The CC deal

by Travis G on Dec 10, 2008 10:58 AM EST in News Comment 17 comments

Turns out Sabathia is getting more from the Yankees than they initially planned. 'Sources' have it at 7 years, $160 million. Nice chunk of change (no pun intended).

Now confirmed by CBS Sports.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m. - the deal has an opt-out clause after three years, which was apparently a key to Sabathia signing. (h/t to MLBTR)

There will be plenty of analyzing the deal in the weeks to come, but there's finally something to talk about this off-season.

- The Yanks are planning to top Atlanta's offer for AJ Burnett, perhaps by guaranteeing a fifth year. Can you say Carl Pavano? I can but I hate to.

- Brian Cashman also made a two-year, $30 million offer to Ben Sheets.

- UPDATE 2:25 p.m. - Hank wants 'Manny in pinstripes.' I can't believe I actually agree with him. And he doesn't give a shit about his hair.

- Not to be outdone, Joe Gordon was elected to the Hall of Fame 58 years after retiring. He played for the Yankees from 1938 to 1946, losing two peak years to World War II, winning the 1942 MVP, and finishing with a career 120 OPS+, all while playing second-base, a defense-first position.

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CC

I think I would rather have Teixeira hitting in the middle of the Yanks line up and playing great firstball for them. I heard that someone came up with this stat today. In the last 3 weeks of last season when CC was pitching on 3 days rest. CC last 5-6 starts of last year he threw between 600-700 pitches and aveaged 115 pitches per start. The Yankees do have $80 millions do burn from last year with not signing all those other players like Abreu and Giambi,and Mussina. I hope the Yankees go hard at Derek Lowe and forget about AJ and Sheets. They are too often injuried.

by awful13 on Dec 10, 2008 12:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sheets is probably worth it

Since he is coming off a year with an injury – he won’t be able to demand more than maybe a 2 or 3 year contract from anyone.

Inning for inning Sheets is a better pitcher, though more injury prone.

I expect Sheets to sign for 2 years (maybe with a vesting option for meeting innings goals) for about $30M.

The Yanks will probably still go after Lowe, though he has been pretty average while pitching in the NL in a pitcher friendly park (Chavez Ravine).

I’d rather see the Yanks resign Andy. He is also a horse and has the stuff to be a 4th starter still.

by losjanks on Dec 10, 2008 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would prefer ...

Despite his injury history, I’d pick Sheets over Burnett because of one thing … Burnett in non-walking years pitches similarly to Carl Pavano. In other words, he doesn’t. He misses starts. Red flag. Stay away.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Dec 11, 2008 10:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

3 years..

I wish we would have at least assured him for 4 or 5
I don’t think there is any chance that he won’t be a free agent then. We’ve seen he is a greedy pig, no pun intended, and I’m sure he’ll take “plenty of time” again to weigh his options in 3 years (assuming he isn’t hurt and the economy isn’t completely ruined)

by charlievona on Dec 10, 2008 12:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I hope the Yankees are only pursuing Burnett as leverage to use while negotiating with other FAs they are actually interested in. I hope….

I think the opt-out in CC’s contract is actually a shrewd maneuver. Yes, under just about any set of circumstances, he will opt out, which means you are only giving him a 3-year contract. In a perfect world, this is all you’d want to give to any pitcher.

by 3460kuri on Dec 10, 2008 12:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

manny

no matter what youve thought of him in the past….manny and arod in the same lineup is a pitcher’s worst nightmare.

by spinz on Dec 10, 2008 3:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Details of the Deal

For 150+ Mill the Yankees were able to slip a few extra clauses into CC’s contract

