swisher and supposedly more moves are coming.
But if the Angels or Dodgers go to 130 million, and if he really wants to be on the west coast, why would he even listen to the inevitable 170 million offer? He’s getting huge dollars, Santana dollars or beyond, he can set the market and still go where he wants to be.
If the Yankees really want him, they need for the alternative offers to top out at 120, at the very most. Then the Player’s Union might prevail on him to maximize the dollars even if he wants to be on the West Coast, and it might also work in your favor if the Yanks are the only team that exceeds Santana’s deal. Now it appeals to his ego to be the highest paid pitcher.
If a west coast team comes up with Santana money, I don’t think its going to matter what the Yankees offer or the Player’s Union encourages. C.C. will take the bucks and the lifestyle over more bucks.
Interesting that he wants to play for the pathetic Giants
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Considering he’s from Vallejo, CA, it’s not that interesting.
Considering he’s from Vallejo, CA, it’s not that interesting.
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Yea, because star players always take less money to go play for their crappy home town team…..
The only West Coast team he probably has his eye on is the Giants, and the only reason he wants to be on the “West Coast” is because he’s from Vallejo. Remember that California is a humongous place…Vallejo is about 400 miles from LA. If he signs with the Dodgers or the Angels, his ability to go home will be just as much as if he signed with the Yankees.
I don’t think he’ll value the Angels more than the Yankees, and the Dodgers will be valued only because they’re in the NL.
Yea, because star players always take less money to go play for their crappy home town team…..
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Not always, but it has happened. Matter of fact, Thurman Munson wanted to be traded to Cleveland so he could be closer to his family. This was during a time when Indians were a joke of a franchise.
400 miles is more or less the same as 3000? Gimme a break. CA may be big but there’s a commonality of lifestyle, and its a helluva lot different than the northeast. All of the California teams are on his list except for Oakland, and that’s for obvious financial reasons.
400 miles is more or less the same as 3000? Gimme a break.
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Depends on method of travel; 5 hour flight, or a 5 hour drive. I don’t know if players take buses or planes when they travel from SF/Oak to LA/LAAA/SD
When you sign a contract for 130 million dollars, you can fly from southern California “home”.
Not always, but it has happened. Matter of fact, Thurman Munson wanted to be traded to Cleveland so he could be closer to his family. This was during a time when Indians were a joke of a franchise.
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30 years ago? Nice example…money wasn’t as big as it is now.