The CC Watch... Latest: Who knows?

[pretendastronaut]

From the "Hey, a man can dream" files;

Yes, we know the comments from his agent previously, but now it is officially time we start seeing how things shake out.

After the game yesterday, I already heard people talking rumors about CC already being signed (4 years, $130 million) before I was even out of the park. While I don't believe that, it's obvious that the fanbase holds out some hope that we can actually get CC back. When we got him, I would have told you it was a pipe dream. While it may still be, there is a part of my that now holds out hope, after I see comments like this;

MILWAUKEE - CC Sabathia, who perhaps will become baseball's highest-paid pitcher as a free agent this winter, said he would strongly consider returning to the Milwaukee Brewers.

"I loved it here," said Sabathia, who went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts after a July 7 trade from the Cleveland Indians, and led the Brewers to their first postseason in 26 years. "It's one of the most fun times I've had in my life. It was definitely a blessing to be traded here.

"Everything was great. We accomplished a lot. This team will be back. There's a lot of good young players in here.

"I'll go home this winter and make the best decision."

And this one;

Ryan Braun said Sunday that CC Sabathia has indicated that the Brewers have a good chance of re-signing him this offseason.

"I'm not going to tell you what he said specifically but I know he enjoyed it here," Braun said. "He likes the guys on the team. He recognizes that we're going to be good for a while, too. I don't think he'll take a discount financially but he might take less years for the same amount of money, which makes it less risk, less commitment from the organization."

Braun's comment legitimizes that hope I think, otherwise, it's just a good guy, saying good things. As has been pointed out before, Lee "wanted" to play, CoCo "wanted" to play here, but money has its way of doing its thing. Who knows. The off season can't come fast enough now that we're out of it.

If we don't sign him, I can hardly fault CC or the organization, but boy, it sure would be the most exciting move we could make.

(mod note: added to Designated Threads List --1992)

[DWadeMU3]

Yea, dream is about all I can do about the CC situation. Wait, that came out wrong. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Anyway...I'm convinced more and more that the Brewers will make a legit push to keep CC. However, "legit" can be defined differently by different people. I think Mark and Doug are smart enough to realize that we can't kill the future of this franchise by paying CC 20-30% of our total salary number. They can get creative though and like Braun said: offer less years or load the contract in a way that it doesn't sink us if we sign him and he gets hurt.

 

Can you imagine a rotation of CC, Gallardo, Parra, Bush and McClung/Suppan? Pretty solid, I say. It'd be even better if we went after a mid-level guy to shore up the #4 or #5 spot in the rotation and to add insurance against Gallardo and Parra not being able to go 200+ innings next year.

[Patrick425]

(4 years, $130 million)

Whoa. Maybe I'm out of touch but do people think he could get a contract like this from some team? That's $32.5 mil/ year. That's nuts. Santana got 6 years and $137.5 mil. I'm thinking more like $125 for 5 years or $105 for 4 years.

[jeffy]

I got goosebumps when reading Braun's comments about CC, which also included:

 

"I know he will listen. He said the Brewers will have the first opportunity to negotiate with him. I know he wants to get it over with quickly."

[brewmann04]

I have a feeling we will add CC as a Free agent and believe Mark will be able to get a deal done,and i can see 1-2 trades tob tweak the roster a bit.

[Ennder]

I'm on board with CC for 4-5 years but if it is a 6-7 year deal then not so much.

[fondybrewfan]

Braun shouldn't have said that, now he has my hopes up. As much as I really think CC loved it here, the Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, etc could offer him so much more money it isn't even funny. If I had to choose between staying in a great clubhouse and making $9-100 million or signing with another team for $130 million I would take the $130 million in a heartbeat. Whatever team he decidest to sign with will surely promote themselves as having a good clubhouse. New friends are easily made especially for a guy like CC.

[Invader3K]

I get the feeling Mark Attanasio really likes Sabathia...I also think he'll want to do a big signing as a show of "good faith" to the fans after this year. I'm sure he enjoyed his first taste of the post season and doesn't want to wait another four or five years to go back. What better way to sell a ton of new season ticket packages than being able to announce the re-signing of Sabathia? I could see Attanasio really making a strong push to re-sign him. Just kind of a personal hunch.

[bklynbrewcrew]

We cant compete financially with the Yankees but if CC is willing to take a discount I am sure that we will make a fair offer. Unfortunately the Yankees have a new park and are very desperate to do whatever they can to make sure they never miss the playoffs again. It wouldnt shock me to see them go as high as 200 mil or so for 7 years which we have no chance of matching. CC has been great to watch but I cant see him turning down the outrageous amount of money that the Yankees are sure too offer.

[RyDogg66]

I'd like to think that all things being equal (money, etc) that CC would resign, but Im not holding my breath.