1) No "Clubbing with Plax".
2) The Driver side windows on all vehicles owned by CC will be locked in the up position…so as to discourage the spontaneous "run through the drive through".
3) Weekly "weigh-ins". Every pound over three hundred should mean an immediate $1000 fine.
4) No Motorcycles
5) No helicopters
6) No "flying lessons"
7) CC is not to sponsor, associate with, or patronize "Blood Sports" of any kind to include (but not limited to) ownership or fighting of: Pit bulls, game cocks, Chinese fighting fish, mongoose and python death matches, and illegal alien fight clubs in his basement.
8) No sacrificing of animals for any reason (religious or otherwise)
9) No exotic animals (including endangered primates, overly large snakes, wolves, coyotes, dingos, peregrine falcons, or Burmese Tigers)
10) No brothels (owned, sponsored, subsidized, or visited)
11) No machine guns…. No assault weapons… no unregistered hand guns… no hand grenades… no rocket launchers… no compound bows… no samurai swords.
12) No unlicensed casinos run out of a house he bought for his brother-in-law
13) CC is not to join, fund or in any way encourage guerrilla organizations, NGO’s, or any other party interested in regime change in his home country
14) CC is not to associate with any women who cannot produce 2 forms of ID proving that they are of consenting age
15) CC will not try to talk to Ching Ming Wang
16) CC is not to take Joba Chamberlain "out for some real food" under any circumstances
17) CC will not release (by accident or on purpose) a sex tape on YoutTube
18) CC will not fraternize with Red Sox players on the evening before playoff games
19) In the unlikely event of a water landing, CC will function as a flotation device for Mariano Rivera
20) Under no circumstances is CC to go whale hunting

My dying words will be 'Go Giants!'"

by wankerboy on Dec 10, 2008 3:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

"And he doesn't give a shit about his hair"

I think Joe G. might have something to say about that.

I can’t see Manny in Pinstripes with his dreads hanging out… if they do sign him, hopefully it’s no more than two years, with maybe a vested third year.

The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants

by NumberSeven on Dec 10, 2008 4:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Scary thought ...

The Yankees sign Manny, and demand he cuts his hair … He does, and like Samson, loses all his power.
Yeah … that sounds about right.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Dec 11, 2008 10:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pitching

the opt out clause is actually better for the Yankees. if he gets hurt in the upcoming 3 yrs, they have an insurance plan to get rid of him. the massive innings he threw in 08 can result in an arm injury. aslo u pay a pitcher slightly more per year as the years progress in the contract, so if they resign him after 3 yrs, its like they got another 3 yrs of semi-lowered payment.

"Hey Derek do you actually drive the Edge?","I don't drive that piece of crap!"

by Da Shiz on Dec 10, 2008 7:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

nope.

the opt out clause gives cc the right to opt out, not the yankees. if he gets hurt in the upcoming 3 years, he won’t opt out and the yanks will be on the hook for 4 years and ~95 million.

by tombradylikesdudes on Dec 10, 2008 7:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

insurance my friend

if cc gets hurt the yankees pay plenty in disability insurance to lloyds of london to insure their investment. I think the opt-out clause is fine and CC will be great for us. i can’t believe some of the negativity from yankees fans on this deal. We got the best FA pitcher out there who by all accounts is a great teammate who also plays his heart out and happens to pitch left-handed at 98 plus…..
seems like a good deal to me.

I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it. ~Rogers Hornsby

by kdog on Dec 11, 2008 12:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I hate opt out clauses

And once you give one to one player, it becomes one more wrinkle you can expect to see in every deal out there.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 10, 2008 9:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

yeah... it's the hot new thing.

but i gotta think it’s unlikely CC would get more than this deal on the open market in three years… we’ll see I guess.

The Jayfiss Report ...one fan's rants

by NumberSeven on Dec 10, 2008 10:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

oh toushe on the opt out

"Hey Derek do you actually drive the Edge?","I don't drive that piece of crap!"

by Da Shiz on Dec 10, 2008 10:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

CC for three ...

Anticipate CC doing well for three and holding the Yankees hostage for even more $$$—similar to what Arod did. I guess it should piss me off, but strangely, it doesn’t.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Dec 11, 2008 10:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs