According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees are ready to make an offer to superstar free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia, who hits the open market at midnight tonight. The exact offer isn't known, but it will likely show Sabathia, New York's top offseason target, that the Yankees can and will outbid any other suitor interested in signing him.
From the story:
CC Sabathia does not need the Yankees to flirt with him. He knows their intentions already. All things being equal, Sabathia wants to go home to California and play in the NL, where he can hit. But as a friend of Sabathia's said yesterday, "he is mature enough and realistic enough to know that the Yankees might not make it close. And if it is not close - no matter how much he likes the West Coast and likes hitting - he is not going to walk away from $25 million. This is not rocket science. It is about how much more the Yanks will spend than anybody else."
One Yankee executive said, "we have to separate ourselves." Translation: They must divest Sabathia of his dreams of the Pacific and the batter's box by going to a financial region relatively quickly that no other franchise would even consider, especially in this plummeting economy. That means a bid north of the six years at $137.5 million the Mets bestowed last year on Johan Santana. My gut says six years at $150 million sounds about right to force league-wide surrender before the bidding really even gets started.

Maria Kirilenko
Melissa Haro

Comments (15) Add A Comment
And this is the reason why, more then anything else I despise the Yankees and think that MLB needs to move toward a system of revenue sharing and salary caps and floors similar to what the NFL has.
sincro
Renton , WA
Total Comments (9)
When MLB wanted to go to a Salary Cap in the 80's Steinbrenner was one of it's most out spoken supporters.
They do have revenue sharing in MLB, and with may teams deciding to pocket the money that larger teams fork over you should look at the Royals as an equally guilty party in this mess. You should thank teams like the Yankees who are willing to spend what they must to win. It keeps fans like you passionate about baseball.
JaraMillz
New York , NY
Total Comments (82)
6 years - $150 million... START SPREADING THE NEWS!!!
Yankee27
Castaic , CA
Total Comments (1080)
>Had< as of about two years from now. Can't wait until the NFL is nothing but the Cowboys, Giants, Jets, and Patriots. See ya Pittsburg, Green Bay, and Jacksonville.
Wanted Man
Lincoln , NE
Total Comments (1175)
This is the reason why we need a cap now more than ever? you're right. Tampa Bay & Philly. A long history of buying championships. Or maybe the cards & tigers in '06. and the red sox in '07 don't buy championships, they earn them (and I'm a lifelong Mets fan, and we can't buy one either. and we try really hard. ask billy wagner & pedro).
NYmets78
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (3)
This is the reason why we need a cap now more than ever? you're right. Tampa Bay & Philly. A long history of buying championships. Or maybe the cards & tigers in '06. and the red sox in '07 don't buy championships, they earn them (and I'm a lifelong Mets fan, and we can't buy one either. and we try really hard. ask billy wagner & pedro).
NYmets78
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (3)
sorry for the duplicate.. computer hickup. apparently I need a cap too.
NYmets78
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (3)
Considering L.A. is the second largest city in the U.S., whose fault is it that the Dodgers won't come close to what the Yankees are willing to pay? At least the Yankees are willing to spend the money they make, as opposed to pocketing it. What does that say about their commitment to winning as opposed to Seattle's ability to suck it every year. Have fun in the cellar. Seattle can join Detroit as two once proud sports cities that have gone in the toilet. How 'bout the Sonics, er. . . I mean Thunder?
noahfecks
Charlotte , NC
Total Comments (22)
lets all understand the dh rule. it is an option... the yanks can let dd bat any game he pitche
s.. no problem..
sun city stew
Sun City , AZ
Total Comments (1)
I don't care about anything other than I hope Steinbrenner Inc. chokes on any acquisition they get.
Hoos Your Daddy
Total Comments (137)
you people are so sad...there is no such thing as a free player...everyone is essentially bought. The Marlins won twice with little out of pocket expenses but they still PAID the players so yes those 2 rings were bought. Don't come down on a team that has money and actually spends it to win. Come down on the teams that have money but spend like they don't.
yankeeDevotee
Port Charlotte , FL
Total Comments (2)
There are lots of teams who got super rich owners, but they are too cheap to spend any money. What do all of the teams do with the money they get from the revenue sharing? The owners just pocket all of the money instead of using the money on the team. So don't blame the Yankees, who share their revenues with other teams. You must blame the owners of the other teams for not spending the money on their team.
AnthonyL88
Beverly Hills , CA
Total Comments (10)
Nothing more than jealousy. you know that if you had the money available to you, you would put together the best team that money can buy!
Cindirella61
West Haven , CT
Total Comments (1)
SWISHER SWEET in a Yankees uniform. It's going to look so SWEEEEEEEET.
Tk916
Sacramento , CA
Total Comments (10)
Those who read my comment apparently missed part of it. You also need a salary *floor* to make salary caps truly work. That prevents teams from taking the money they get and not spending it on players. In the NFL, that floor is 75% of the cap.
sincro
Renton , WA
Total Comments (9)
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