GMs' meetings: Could the Angels give CC Sabathia what he wants?
In contemplating CC Sabathia's free agency, here are the primary forces I see in play:
1) Sabathia's preference to play on the West Coast.
2) The Yankees' intention to blow away all other competitors for Sabathia's services.
3) The Players Association's goal of constantly raising the bar for players.
Is there a way for Sabathia to appease both his own desire and the union's, while dissing the Yankees in the process?
I can think of only one solution: The Angels. They're the only team, besides the Yankees, that I can see possibly offering Sabathia more than the six-year, $137.5 million package that the Mets gave to Johan Santana.
Can't envision the Dodgers going that high, and Sabathia's friends think he still hopes the Giants will get involved. But how can the Giants sign Sabathia to that rich a deal when they already have Barry Zito on their payroll?
No, I see just the Angels. And maybe not even them. After all, owner Arte Moreno is a staunch Bud Selig ally and tries to do right by the commissioner.
However, Moreno is ultra-competitive, and he has to be fuming that his team went down so easily in the playoffs yet again. The Angels traditionally work quickly in the winter - last year, they signed Torii Hunter on Thanksgiving - and they have set new precedents in the past. Last year, Hunter's five-year, $90-million contract broke the record for AAV for a centerfielder.
Because the Angels like to work quickly, they have made noise about moving on without Mark Teixeira, if the first baseman doesn't come to terms during the window of exclusivity. There's a better chance that Teixeira will join Barack Obama's cabinet than his signing before he attains full free agency. So maybe that embiggens the likelihood of the Angels trying to blow Sabathia away with a record-setting package.
CC's friends don't see him leaving gobs of money on the table. But what if the Angels offer six years and $145 milllion, and the Yankees offer six years and $150 million? Or what if the difference is even more dramatic?
The union wants its clients to pick up every last dollar, understandably. Yet ultimately, the goal is to keep raising the bar, so as long as Sabathia surpasses Santana, the PA can complain only so much.
Would Sabathia allow himself to step away from $10 million? $20 million? I bounced this scenario off a friend of his, and the friend did think it was more feasible if CC was still breaking Santana's record.
We'll see how this plays out; this is all speculative, on my part. Just something else to contemplate, as we prepare for what will be a very exciting baseball winter (even if it's a little dull at the moment).
Back in the good old days of sports media, if a competitor had a story you didn't have, and you believed that story was inaccurate, you could just ignore it. But that's not realistic anymore, not with you folks understandably asking me about everything out there.
So...no on this. The Yankees know they're not getting Jake Peavy. He doesn't want to come to New York, despite whether his agent did or didn't include the Yankees in that informal list. The Braves and Cubs are the clear leaders for Peavy's services. Seems like a good chance that a trade will be completed before full free agency begins on Nov. 14th.
And there have been rumors of a three-way trade in which the Yankees gave up Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano and wind up with Matt Holliday, with the Mariners also involved. No. The Yankees would trade Cano in the right deal, but the right deal isn't a one-year rental of Holliday.
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Comments (25)
That scenario works for me. Let the Angels overpay Sabathia and then the Yankees can guarantee themselves Mark Teixeira. I would personally much rather have it that way. I know the Yankees have prioritized pitching, and they do need at least one of the big names (simply because Moose is probably retiring and they still have innings issues with some pitchers), but it's almost weird how the offense is being ignored. They had a terrible offensive year and they're losing two bats that actually hit. Even if Cano does bounce back, if they don't bring in a big bat like Teixeira's, what will this offense look like?
I know it's easy for me to tell someone to leave ten million dollars on the table... but if C.C. doesn't want to play in New York, he should stay away. A few years ago the Yankees said they were done luring people to the Yankees just for big paychecks. They thought being a Yankee was incentive enough. But with C.C. it's almost like they're ugly boys begging an attractive woman to be their friend. Frankly, it's a little embarrassing.
Yes. All this garbage about Peavy to the Yankees is tired. He doesn't want to pitch in NY and the Yankees are not going to give the Padres the same package they weren't willing to offer the Twins for Johan Santana. Simple as that.
Baileywalk,
I agree with you on Sabathia. There has to be a limit for the Yankees regarding how far and how willing they are to grovel at Sabathia's feet in their efforts to bring him to NY. Perhaps playing in New York doesn't carry the same prestige it has in the past, but it no doubt will return to that sooner than later. If CC doesn't want to pitch in NY, so be it. Move on.
My only concern is how hard NY goes after Teixiera. I simply do not think he is as valuable as Boras insists. I am wary of another Giambi contract which is exactly what the Yankees are probably considering. Yes, there were many variables with Giambi, Teix is a better defensive 1B, but all the same, that's a lot of money.
