10:38pm: Barring something unforseen, Sabathia is expected to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, a source with knowledge of the situation told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
9:35am: Not many players would ever think about walking away from $92MM, but C.C. Sabathia is one of the few who could consider it. Sabathia can opt out of his contract with the Yankees after the season, but repeated today that he does not intend to do so. The left-hander told reporters, including Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger, that he will not opt out and that he doesn't intend to address the issue again this season (Twitter link).
However, Sabathia later told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that "anything is possible in a contract," suggesting that he could opt out.
Sabathia, a Legacy Sports client, signed a player-friendly seven-year, $161MM deal after the 2008 season. The contract allows him to choose between $92MM from 2012-15 or another free agent contract. Given the shortage of top available starters Sabathia would have a lot of leverage if he opts out. Sabathia has thrived in the AL East, posting a 3.27 ERA (136 ERA+) in 467 2/3 innings and leading the league in wins in consecutive seasons.
Waits for someone to make a joke about opting out of a meal.
Nah. I got an uncontrollable urge to mention that he’s opting out of his option to opt out.
More like A-Rod 2.0, or did everyone already forget about 2007? I just hope he does the classy thing like A-Rod and announce his opt out during the World Series.
I hope he opts out and re-ups with the Yuckies for another 7 years so him and Arod can grow old and feable together.
Feeble* spelling there, dude.
I was close. Knew it wasn’t right but didn’t care to check
Yeah he was too busy thinking of a clever way to spell Yankees.
There is only one way way to spell Yankees. How long did it take you to come up with you ingenious handle there “crackis4lovers”.
Only one way way you say say?
Yuckies? What are you 6?
If I was 6, I would be offended by your response.
Would you prefer Skankees? Is that more big boy for you? The words I typically use for that team wouldn’t be allowed on here
will you be my valentine?
Skankees? Grow up
you must be a Blow Sox fan. If he opts out, I’d rather see the Yankees go with Betances and Banulous instead. We don’t need another A Rod altratross contract choking us for years.
Blow Sox? Choking down? Might want to step out of that denial there, bud.
Red Sox are just a crappier version of the Yankees (happy losers?)
Forgot the comma after happy.
No fear of that. As long as Moe and Larry are running the team.. Contracts like that seem to be the norm. Cashman’s hands are tied now when he knows a bad sign is right in front of him.
You have like 6 contracts that will choke your team for years and years.
What could cause him to change his mind? Joe Girardi murdering his dog? The post-game spread turning into vegetable and dip? Him finally realizing he’s living in New Jersey?
Yeah, one of the wealthiest sections of the country with a top two public (and private) school education with slightly more affordable real estate than living in the biggest Metropolitan area in the country and most of the world (located a few miles down the highway?
What an idiot.
You know how you know the worst is behind you? When you see a sign that says you are now leaving NEW JERSEYYYYY…..*leers at camera*
Andrew NJ is one of the richest states in the country. It has the most expsenive zip code is the country. Why dont know more about something before you insult a place. Where do you live?
NJ is a wealthy state, but yet Camden is like a third world country.
Lol
Camden is downright frightening. It is also the worst place in NJ.
Especially since the cut a good chunk of the police force.
Gov. Chris Cristy sends his regards!
Tell me, if I wanted to purchase this zip code, how much would I need to send over on my private autogiro?
Where are you from? Since you have like talking about where other people are from.
I’m just trying to find out if I have enough money to purchase the most expensive zip code.
“you have like talking about where other people are from.”
I enjoyed this statement.
Careful…equating wealth with overall “value” is misleading, and comes off sounding pretty elitist. Besides, these days, most of the comments I hear trashing New Jersey have more to do with the prevailing mentality than with the median income.
Well where are you from? People keep talking trash about one place and not even say where they are from. NJ is a beautiful place to live. The people who trash it have never even been here.
So much for sweeping statements. While not all, quite a few of the people I know who trash Jersey actually live there – for now – or grew up there and have no plans to return (yeah, I know the drill “we don’t want them back,” etc).
I’ve been in the US long enough to enjoy wherever I’ve lived while still maintaining a perspective that prevents me from needing to have a stake in the usual territorial pissing contests…which generally lead nowhere anyway.
Once again you made a comment about one place and wont say where you live. You were the one who made negative comments about one place.
If you read my posts better you would realize that I reported on the comments I frequently hear. I’ll leave you to it.
Well why wont you say what state you live in? I have asked twice now and all you do is circle around the question. If I were to talk about another state I would at least say where I was from.
