Sabathia To Cleveland: I’m Just Not That In To You
Posted by disappointmentzone on 14 February 2008
Last night on his official website CC Sabathia posted the following message:
This off-season, through my representatives at Legacy Sports Group, I have discussed the possibility of a contract extension with the Cleveland Indians. At this time, we haven’t been able to reach agreement. Now that the reporting date for spring training is here, it is time to put aside contract discussions so that I can focus all of my energies and attention on preparing for the upcoming season.
Wave goodbye to Sabathia, Cleveland.
And wave hello to trade speculation.
We’ll never know if he ever seriously considered a contract extension this winter but what’s clear is that he’s intent on testing the free agency market, where he’ll likely be commanding a salary in the $150M range, far exceeding any amount the Indians could pay him. But this much is clear: Sabathia could have signed an extension with the Indians if he really wanted to stay here. He’s making a gamble by waiting another year before signing a new contract. If he seriously injures himself he’ll face the harrowing prospect that he forewent a major contract offer from the only professional franchise he’s ever known.
Not that we wish the guy serious injury. We still need him to win the World Series.
dave . . . said
ok then. now that we know c.c. is as good as gone after the season, in the proverbial words of fictitious indians catcher jake taylor from the movie “major league”, there’s only one thing left to do and that’s “win the whole fucking thing”!!! mark shapiro best be making a goddam trade for a legitimate power-hitting left fielder and fuck this artist known as michaelucci dellilichaels who forms the worst platoon system in all of baseball. it’s time to go for broke, boys. damn the torpedoes. full speed ahead. 60 years is long enough, dammit. now let’s get serious and act like it and it all starts with shapiro finally having the balls to pull off a major trade instead of just kicking the tires and losing out to some other contender. can he do it??? we can only hope.
RockKing said
Unfortunately, Dave, the Indians best chance at winning the whole thing is to have CC pitching in the postseason. So I don’t see trading him as an option right now. Not only will just adding a power hitting left fielder for Sabathia not make the team better suited for a postseason run, but it’s also unlikely to be acquired via trade. The best the Indians will likely get via trade is top shelf prospects, which may help the team in the future, but not in 2008.
kiddicus said
how about if he seizes a disc in his back on the 3rd strikeout of the 8th inning of game 7 of the World Series with a 2-1 lead and Borowski throwing nails in the bullpen? can we hope for that?