Is CC Sabathia afraid of New York? It is sure beginning to sound like that as the big lefty continues to sit on the Yankees' six-year, $140 million offer - an offer that would make him the highest paid pitcher in baseball - with no other team remotely close to those numbers.According to sources close to Sabathia, he has grave concerns about the media scrutiny in New York and the possible effects it would have on his family. Remember, he's pitched his whole career in Cleveland and Milwaukee. It was with this in mind that Yankees GM Brian Cashman enlisted Reggie Jackson to sit in on the meeting with Sabathia and his agent, Greg Genske, on Sunday, before Cashman handled yesterday's meeting solo.
Jackson was able to provide perspective for Sabathia (who grew up Vallejo, Calif.) on what it was like going from the Bay Area to New York. Jackson craved the media attention and was quoted as saying even before signing with the Yankees that if he ever played in New York they'd name a candy bar after him.
These are normal concerns that many players have about this city. It was a very smart move having Reggie in the room, if anyone knows the New York media it's him. Hopefully Mr. October eased some of CC's fears, who knows, maybe that's what led to today's meeting.
7 Comments:
Can't blame CC there for looking out for his family. However, if he performs well, he will be beloved more than he could currently imagine.
"if he performs well, he will be beloved more than he could currently imagine."
I'm sure that was along the lines of what Reggie told him. Winning here is better than winning anywhere else.
I think players get this stereotype of NY that it's so much worse than anywhere else. In reality, I think it's not nearly as bad as the impression that some players get.
I don't remember exactly what he said, but I remember a very telling comment from Jose Molina after he had been a Yankee for a while. He commented something to the effect that being a Yankee was a lot more relaxed and a lot more fun than he thought it would be at the time he got traded. He was actually worried it would be too businesslike and too serious.
I think that's probably a widely held perception among players who've never played in NY. They hear the stories, they see a guy like A-Rod getting booed, and then they freak out and build this idea of NY in their minds that never really matches the reality of it all. I think it can scare some people away.
The other side of the coin though, is that if that aspect of it scares you away, then maybe you don't have the mindset or ability to handle the pressure of NY and the pressure of postseason performing for the Yankees. It's not Milwaukee, that's for sure.
Look, you can downplay the scrutiny of the media and the fans all you want. The fact is that a guy who is a three-time MVP, and two-time MVP with the Yankees, who has had two of the most prolific offensive seasons in Yankees history, and switched positions in the prime of his career to become one of the better defensive third basemen, is booed mercilessly on a regular basis, for what fans perceive as a "lack of clutch performance." And don't give me the "He hasn't won a World Series line, because its a load of crap. This team hasn't won, and has failed collectively in post eason play since the 8th inning of game 4of the 2004 ALCS. No matter what A-Rod would have done the past 4 years the Yanks would have met the same fate.
The A-Rod situation is different than most. Fans don't like him based on a number of things, least of which being how he plays the game. And no that's not fair, but it is what it is.
Also the media despises the guy, and they make it obvious by their coverage of him. And sadly that works on people.
However I don't think CC will get anywhere close to that type of treatment from the fans and media.
Well of course they don't dislike him based on how he plays the game, he plays as hard if not harder than anyone on the field, and with as much if not more passion. That's what makes the Yankees fans treatment of him so petty.
I can't argue with that.
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