A person familiar with the negotiations said Cashman was more optimistic than ever yesterday about the Yankees landing Sabathia.
It was possible, the source said, that Cashman could be doing more than selling New York and the Yankees again. He could actually begin the process of finalizing a contract.
UPDATE 11:27 p.m.: Dan Graziano has this quote from a Yankees official:
"From (Tuesday) morning until (Tuesday) night, things are looking a lot more positive in terms of us signing this guy. If you'd asked me at 11:00 (Tuesday) morning, I'd have told you no way. But right now, we have a real shot."Graziano says the Yankees may have added an opt out clause after the first two or three years of the deal.
He also confirmed that Sabathia requested the meeting so that Cashman could meet with him and his wife.
From Kat O'Brien:
Brian Cashman is meeting with CC Sabathia in the San Francisco area tonight. It was a last-minute meeting, not sure who requested it, but a number of sources have confirmed the meeting to Newsday.
One reason for this meeting may be for Sabathia's wife, Amber, to get to talk to Cashman. She is a major part of this decision-making process.This is certainly good news for the Yanks. I would assume that CC has been convinced and now he just needs his wife to hear what he has already heard about the New York area.
Peter Abraham and Ken Rosenthal are also reporting that Cashman flew to San Francisco to meet with CC.
20 Comments:
Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!
I'M PUMPED! GO GET 'EM CASHMAN!!!!
Let's see what happens people. I like the sound of this too, but these winter meetings have shown me one thing; don't get too excited about anything until it's official.
That's what I'm talking about. Cash better bring a good dessert for dinner...
This is the third meeting Sabathia has requested in 3 days. I think we will find out either he will be a Yankee or not after this meeting.
This is definitely good news. To me, this says that the Yankees got some sort of hint that Sabathia was seriously considering New York and growing fond of pitching there, and now Yankees front office officials are hitting the hole like Jerome Bettis in his hayday. This is it, and the Yankees can sense it, and they are full-steam ahead, getting more and more aggressive in their pursuit of the hefty lefty.
Lets see if Cash can close like Mariano Rivera. If CC doesn't sign, they need to take that offer off the table and close the deal with the other pitchers.
I don't know if they should take the deal off the table. I don't really see what that does to help the Yanks. They can still sign other people with that offer on the table. The issue is do other pitchers want to sign until Sabathia signs, honestly I don't think they do.
OH SHIT, looks like the Yanks are real close. Come on Brian bring em home!
I would probably leave the deal on the table just to scare off potential suitors. If Sabathia expresses no desire to pitch in New York, hell I would up the offer to $165 million, and knock off anybody who even thought about C.C. in their uniform. It's amazing how much power the Yankees have when they can throw around money this way.
Very good point Jason.
Graziano also wrote that Yanks offered CC an opt-out clause after the third year. I think that is smart if thats what we need to offer inorder to get him.
Because we need an ace this year inorder to compete for a world series title. And he he opts-out in 3 years so be it hopefully by then Joba or Hughes are legitimate #1 and #2 Starters/
Thank anon, I just added that to the main post.
I don't mind the addition of the opt out clause. Hopefully he succeeds and loves it here and it doesn't become an issue.
Well, according the the Post, he's chosen NY... take it for what it's worth:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12102008/sports/yankees/yanks_close_in_on_sabathia_deal_143481.htm
LAS VEGAS – CC Sabathia is not going to play on the West Coast. He is not going to play in the National League. CC Sabathia is going to be a Yankee, The Post has learned exclusively.
After three straight days of face-to-face meetings between GM Brian Cashman and Sabathia, the big lefty decided he wants to spend the next six years of his career as a Yankee. The decision came late last night after Cashman flew to see Sabathia at his home in San Francisco. By the time the meeting was concluded, Sabathia had informed the Yankees that he had made his decision to call New York his baseball home, the Post has learned.
There are still minor hurdles to finalize, notably that Sabathia must pass a physical. But after so much belief that Sabathia was stalling because he wanted to avoid New York, he agreed to the largest pitching contract in major league history, at least $140 million.
It means that the Yankees have lassoed the player they were building their offseason around: An ace in his prime. Sabathia is just 28, and last year between the Indians and Brewers he went 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA. The previous season he won the AL Cy Young. Now he is the first major new piece to be put into the new Yankee Stadium.
Cashman had met with Sabathia on both Sunday and Monday in Vegas. He then slipped out of the Winter Meetings yesterday to fly to San Francisco to meet again with Sabathia and also this time Sabathia's wife, Amber. It was in this meeting that Sabathia fully expressed that he wanted to come East and play in the AL, that he wanted the responsibility that comes with being the big man for the biggest team.
The Yankees had extended a six-year, $140 million bid to Sabathia nearly a month ago. As the weeks passed and Sabathia did not accept the deal, a feeling began to pervade that he was trying hard to avoid the Bronx. Instead, this might simply have been a patient game of poker, Sabathia simply taking his time to make sure no desirable West Coast team with significant money would emerge. That never happened.
So now Sabathia will front a rotation that also will include Chien-Ming WangChien-Ming Wang and Joba ChamberlainJoba Chamberlain . But Cashman does not want to stop there. The Yankee priority this winter has been pitching, pitching and pitching. And they are going for more.
Cashman had met Monday night with A.J. Burnett's agent Darek Braunacker and expressed a willingness to exceed the four-year, $60 million bid by the Braves and that they would seriously consider going to a fifth year.
"We never doubted their sincere efforts," Braunacker said. "I have maintained that if A.J. wants five years he will get five years."
Cashman also met with Scott Boras and the YanksNew York Yankees appeared willing to go to the four-year, $60 million plus range for Derek Lowe. In addition, the Yanks have talked with agents for several other starters, including Andy Pettitte, Randy Wolf, Oliver Perez and Ben Sheets. The Yankees received medical records on the oft-injured Sheets and were studying them. One person in the loop described Cashman as really pushing in a much more forceful way to begin closing deals, with or without Sabathia.
The Yanks knew the worse scenario would be to be completely shut out on the top-tier pitching buffet. That would be humiliating. That would be the entire sport essentially saying the Yankees have the money, but no one wants to take it as a first option any longer. However, Sabathia showed that the lure of the Yankees and their money is still powerful.
Barring the unforeseen, Sabathia is going to be a Yankee. The Yanks scored the big prize for which they were hunting.
GET BURNETT AND SHEETS TOO ! YABBA DABBA DOO ! CC = COLLECT CHAMPIONSHIPS
7yr $160 mil for CC
And this is what I get for sleeping late. DAMN YOU SLEEP!!!
By the way, $160 for seven is a bit insane, but I'm still happy.
I have a baby, I don't get to sleep a lot, lol. Don't worry man I got your back, lol.
I forgot to thank you guys for posting the info/articles when you did.
Thanks Pinstripes, Anonymous, and Eliezer.
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