[BrewerTerp]

I hope we keep CC, but it just wouldn't make sense. CC will be looking for at least 6 years.

 

I predict the Dodgers sign him for 7 years $150 million.

 

 

Either way, I am a CC fan from now on and will root for him against any team besides the Crew!

[Bring Back the Stein]

Braun's a stud and seems to be a good clubhouse leader, but he still is a 24-year-old and maybe not a Great Seer when it comes to baseball personnel issues.

 

It's nice of C.C. to say nice things: He's a class act, all around. But there is no Disney-script ending to this, unless it involves the Disney Corporation's money. I'd love to think otherwise, but not yet on this bluest of Mondays.

[TooLiveBrew]

Braun had some thoughts on CC from his latest blog entry, too:

 

"With CC, there is a chance he will be back. Who knows? That would be awesome. What he did down the stretch, working on three days' rest, that's one of the most unselfish things I've ever seen. That guy has $150 million on the line, and he put everything at stake for us. That's cool."

[giffted1]

I do believe that CC is sincere when he says he likes it in Milwaukee, but I think he'll make the best decision financially and sign elsewhere. There is no way to Brewers will be able to offer as much as NY or LA, and I can't see why CC would give up tens of millions of dollars to stay here. He'll be able to make friends on other teams just like he made friends when he got traded to Milwaukee.

 

I just hope other fans see it this way and don't boo him when he pitches in Milwaukee for another team because he's done so much for the franchise in his short time here. Expecting him to give up that much money to stay here is asking too much, IMO.

[dadofandrew]

I have little doubt an offer will be made, and it will be for a lot. However, no way it's more than others can pay, and I don't think 90 days in Milwaukee will make him a loyal fella willing to accept less to stay in a Midwestern small market.

 

Note Sheets left the clubhouse in tears. 8/10 years is plenty of time...90 days ain't.

[Hate those Rodents]

Hard to say. If we offer him 100 million for five years, is that enough money to get him to stay? Maybe and maybe not.

[Teatoe993]

The dude has already set his family up financially for generations to come. And he's pretty much guaranteed another $100+ million with the next contract. You think there comes a point in CC's life where he'd be willing to sacrifice a couple million a year in order to remain in a situation that makes him happy.

[dogs with bees in their mo]

Don't get your hopes up. Remember that Braun's $45 million deal was the biggest in team history. CC will get twice that and maybe 3 times that amount.

[Bring Back the Stein]

Teatoe993 wrote: You think there comes a point in CC's life where he'd be willing to sacrifice a couple million a year in order to remain in a situation that makes him happy.

I guess he'd be sacrificing a couple million a year in order to make US happy. Dude will be happy no matter where he goes. He looks to be built that way. But hey, the fact that we're even part of the conversation is a quantum leap from a few years back, when getting Jeff Suppan seemed like an earthquake shift.

[phxMILWfan]

I think we can match any offer in the short term. People need to understand that a ny, chicago, la team is going to come up with a long term offer we can't even think about touching. 7 years 150 million and he's gone. I don't blame him and I will always root for him. Just hope he doesn't land with the cubs. Does anyone know if the cubs can afford him after they've paid Zambrano? I think that if he lands in Chicago that would be the worst case scenario. CC, Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly devestating.

[sbrylski]

The marginal value of each additional million goes down as you get into the ridiculous dollar amounts CC will approach. That said, whoever wins the CC Sabathia sweepstakes is also likely to lose it.

[davego]

The only scenario I can come up with that allows CC to stay is if he gets a shorter deal, say the $130 over 4 that was mentioned so he gets the up front cash, but still has a chance to hit FA again at a relatively young age and has an opportunity to score another big-time contract. Also make moving him easier for the 'Crew, if needed.

 

...it would be odd if CC's last moments with Milwaukee ended with a PH appearance.

[fondybrewfan]

I think we can match any offer in the short term. People need to understand that a ny, chicago, la team is going to come up with a long term offer we can't even think about touching. 7 years 150 million and he's gone. I don't blame him and I will always root for him. Just hope he doesn't land with the cubs. Does anyone know if the cubs can afford him after they've paid Zambrano? I think that if he lands in Chicago that would be the worst case scenario. CC, Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly devestating.

There is no way the Cubs could afford both CC and Dempster. Plus they still have a ton of other long term contracts for the next 3-4 years. I just don't see them going hard after CC, especially due to their pending sale.

[brwrsfan]

I don't think the Cubs can afford him (good thing they're paying Fukudome 10 mil!!), but CC signing with the Cubs is probably the one and only thing that would make Brewer fans not love him forever.

 

I'll cheer for him in the future for any team, and he'll always have a spot in my Brewers heart, but I don't think I could stomach him in a Cubs jersey.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

CC could easily turn into the next Livan Hernandez so I'd look out in giving him 7 years.