Superstar free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia is hearing from most of the major-market teams since receiving the Yankees' bold opening salvo last week, a $140-million, six-year bid that beat the Brewers' initial offer by $40 million and makes a nice high target for someone to shoot at. The Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox and Angels are among big-market teams believed to have checked in on Sabathia.
The question is: Will anyone else be willing to beat it, match it, or even come close?
Sabathia is a tremendous pitcher who's said by teammates and executives who know him to be a tremendous individual. But does anyone want to go dollar-to-dollar with the Yankees?
The Dodgers -- one of three interested teams to have the advantage of being located in Sabathia's preferred state of California -- recently pulled their $45-million, two-year bid to superstar slugger Manny Ramirez off the table, raising the question as to whether they'll make a run now at Sabathia. Sabathia, from Vallejo in Northern California, is said by intimates to relish Southern California equally, so the Dodgers could be a possibility, if they can play in the Yankees' economic stratosphere.
While most baseball officials view the Dodgers are being interested, there remains considerable question as to how high they will go for anyone. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has benefited from limiting the number of years on his free-agent deals, leaving a question as to whether he'd make an exception for this exceptional player.
The Angels are making keeping first baseman Mark Teixeira their top target and have said they probably can't sign two of the ultra-elite free agents.
The Giants are said by someone familiar with their thinking to be batting around the idea of seriously pursuing one of the "big three,'' from among Sabathia, Teixeira and Ramirez, but they may be inhibited unless they can find a taker for the unfortunate $126-million, seven-year Barry Zito contract already on their books. (Zito is entering the third season of that deal.)
The Red Sox are believed to have inquired on Sabathia, as well, but aren't seen as particularly likely to hit the magic number that would get him to go to Boston.
Maria Kirilenko
Tatiana Golovin
Did You See That?
Manny Being Manny
Comments (9) Add A Comment
the Red Sox would have to meet or beat the Yankees' offer in order to land CC
Why would he want to play in Boston for less money than NY when the fans are just raucous and the media is just brutal?
TMZ41486
Total Comments (972)
Because Boston is a perenial contender and because they won 2 world series in the past 5 years?
Latrappe
Total Comments (14)
i dont think there is any way anyone can beat the yankees. No matter how high another team offers the yankees will always come back with something higher and more ludacris
CP3YANKS
Hopewell Junction , NY
Total Comments (10)
Nobody can be the yanks offer? everyone already knew CC wanted more than Johan, the offer is oly $2.5 mill more overall, the sox could easily match that if it struck their fancy, dont get me wrong the yanks could still blow everyone out of the water, and this most likely is a ploy to make the yankees massively overpay, if it works, it works.
skil89
Braintree , MA
Total Comments (37)
cc doesnt want to play for the yanks.he'll sign in san fran before he signs w/ the bronx bombers.
fedor316
Billerica , MA
Total Comments (8)
If anybody thinks that the BoSox have a legitimate chance at signing Sabathia is out of their mind. The BoSox are feigning interest in Sabathia to try to drive up the Yankees price in attempting to land CC. The Red Sox aren't going to come close to what the Yankees are offering him and why would CC go to Boston for less money than what the Yankees are offering??? Sabathia will go to either one of four teams........Yankees, Angels, Dodgers or Giants. In the end, I think CC will be a Yankee HOWEVER.......if the Angels don't get Texeira OR if Manny doesn't sign with the Dodgers or IF SF comes close in dollars and can afford another fat contract, then he may decide to stay out west instead. But would CC be willing to leave about $20M-$25M behind on the table from the Yankees??
DoctorFox007
Bronx , NY
Total Comments (3)
I personally don't believe the Sox will make a run at Sabathia, and if they do it's because they want to drive up the price for the Yankees so they have less money to spend on other free agents. This is the same thing the Sox are doing with AJ Burnett, another pitcher they have only mild interest in. However, I don't believe CC wants to play for the Yankees and I think if the Sox were to get frisky and offer anything close to that, then it would be WISE for CC to leave the extra millions on the table and sign with Boston. The Yankees long-term future is very bleak. Their farm system has been depleted over the years in bad trades and bad drafting and most of their MLB superstars are getting old. Boston and Tampa, however, are primed for a decade of dominance. So why would CC sign with the Yankees to create a 3-horse race in the AL East when he can sign for almost as much money with the Sox and basically ensure a reign of dominance? Ideal scenario for Boston: sign Mark Teixeira, then if CC still hasn't signed, sweep in and steal him. Crushing blow for the Yanks both short and long term. I don't think it's going to happen, but with an extra $40-45mil off the books from 2008, stranger things have.
jto171
Hudson , NH
Total Comments (1)
I think your right but the thing with CC is he just might want to play somewhere else particularly the West coast but as long as the Yankees keep offering more money, I don't see how he could turn them down especially if they are way above the rest no one would leave that much money on the table
AngelFan
Total Comments (1530)
I would love to see CC on the Sox roster, but with the Yanks driving up that price, it's (1) difficult to see and (2) probably not that smart of a move.
Does anyone else forget that CC had a string of 3-4 years if my memory serves me correctly where his ERA was over 4, and he was only marginally effective?
Even though he's had two very solid years in a row, I think it is difficult to justify that kind of money for him. And how badly do the Sox really need a pitcher. Their farm system is loaded right now. They have Buchholz (arguably still a prospect), Bowden, and Masterson. They shouldn't pay this kind of money for a front-of-rotation guy. Maybe, they should pick up a back-end guy on the cheap or sign Tex, and trade Lowell or Youk for a majors-ready pitching prospect. Then, they have Tex at 1B, and Lars Anderson waiting in the wings at the position, opening up the door for a lot of possibilities as far as the SS and C positions are concerned.
Would CC be nice security? Yes. But for $140M over 6 years, plus? No.
If the Yanks want to pay for that, they can. It doesn't make their staff any more menacing in the long run, though.
Trav: Seeks Balance
Sw, VA
Total Comments (3713)
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