Let's say the Yanks offer 6 years $180 million and the Angels offer 6 years $150 million. If Sabathia wants to pitch on West Coast so badly, he's going to have to turn down whatever offer the Yanks will make because the Yanks will make th highest offer to Sabathia by far from any team. Again, I said it before and I'll say it again, were find out for sure if Sabathia wants to pitch on the West Coast or he will take the money aka: Yanks.
We already know that Peavy wants to pitch in the National League only. The fact that the Yanks are still mention with Peavy is only to give the Padres leverage in talks with National League teams that Peavy is interested in going.
Dennis.
Amen and Amen.
Upon securing their second championship in four seasons, I wasn't thrilled with the Red Sox inking the aging Mike Lowell for three years. Ken, do you think that they might consider finding a taker for the third baseman, thereby moving Youkilis back to the hot corner and signing Teixeira? (Even if the Halos bow out, I just can't see the Yanks being the only team seriously bidding for his services.)
The Braves have serious prospects, including a front-line starter prospect. But what can the Cubs offer the Padres? The Padres can't just give Peavy away. If the Braves back off, and the Cubs don't have anything of value, and then the Dodgers balk at giving up some of their grade-A prospects, where does that leave the Padres? I'm not saying that road leads straight to the Yankees, but what do they do? It seems like Towers will have issues if he can't pry what he wants from the Braves.
JE, the Sawx would love to unload Lowell and sign Teixeira. Not an easy assignment, given Lowell's health.
baileywalk, the Padres are in such tatters that they're going to take the best package they can get from one of the teams on Peavy's list and move forward.
Ken, Jon Heyman wrote on his Hot Stove blog that the Yanks might consider moving Cano to 1st Base and signing Orlando Hudson to play 2nd base. Cano had a terrible year this year and moving him to 1st Base would make him have to learn a new position and he plays lazy sometimes defensively. Good idea or bad idea for the Yanks?
Bad.
CC's management team is doing exactly what every other big-name free agent does--make sure the team he really wants to go to thinks he is interested in pitching in NY or NY is interested in having him pitch for them to drive up the price. Like Ken mentions, Moreno is highly competitive and he really really wants CC on the Angels.
JE to reply from last night. Do you honestly think the Mets are not making a huge profit with the new stadium coming into play and their own regional sports network? Therefore to appease their fan base who will be paying incredibly high prices to sit in that new park, they need to address the problems the team has and try to remain competitive with the Phillies. They don't do it at any cost like the Yankees do, but rest assured they will pay through the nose for a closer and they will pay to fill in their middle relief, and they might compensate by not paying for a second baseman or an outfielder thinking they improved enough without upgrading there to close the gap. And remember, the Mets always look closely at how the Yankees are operating and try to compete with them as well. Also remember the Mets do and will have the 3rd or 4th highest payroll in baseball (possibly the 5th) but still way over $125 million. And they will still make a huge profit no matter what.
I hope Heyman's "source" on that Cano rumor was a vendor or something. That's a horrible idea. It also contradicts what Cashman said just days ago, which was that he wanted an actual first baseman. Not someone moving there from another position.
I think we're going overboard to call Cano's season "horrible." It was below average for HIM, but not that bad when compared to the average second baseman. And even if he does need a kick in the pants to concentrate once in a while, he's actually a good fielder. I don't know what this obsession with Hudson is, anyway. He's an okay hitter and a has a good glove, but people seem to be elevating him to something he's not.
Sandy, I agree with you on the PR component. Still, bringing in CC, Peavy, and/or a big-time bat would offset much of the concern. In any event, we sometimes forget how much grief Theo took at the time for trading Nomar....
I understand Ken's philosophy on the role of closers, although I would argue that it is not exactly "old-school", though, as Gossage, Fingers, Lockwood, Lyle, etc. never knew when they might enter into a game.
The Yankees best pitching acquisition in the past five years was Aaron Small, proving how difficult it is to project performance beyond the truly premier (and healthy) pitchers.
I am still opposed to having a rotation that pays a # 4 or # 5 starter (Pettitte) $ 10 to $ 12 million when you still are searching for free agents (or praying for Hughes) to fill a slot and also construct a bridge in the bullpen to Rivera (who just had surgery and may be not as effective). The Yanks may be forced to pay up for a starter that goes 7+ and not 5 or 6 innings each outing in order to lessen the bullpen's load - Sabathia.
I would do a take it or leave it offer to Sabathia with a tight deadline, using the upcoming 2009 tax hikes as a tool to get a quick decision - 5 years and $ 130 million, with a club option for 2014 for $ 30 million. Make it a $ 30 million upfront bonus paid in December, with $ 20 million per year in salary.
I'm not too sure a take it or leave it offer is necessary with CC. Why do it? I'm not too sure the market will work in his favor. The Yankees have plenty of money. I say wait it out. Let prices and years drop. The new park is selling out in 2009 even if Teixeira and CC aren't on the roster. Damon and Matsui will be gone after 2009. Combined they make $26 million. Let the young kids develop. Sign some stopgap people if the "stars" can't be had for reasonable amounts. Forget about Pettitte if you have to pay $10 million. Cano to first? Ludicrous.
I'm starting to think the Yanks are treating themselves like a regular business. While the Yanks on the field have not won a world championship in 8 years, the Yanks continue make a lot of money off the field. With the YES network and the potential revenue that the new Yankee Stadium will give them, the Yanks are having no problem making money.
Ken, Heyman on his Hot Stove Blog said that the White Sox are willing listen to trade offers for their closer Bobby Jenks. Jenks is arbitration eligible next year. Are the White Sox really considering trading Jenks and will the Mets be interested?
Gold Gloves are out....AL
P - MIKE MUSSINA - YANKEES
C - JOE MAUER - TWINS
1ST - CARLOS PENA - RAYS
2ND - DUSTIN PEDROIA - RED SOX
3RD - ADRIAN BELTRE - MARINERS
SS - MICHAEL YOUNG - RANGERS
OF - TORII HUNTER - ANGELS
OF - GRADY SIZEMORE - INDIANS
OF - ICHIRO SUZUKI - MARINERS
Of course the Mets would be interested, Dennis. But the White Sox would have to be blown away to trade Jenks.
I know this is a stupid thought but here goes - if the Angels do not keep Krod, their bullpen is not going to be the same. If you are CC Sabathia, wouldn't you rather pitch for a team with a true closer in Mariano Rivera???
Ken, you are an awesome sportswriter, but I think the Yanks do indeed have a very good shot at CC and Texeira...
Hey, if they can't get CC, they can go after Burnett and Lowe.
Ken, I dont blame you for not caring about the Gold Glove anymore. But do you ever have a vote for it? And pretending you do care, what do you think of David Wright's fielding? I think he is by far the most spectacular 3B in the N.L. but maybe the most inconsistant.
Gut call...where do you see CC going? I cant see him leaving 10 mil off the table.
LOL @ the Angels spending 100M+ on Sabathia
1. They don't believe in spend big time money on pitching
2. The team already has good pitching
3. They don't want to set a precedent when they have to sign Lackey NEXT YEAR for 18M+.
4. THEY COULDN'T HIT IN THE PLAYOFFS
5. If they lose Tex they will be forced to go after offense
6. They were burned by Colone on a 4 year deal (does that body type remind you of someone else?)
7. Home prices are down 35-40% in CA! FL & CA are Ground Zero in this economic disaster.
I'm still surprised every time I see Yankees fans fretting over money/payroll. It's the freakin' Yankees for crying out loud, there is no limit to how much they pay a player and frankly, who cares? Let them pay Sabathia what he wants, as long as they get him. I care more about the years than I do the dollars so I'd rather see them pay a larger annual salary and keep a contract shorter if possible but with Sabathia he's only 28 so a 7 year contract makes him 35 when it's over- not so bad and a start departure from the Yankees of the past who would give a 5 year deal to a downward sliding 34 year old.
The Angels could very well surprise us here. I mean, did anyone expect them to swoop in and sign Torii Hunter last year, the year after they gave Gary Matthews Jr. a big contract to play CF? They worry me. I also think the Dodgers could be the real problem here if they do not sign Manny.
If the Yanks are interested in saving money, I'd rather they do it on 1B rather than starting pitching. I love Teixeira but it's not like 1B is an extremely tough to fill spot. With the roster flexibility the departure of Giambi brings, I don't think it's a disaster if the Yanks lose out on Tex.
I read the hearsay and I know most think Moose will retire but not me. 20 wins, now a gold glove, a new Yankee stadium, 10-15 million $$, 270 wins, a chance to win a title on a good team, and he's gonna walk because he wants to go out the right way? What a crock! He can go out the right way in a couple years. I got his name written in ink until he says otherwise.
Peter,
I agree. I think Moose is sitting back waiting to see if the Yanks can land the guys that will give them the best shot at winning the series in '09 and if they get CC and Tex, you can bet he will want to be along for the ride.
Richie, coaches, not media, vote for the Gold Glove. Free-agent predictions to come on Friday, 11/14.
Cate, thank you, and I agree that the Yankees have a very good shot at Sabathia and Teixeira. I'm just reporting that Sabathia likes the West Coast better than the East Coast.