C.C. Sabathia, born Carsten Charles, in Vallejo, California, in July of 1980, is arguably the finest left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball today. On July 7th of this year, C.C. was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers, where he preceded to pitch one of the most dominant half seasons in baseball history. He held an 11-2 record with a 2.70 ERA and was solely responsible for the Brewers winning their first ever National League Wild Card. (Their first post season appearance since 1982.)
The Cleveland Indians initially traded Sabathia because his contract was to expire after the season, and they knew they would not have the revenue to resign the big lefty. The Milwaukee Brewers were in no greater financial position themselves. So the scuttlebutt within the league from July to December was questioning what team C.C. would sign with over the winter.
Enter the New York Yankees.
For the first time in eleven years the New York Yankees missed out on the post season in 2008. The powerhouse franchise, that puts winning above everything has been determined to fix the problems this winter and come back with vengeance in 2009. When Yankee radio broadcaster Susan Walden signed off, and gave her closing thoughts after the final regular season game of 2008, she said that she fully expected New York to acquire C.C. Sabathia as well as several other lucrative free agents.
So in the very early hours of December 9th, the New York Yankees announced that they had reached a preliminary agreement with C.C. of 7-years for 161 million dollars. Sabathia took over 23 days to acknowledge the Yankees top offer and then another three before accepting it. And then still requested an additional 20 million dollars.
So what do I think?
As I have stated time and time again I am a Yankees fan first and foremost. So am I happy about my new lefty ace?
Not really!
Here is the problem- Simply stated C.C. does not want to be a Yankee.
As my uncle G.T. Steltz pointed out to me years ago, the MLB players union orchestrates the free agent market every off-season. Lead by union Chief Donald Fehr, the union works directly with player agents to squeeze as much money out of owners as humanly possible. (All at the expense of the fans- mind you.) The cleverest of the union’s operations is to always have the highest priced free agent players of any given off-season, sign the first deals of the winter. The idea is, if the top players signs the first deals for the top dollar, then the financial bar will be raised year after year. Last season's top free agents were Johan Santana and Alex Rodriguez. They both signed record-breaking deals, and the rest of last year’s free agents prospered as a result.
So long story short, the top free agent of the class of 2008 was by far C.C. Sabathia.
Now, I am exactly one month older then C.C., who has a wife (Amber of five years) and three young children. Amber is C.C.’s high school sweetheart, and the two have resided in California’s Vallejo area their entire lives. Most recently that have begun building a home in central California. Amber had been hoping that either the San Francisco Giants or Oakland Athletics would come forward with big contract offers.
They did not.
However the Anaheim Angles and the Los Angeles Dodgers were in contact with C.C.’s agent. C.C. had been highly interested in playing for a California team and was also highly interested in staying in the National League.
So with a young family at home, California ties, and the most power of any free agent this winter, why would C.C. choose a team that seems to go against everything he wants out of life?
For two astronomical reasons- money and pressure.
C.C. no doubt felt the pressure of the players union to sign his deal so that the rest of this year’s players could follow. The same pressure caused him to pursue the largest finical offer. Sure Anaheim and Los Angeles would have made offers, but at the end of the day, their deals would have been no where near the Yankees- and the rest of baseball could not afford to wait around any longer for C.C. to make up his mind.
So what do the Yankees get? They get a lefty ace whose heart and mind will be elsewhere.
Man do I hope I’m wrong. There is a good chance that C.C. will embrace New York, be embraced by New York, win 20 games, and pitch the Bronx Bombers to their first World Series in five years.
But there is also a very good chance that I will be right.
C.C. could be a mental mess, injured, and opting out of his contract after just three seasons (a contractual right).
How will it play out?
Well Yankee pitchers and catchers report to Tampa Florida in just sixty days from when I type.
And oh by the way, C.C. prefers spring training in Arizona over Florida too!
