The bidding war for CC Sabathia begins:
When the Milwaukee Brewers saw their season end on Oct. 6, CC Sabathia said he planned for a quick resolution to his status as a free agent.
“They’re going to have to come to me,” the left-hander said.
The Yankees answered that challenge yesterday, offering Sabathia what would be a record contract for a pitcher: six years and $140 million.
While Sabathia ideally would like to pitch close to his home in California and stay in the National League, the Yankees are making it clear that he would have to leave a lot of money on the table to do so. The Brewers reportedly offered Sabathia $100 million over five years.
It was uncertain as of last night whether any other teams had made Sabathia an offer on the first day of open free agency. Sabathia’s agent, Greg Genske, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
Without going into the financial details, Yankees co-chairperson Hank Steinbrenner confirmed the offer to Sabathia in an interview with the Associated Press in Tampa, Fla. He also said the Yankees would extend offers to right-handers A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.
“I’m starting to become very optimistic,” Steinbrenner said. “I think it’s going to be mutually beneficial to us and for these particular players that we’re after for them to join the Yankees.”
The Yankees are in the hunt, and the Steinbrenners have opened the checkbook.
They’ll get at least two of the three big-time pitchers they’re bidding for.