Obsession.
lol I smell desperation
I’ve been all over NJ, from the beautiful Morris county to the craptacular Newark. NJ, imo, sucks balls.
Everything that has to do with New Jersey is sad and depressing, ever see Clerks 2? they are in New Jersey and all they talk about is how much it sucks being there, ever watch Jersey Shore? that is in enough on how much I would never even set foot there, thats your Youth of tomorrow keeping Jiffy Lube in business with how much crap is in their hair and how they talk is worse than hillbilly. I could go on but refuse to.
Once again your some child who talks about one place but wont say where you are from. By the way most of the cast from Jersey Shore are not even from NJ. Also why are you talking about a post from over a day ago. Get a better life.
NJ is one of the richest states in the country with a few of the poorest cities in the country to boot. But hey NJ is all about balance right?
New Jersey is the sphincter of the Nation. Sure smells like it too.
No worries, vmmercan. 99% of people who talk about New Jersey like it’s the scum of the earth have never even visited.
I bet if you asked andrew what’s wrong with New Jersey, he would say “Well… It’s New Jersey…”
I dunno, I’ve visited Secaucus. ‘Mattress Capitol of the World’! It sure was.
This statement aone is enough for Xub to rest his case. Have you ever been to Pittsburgh? or Loxahatchee, Florida? Or the South Bronx? Or Worcester, Mass? Or anything in Idaho?
I can name crappy sections of every state too. That’s how states work.
I would like to see this. I say start naming!
Where do you live, andrew?
I bet there isn’t a single neighborhood in your state that you wouldn’t be happy to walk around in at midnight, right?
Actually, New Hampshire is pretty nice.
But (and I can’t believe I have to do this), people, it was a joke. Unless you think I’m saying Joe Girardi would actually kill someone’s dog?
Lighten. Up.
“Actually, New Hampshire is pretty nice.”
el.oh.el.
I feel safer walking around Dorchester drunk at 1 AM than I feel walking through a good chunk of Nashua. I actually grew up in NH and it’s basically Massachusetts’ skeevy little brother. I vividly remember my neighbors getting busted for heroin dealing when I lived up there.
Not to nitpick, but NYC isn’t te largest metropolitan area in the world.
I misread your post. I just hate American-itis.
I don’t blame you.
“America is the greatest country in the world!!1!one!”
“Oh, where else have you been?”
“I’ve never been outside of the US.”
I have had this conversation far too many times.
So have I, and it’s astonishing how many folks conveniently forget that much of what makes this country great is all the people who came from elsewhere to make it so!
Bravo dude.
I have.. pretty much every Asian country (ports of call) while in the Navy years ago and NONE held a candle to the US. This includes even free countries like Japan and that time Phillipines when it was a strategic base, as well as one nice place.. Australia.
ThAnks for that objective, unbiased account, accompanied by fantastic arguments to demonstrate why ‘merca is the greatest. WOOOOOOOO!
Pleeeeaasssee tell me your located or from Canada? Plllleeeeaaasssseeee!? The “Jays” in your handle are the bread crumbs I am following…
So what is the world’s largest metropolitan area?
I believe it’s Tokyo. Looks like CC’s headed to Japan, guys.
If you’re talking about just the city limits, I think it’s Mumbai now.
CC’s going to India!
Aha, That makes sense given the mass of humanity that is crammed there.
Tokyo by a looooooong shot. NY is in the top 5 somewhere.
Google “superfund” and “new jersey” and “toxic”… see what pulls up.
“Already home to the largest number of Superfund toxic-waste sites in the nation, New Jersey expects to add 15 to 25 more properties to the National Priorities List in the next five years, state and federal authorities said.
And while adding to the list means the state is eligible for more federal cleanup money, it also means New Jersey has yet to see the end of its terrible legacy of contamination, one that in some instances dates back a century”
I am glad I don’t live in Jersey anymore, I identified more as a New Yorker since I lived in Mahwah and it was so close to NY.
And Jersey Shore ruins all that in like a second.
Jersey Shore, both the show and the location, is an excellent example of NJ in a nut shell.
The people from the cast are almost all completely from other places (RI, NY) and they frequent Seaside Heights (which to the outsider who hasn’t researched, is a representation of the typical Jersey shore.
The reality is much of the trash in both people and from a scenic standpoint which make up the shore are out of towners being trashy and trashing it. Seaside Heights is a cesspool and it is a huge touristy draw because of the boardwalk and close proximity. It is mostly made up of PA and NY trash (and jersey trash since everyone does have it) and it is one of the worst beaches on the shore.
Seaside PARK and places like Lavalette, those are beautiful beaches and barely anyone from outside the state knows about them. It’s all Belmar, Seaside Heights and Wildwood for out of towners and those are the ugliest, most disgusting and worst places of the shore. But they get all the press.
Well it’s a cold day in southern California (where CC is from) 51 degrees and overcast. Why would he ever want to leave New Jersey?
I think the New Jersey thing has a lot to do with it, rumors and tweets from his pals has him denying he is in New Jersey.
Hey, CC is just too dang happy playing on the west coast.
He’s gonna get a nice new contract when he opts out.
In all seriousness, what do reporters expect him to say? “Oh, yes, I’m really hoping to put up sone big numbers this season so I can take advantage of my iot out clause.” Why do reporters even ask him about this?
Just like the other day some reporters asked him about the Yankees rotation, yeah like he is really going to criticize his own teammates to the media
Where’s a good ‘ole John Rocker candid/racist interview when you need one?
I really like the term “player-friendly” contract. Aren’t they all?
evan longoria says hi.
I think Longoria is doing fine.
Longoria’s still going to make ~$45MM through his 30-year-old season. And the two years of free agency that the Rays bought out were bought at $11MM and $11.5MM.
Team friendly? Of course. Not player friendly? Um… What?
Longoria will make his money. And just because he didn’t feel the need to get as much as he possibly could as soon as he possibly could doesn’t mean his contract was a bad idea for him.
I think league minimum contracts are pretty player friendly.
consider that he could probably make 100 M by his age 30 season on the open market
Considering the fact that Longoria wouldn’t have hit the open market until his age 29 season, I find that hard to believe.
Sure, he could have made a good deal more through arbitration had he gone year-to-year, but again, signing long term with the Rays was his choice. He liked the core and the direction of the team that he was drafted and developed by, and he made a decision that was going to be extremely beneficial to him and to that team.
Oh facts…
It’s like “friendly-fire”… What the hell?
this is what happens…CC posts another stellar season(possibly even better with the added weight loss) He decides you know what, the worst thing that could happen is i Re-up with the yankees for 92 mill for maybe more years(a little more security) So he opts out. And starts people bidding, cubs, whitesox, rangers, angles, bosox, Yankees(of course) Cards(if they cant resign albert why not add a stud pitcher) mets, and maybe braves. When all is said and done. CC signs with the philles(who again come out of no where) and have the best rotation this game will ever see(albeit lefty heavy) Halladay-CC-Lee-Oswalt-hamels ….haha
if he makes it through this contract without opting out, it would be a rarity that a $150mil+ contract might actually be worth it for both sides. if he opts out here and gets another 6 or 7 year deal, it will definitely be an overpay for the final seasons.
Going to end up just like arods opt out. He opts out yanks say we wont re-sign him and then give him 10 years and 300mil
If CC opts out, which I’m not entirely convinced yet, I could see him getting a 1-2 year extension and 58 million added onto his deal at best.
That would essentially mean he resigns for 5-6 years and 126-151 million (an extra million to make him dollars more than Lee annually much like they did with Johan) with no opt out this time.
Personally I don’t think the Yankees will have to go past five years/126 million if CC opts out.
You can’t tell me the Red Sox are going to commit 58 million annually to three starters (two of which are in the middle to back of the rotation), essentially giving them a 70 million dollar rotation. Theo may have deep pockets, but I don’t see him allocating like that.
Which leaves the Angels (doubt it thanks to Vernon), Cardinals (if no Pujols), Nationals (no chance), Giants (won’t spend that money on a pitcher when Zito’s contract comes off) Dodgers (still don’t know their ownership situation), Cubs (if Pujols doesn’t leave because they would go all in on him if he does) and Mets (highly doubt he leaves NY to stay in NY on an inferior team).
He will get well over 5 years somewhere if he opts out. The Yankees aren’t going to have exclusive negotiating rights with him.
Wait, “no chance” for the team that gave Jason Werth a bazillion dollars? The Nationals cannot be counted out of any big free agent. They seem to like throwing their money around.
they are currently saving cash to give paul macanulty a $100mil deal when he hits .300
Ahhh good ole Paul McAnulty.
