The Yankees missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 1993 and they do not want that to happen again....EVER. Yesterday marked the first day of free agency and the Yankees were ready.
The biggest need for the Yankees right now is starting pitching. The biggest free agent out there is CC Sabathia who happens to be a starting pitcher. Well there's a perfect match. It comes as no surprise that the Yankees are going to go after the hefty lefty but how aggressive they really are going to be is the question. On Friday we got out answer. The Yankees made the lefty an offer of 6 years and around $140 million, that's just to start things off. The final number could very well be around $150 million. The Yanks are wasting no time in getting targeting their main man.
The offer was set to discourage other teams from having a shot at signing Sabathia. The Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Brewers all appear to be in the running but it'll be tough to match or exceed the offer the Yankees gave CC. The Mets gave Johan Santana a 6 year $137 million so it doesn't look likely that the Mets will offer another pitcher a similar deal, even if it would give them one of the best rotations in baseball. The Brewers simply do not have the resources the other teams do financially so they don't appear to be a contender here. The Angels and Dodgers both have to deal with their own free agents who will both likely command big money in the ballpark of $20 million each per season (Mark Teixeira for the Angels and Manny Ramirez for the Dodgers).
The Yanks big spending doesn't stop there. They are going after free agent pitchers AJ Burnett and Derek Lowe. They are going to make them substantial offers as well.
"We’re prepared to make offers to (A.J.) Burnett and (Derek) Lowe. I’m starting to become very optimistic. I think it’s going to be mutually beneficial to us and for these particular players that we’re after for them to join the Yankees” said Hank Steinbrenner.
The Yanks aren't playing games. They want their pitchers and they want them ASAP. I like the aggressiveness here. Get these deals done and get everyone ready for spring training in Feburary. I can't see Sabathia turning down so much money from the Yanks. Whatever happens this winter one thing is for certain, the Yankees will find a way to get an ace and will add starting pitching that will put them with one of the best rotations in the league. CC will get his cake and eat it too. The Yankees will even give him the plate, the fork, and the cake of his choice and watch him eat it. That's how badly the Yankees want to win. That's how much of a panic the Yankees are in after missing the playoffs. They enter 2009 going into the New Yankee Stadium and want a new ace to lead the staff into familiar territory, the World Series. A year after shying away from Santana and the mega deal he wanted, the Yankees are going ALL in for Sabathia, I love it. Show him the money and me a ring! I can't wait.
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