The CC Watch... Latest: Who knows?

[jeffy]

In Haudricourt's latest blog item he said that Brewers staff has told him that they have very little wiggle room in their offer with CC. I would assume that to be maybe an extra $1-2M a year tops.

I wish I could think of $1-2 million as "very little".

[Chio151]

6 years scares me, especially with the Suppan albatross. But, he is CC the Burninator.

[dpapo]

Giants preparing to make an offer? Tom Haurdricout, via The Daily News from New York is reporting that the Giants may be preparing to make Sabathia an offer.

 

"The report says the Giants will bid more than the five-year, $100 million offer the Brewers made to keep Sabathia but less than the six-year, $140 million offer made by the Yankees, with hopes he would take a hometown discount. Sabathia is from Vallejo, Calif., just down the road from San Francisco.

I firmly believe that Sabathia would love to play in San Francisco, which would keep him in the NL and close to home. So, any strong offer by the Giants would make them the favorites to land him."

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/35541039.html

 

The actual article mentions that the Giants are "considering" making an offer:

 

"Sources say the Giants are considering a play for Sabathia, although their only hope of landing the big lefthander would be for him to take an extreme hometown discount. According to sources, the Giants are contemplating an offer of more than the $100 million the Brewers have bid for Sabathia for five years, but far less than the six years and $140 million the Yankees have offered."

 

 

[And That]

If the Giants sign Sabathia, we do not get their first round pick. Bleh. Up your offer, Yankees.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Yeah, that would really suck to not get a first round pick back for CC. Isn't it the top 15 teams that we would get a first rounder from? I'm pretty sure that's the rule. The Giants aren't close to that group.

[endaround]

Yeah, an easy way to see it is if the team is below .500 they give up a second round, above .500 a first round.

[SeriesFinale]

If the Giants sign Sabathia, we do not get their first round pick. Bleh. Up your offer, Yankees.

Yeah, I want to see the Angels or Yankees or Dodgers ramp it up now. The cherry on this particular sundae would be seeing CC pitch against the Brew Crew in the Opening series of the season in SF in April.

I think the Giants are the team I'd least like to see him sign with besides an NL Central team, but if they're willing to pony up about $120/5, I think they might just be the favorites.

 

 

[Invader3K]

I just can't believe that the Giants are going to spend that much on another starting pitcher, when they already have Zito's bloated contract. I could be wrong, but really, I'm not going to believe this until we hear more than "the Giants are planning to make an offer." We've been hearing that for a couple weeks now regarding the Angels.

[trwi7]

Meanwhile, the negotiations for Sabathia have been moving along at a pace reminiscent of Bengie Molina motoring down the first-base line. The Yankees and Brewers laid out their offers more than three weeks ago. And now here we are, all those weeks later, with the winter meetings fast approaching, and "there's no timeline," said an official of one team monitoring the process. "There's no rush."

 

Ah, but that can change. Sooner or later -- and probably sooner -- the Yankees or Brewers, or both, have to press for an answer, don't they? At some point, they need to know if CC wants to be there or if it's time to move full-bore on Plan B. And at some point, even CC will want to get this thing over with.

 

Here's the industry scuttlebutt on his choices at the moment:

 

Yankees: Six years, $140 million.

 

Brewers: Five years, $100 million, with significant deferred money, and indications the Brewers would go to six years, $110 million or so -- with opt-outs and other perks -- if it would get the deal done.

 

Giants: No formal offer, but other clubs are hearing they'd go five years, at just under $100 million, for a first bid.

 

Dodgers: Haven't made an offer, but are believed to have told Sabathia's people they'll make one if they're told that's where he wants to go.

 

Angels: Haven't made an offer. Still waiting around for Mark Teixeira.

 

And that's it. So there's still a massive gulf between the Yankees' offer and anything else out there. Can this man possibly leave $30 million on the table? That answer is coming -- and very possibly as soon as next week.

Link

[SeriesFinale]

Interesting Stark piece...a Yankees fan I know on another messageboard is absolutely convinced that CC won't walk away from that money, and that CC doesn't really hate New York.

 

I wrote him back: "$140/6 to pitch in a media and competitive maelstrom 3000 miles from home

 

versus, say

 

$115/5 to pitch to a hometown hero's reception in the NL West where you can bat and live 20 minutes away from the mansion you built in the town where you grew up

 

HMMMMM..."

 

And he just says:"he will do the right thing."

[PeaveyFury]

Giants: No formal offer, but other clubs are hearing they'd go five years, at just under $100 million, for a first bid.

 

So the Giants would leap into the bidding with an offer that's actually LESS than the Brewers' for some reason?

[Fatter than Joey]

they probably think CC will give them a discount. I dont think the SFG need to outbid the Brewers.

[DHonks]

perhaps Attanasio can offer that his firm will manage CC's fortune at a low fee

[Principessa21]

Interesting Stark piece...a Yankees fan I know on another messageboard is absolutely convinced that CC won't walk away from that money, and that CC doesn't really hate New York.

 

I wrote him back: "$140/6 to pitch in a media and competitive maelstrom 3000 miles from home

 

versus, say

 

$115/5 to pitch to a hometown hero's reception in the NL West where you can bat and live 20 minutes away from the mansion you built in the town where you grew up

 

HMMMMM..."

 

And he just says:"he will do the right thing."

Tsk, tsk, such arrogance.

 

During the season, as a Yankee fan, I never thought it was a given they would sign Sabathia. I snickered at people who would imply that it would happen simply because it's the Yankees and they would offer the most money, which he would chose regardless of the intangibles. Today I think the Yankees are the favorite, but I still don't think it's a guarantee. I think I'll almost feel relieved if he does sign.

