Sabathia, Yankees agree on $161M deal
The New York Yankees have landed the biggest prize — figuratively and literally — on baseball's free-agent market.
Mammoth starting pitcher CC Sabathia agreed with the Yankees Wednesday on the framework for a stunning seven-year, $161-million US contract — the largest ever for a free-agent pitcher.
General manager Brian Cashman got the six-foot-seven, 290-pound lefty on board after leaving the winter meetings in Las Vegas to meet with Sabathia and his wife in the San Francisco area for the third straight day.
Sabathia reportedly has the right to opt out of the deal after three seasons and become a free agent again after the 2011 season.
"I'm sure every team in baseball would love to have him. He's a guy who's an intimidating factor on the mound," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said at the winter meetings.
The Yankees and Sabathia's agents still need to work out all the details, a baseball official familiar with the talks told the Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been completed and the pitcher must pass a physical.
Sabathia went a combined 17-10 for Cleveland and Milwaukee last season after winning the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with the Indians. He was especially dominant for the Brewers, going 11-2 with a 1.65 earned-run average, seven complete games and three shutouts in 17 starts after being acquired in a mid-season trade. Thanks largely to Sabathia's efforts, Milwaukee captured the NL wild card.
Yankees still eyeing Burnett
Signing the big lefty was the No. 1 off-season priority for the Yankees, whose streak of 13 consecutive playoff appearances ended this year. Sabathia would join a rotation that includes Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain.
Sabathia's deal would top the previous mark for a pitcher — a $137.5-million, six-year contract signed by Johan Santana with the New York Mets last winter.
Among all players, it would trail Alex Rodriguez's $252-million, 10-year agreement with Texas, A-Rod's $275-million, 10-year deal with the Yankees and Derek Jeter's $189-million, 10-year contract with the Yankees, ending up in the same area as Manny Ramirez's $160-million, eight-year contract with Boston.
Financially emboldened by their new $1.3 billion stadium and the extra revenues it promises to provide, the Yankees made a six-year, $140-million offer to Sabathia on Nov. 14. But the pitcher, who hails from Vallejo, Calif., didn't accept right away. Speculation was he preferred to play on the west coast, and ESPN reported Monday that Sabathia told L.A. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti that he wanted to join the NL West champions. The Dodgers, though, were unable or unwilling to approach New York's offer.
With Sabathia now headed to the Yankees, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe could be the next pitchers in motion. Sluggers Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez are also poised to land big deals.
Burnett, who opted out of his contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, could follow Sabathia to the Yankees. ESPN reported Wednesday that the team has offered Burnett a five-year deal. Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, is believed to be seeking something in the neighbourhood of Carlos Zambrano's five-year, $91.5 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.
The Atlanta Braves reportedly offered a four-year deal with a fifth-year option worth a guaranteed $60 to $65 million before the meetings.