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Yankees Make Pitch To Sabathia
By Administrator | November 15, 2008
The Yankees winter shopping spree is underway.
General Manager Brian Cashman has declared that the Yankees need to make siginficant improvements to the ballclub’s pitching staff this winter. With the team’s coffers busting at the seams and a new ballpark scheduled to open next April, the team is prepared to open the checkbook in order to make those improvements.
Yesterday, the Yankees made a substantial offer to the top pitcher on the free aget market, former Indians and Brewers southpaw CC Sabathia. According to reports, sometime this weekend they will present proposals to A J Burnett… and possibly to Derek Lowe, as well.
One day after acquiring 1B/CF Nick Swisher from the Chicago White Sox in a trade, the Yankees offered Sabathia a contract believed to be worth $140 million over six years. If such a deal were to be finalized, it would be the biggest deal for a pitcher in baseball history… Johan Santana inked a six-year, $137.5 million contract with the NY Mets last winter after being traded from the Twins.
The 28-year-old Sabathia was 17-10 last season pitching for both Cleveland and Milwaukee… he went 11-2, 1.65, for the Brewers being shipped to the National League in a July trade. He is 117-73, with a 3.66 ERA, in 254 career starts.
Sabathia reportedly prefers to play on the west coast (he is originally from Vallejo, California) and in the National League (he likes to hit)… but many people believe the Yankees will ultimately win out by overwhelming him financially. One agent not connected to Sabathia opined, “If the Yankees want him, they can afford to push a blank check at him”.
The Dodgers have “left word we have interest” according to GM Ned Colletti, although they have not yet made a formal offer, Colletti said.
The Yankees also have contacted Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, to indicate interest in the oft-injured righty, who was 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA for the Blue Jays this past season. Braunecker said the Yankees had not made an offer, but added: “We’ve been in communication and we anticipate future dialogue. The negotiating process hasn’t really started yet”.
Those negotiations are expected to start at four-years and $54 million — an offer being prepared by the Blue Jays, according to a report in yesterday’s Toronto Star.
As for Lowe, the Yankees are expected to be in competition with its two chief rivals — AL East rival Boston Red Sox and cross-town headline rival NY Mets. Lowe was 14-11, 3.24, for the Dodgers last season.
Topics: Around Baseball |