[crewcrazy]

Here's an AP article posted on ESPN.com saying that Brian Cashman met with Scott Boras on Thursday: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3746452

 

Of course, Boras has other clients that the Yankees might be interested in and he doesn't represent Sabathia, but the report also says that Cashman is scheduled to meet with Sabathia this weekend before he heads off for the winter meetings. It'd be interesting if this concluded so quickly after taking so much time to build up, but it could happen if the Yankees keep upping their offer. As much as it would stink to see him pitching in pinstripes, it's probably the best for the Brewers in the long run -- you get him out of the NL (wouldn't be the case with the Giants or Dodgers), you still get a decent first round pick (better than the Angels, who had the best record in baseball), and the Brewers still have time to go out and look for replacements while there's still time.

[SeriesFinale]

I dont think the SFG need to outbid the Brewers.

I'd agree with you if it weren't for that massive offer on the table by the Yankees.

 

CC knows and expects he can get more from SF. I think he gets an offer halfway in-between or even the same as the Brewers, he goes home. Whether that makes sense for the Giants (or even CC, as a competitive player), that's a different story. But if they offer him less, I think CC would stay here before going to SF. Whether he would go to NYC instead is another story.

 

At any rate, I never counted on CC being back next year and am upset with myself for even giving myself a minutiae of hope. I'd be definitely satisfied with "just" a Big Ben signing. There's a fine line between holding out for CC and making Big Ben feel like he's Sean Avery's ex-girlfriend, though.

[PeaveyFury]

they probably think CC will give them a discount. I dont think the SFG need to outbid the Brewers.

 

So they think he's going to take a discount after leaving 40-some million on the table by declining the Yankees already?

 

Talk about poor negotiating tactics. Really, all they'd have to offer is 6/105 million and they instantly put themselves into a position where for CC it's them or the Yankees. By under-bidding the Brewers, it's still a bidding war even if the Yankees are really off the table.

[Invader3K]

Haudricourt reports Melvin is planning on meeting with CC's agent "Monday or Tuesday" at the winter meetings to hopefully get a response on the Brewers' offer.

 

Hopefully by mid week next week we can find out if all hope is dead or not.

[JohnBriggs12]

Melvin has put the Brewers in a tough position. He's offered CC enough that he can use it to entice other teams to get involved (the message is, I'll take less than the Yankee offer from the right team, but the Brewers aren't my number 1 choice), but it's not enough to seal the deal with the Yankee offer out there and other teams hinting but not getting involved.

 

It's an untenable position for the Brewers who have to move on.

[yoshii8]

I just can't wait for CC to sign w/ someone, I'm getting tired of listening to all of the crazy speculation thrown out by the media day after day.

 

Since I still haven't heard a word out of CC or his agent on where he wants to play, I will still have hope that he wants to play w/ the Brewers.

[brwrsfan]

TH is reporting the Red Sox will meet with him next week. Being one of the few teams that can legitimately afford him, I suppose it makes sense for them to at least talk to him, but I was under the impression that they wouldn't be persuing him at all....

[phxMILWfan]

CC was/is great but I hope he goes to the Dodgers or Yankees. It makes the most sense for him and the Brewers. He had a heavy work load last year and signing him to a huge contract and having him hurt or ineffective would be devestating to the team. Take the 2 picks and keep building with young talent. My hope is CC to Dodgers or Angels and Sheets to the Yankees.

[dpapo]

Jon Heyman from CNNSI, is reporting that a "friend" of Sabathia has told him that at least 4 teams have made Sabathia an offer.

 

"While there could well be a string of free-agent signings at the Winter Meetings that convene in Las Vegas next week -- heaven knows, plenty of talent remains available -- it will be a surprise if CC Sabathia is among those signing new deals.

According to a friend of Sabathia's, he's waited long and worked hard for this moment, and he does not plan to rush into anything, apparently not even into a market-setting $140-million contract that the Yankees offered -- not when his former Brewers team appears willing to up their initial $100-million bid and two other unknown teams are apparently in the bidding already."

 

"...That friend also suggested there have been more than just the two known bidders -- the anxious Yankees and just-as-anxious Brewers -- in the game for some time. Two bids from two other undisclosed teams came in before Thanksgiving, the friend said. So Sabathia is apparently pretty good at keeping secrets, among his other obvious attributes. Those teams still remain a mystery today. But it's reasonable to believe there's more interest out there for one of the game's two best pitchers (along with Johan Santana) than just his former team and one other.

I don't blame anyone who takes a couple months to make what might be a life-changing decision."

 

Heyman mentions the Brewers again later in the article in regards to Sabathia,

" The incumbent Brewers, for one, aren't likely giving up. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio is said be enthralled by Sabathia and willing to stretch as far as their small-market dollars will go, which means they aren't done bidding after the Yankees blew by their $100-million proposal by 40 big ones."

 

I think the Brewers should really start seriously planning on going with Plan B. Of course, I didn't think the Brewers had a strong chance to resign Sabathia to begin with, but if Sabathia is going to take his time and it seems like the Brewers are a long shot at best, I think they should move on. I'm glad Attanasio is willing to spend money, but I think it's best if the Brewers move on.

http://sportsillustrated....etings/index.html?eref=T1

[Hate those Rodents]

Agreed. We got a heck of a deal when we traded for CC as it stands now. However, we can make that deal turn bad/horrible depending upon how much over 100 million we throw at him (if he accepted) or how long we decide to wait as other free agents start signing deals at the winter meetings.

[logan82]

A 5/$100M deal is already to long to begin with. I hope we don't sign CC.