If CC opts out, this could completely devastate the richest team in MLB – a year after losing out on the top free agent pitcher (Cliff Lee). Why would Cashman give such rich contracts and allow terms written into contracts like the one CC has allowing him the ability to opt out after 4 years? Considering how thin the free agent market is, if CC bolted, they’d throw a boatload of cash at Yu Darvish to try and get him over to America.
Once, just once, I’d like to see someone actually throw a boatload of cash.
Something tells me they’re going to throw a boatload of cash at Yu Darvish anyway if he makes any kind of implication that he’s willing to come to the US.
Adam Wainright would be a Yankee if CC opts out.
how would Wainwright become a free agent? there is vesting option for 2012 at $10 MIL and $12 MIL for 2013. if the Cardinals can exercise that then why would they not?
Reporter: Hey, CC! Are you going to opt out?
CC: I’m not going to opt out, but anything is possible.
If CC puts up a typical CC season, he most certainly will opt out. As the best pitcher on the market, he’ll have all the leverage, and he’ll easily get a lot more than the $92MM remaining on his current deal with the Yankees.
A) especially with the way this offseason has gone for the Yankees, why in God’s name would he want to endure the shitstorm that would ensue if he gave the honest answer everyone knows?
B) he might even be able to top the contract that he signed with the Yankees originally. He was a very good pitcher coming out of Cleveland. The guy’s a superstar now. And the “Natinals” exist now. Who knows what the Angels might do if he came back on the market.
Let’s be honest, unless he gets hurt or has a poor season it’s gonna get ugly for the Yankees.
Good for CC! He’s already the highest paid pitcher in MLB and does a lot good work in his community. Why move your family for a few move $$.
To be young and naive…
Ya right!!! Why wouldn’t he? He can get another 7 year contract at the end of the season especially if he pitches this year like he did the past 2. This is obviously C.C. being politically correct. Does anyone on here actually think he would come out and say “oh ya I’m definitely opting out. What I really want is another long term deal just for more money this time around”.
in my opinion the smart thing to do would be to opt out. especially if the market for starting pitchers is not very good. He could probably get an exact deal he did at 29 from the exact same team, the yanks would be desperate for him.
What is enough money?
All of it.
That’s like too much fun. Is there such a thing?
The Yankees would be in the most need of him if he opted out but with that said I just don’t see it. CC has said on the record twice he doesnt want to opt out, so unless over the course of the next season the team goes into some kind of rebuilding phase and fails to make upgrades i dont think he is gonna change his mind.
What makes you think he’s telling the whole truth?
Yeah, right….$150MM would make Jesus opt out of Golgatha.
Remember when this post used to be about CC Sabathia and his option? Those were the good ol days..
LOL. See ya later CC. Are the Yankees even gonna be good after this year?
First of all, he isn’t opting out with the intention of signing elsewhere, but rather to cash in on a larger deal with NY.
Yes the Yankees will still be very good.
Lastly, they will be better than the Jays so…
He’s opting out with the intention of getting more money anywhere he can. Does not mean it is going to be with the Yankees.
Cubs have just found a reason to bolster their rotation even more.
The Yankees have the most money, he’s already a Yankee, and in 2009 he proved that he seeks the big payday. If that doesn’t point to him coming back to the Yankees, I don’t know what to tell you.
“lastly, they will be better than the Jays so…”
Can you explain to me what this has to do with CC, or the guy aboves comment?
Or are you just working on your trolling.
“Lol, are the Yankees even going to be good after this year”
I know it’s fashionable to hate on the Yankees but acting like theyre going to suck is just stupid. So while he rags on the Yanks I am just reminding him that NY will still be better than Toronto.
I appreciate your response to try and defend Toronto’s honor, but it wasn’t needed.
I’m not defending Toronto’s honor, I dont need too
I just think the argument that Oh you’re a Jays fan, Royals fan, Pirate fan therefore don’t criticize the Yankees or any other currently better team is pretty lame.. Last I checked we were all baseball fans and we’re discussing baseball.
lol, Cliff Lee goes to Philly and now everyone thinks the Yankees can’t sign anyone anymore.
People are just dumb. What do you expect?
“Sabathia Does Not Intend To Opt Out.” “Sabathia is expected to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract”
Either I’m crazy or these or contradictory statements.
No, seriously. I want to know if I’m crazy or just totally nuts.
The original story posted at 9:30am had the tone that sabathia did not intend to opt out based his own words
later in the day a new source emerged, that said the opposite, instead of making a new thread they added it to the original one
Easy business decision by Sabathia.
so pretty much it will go like this (ala a-rod)
CC pitches then opts out
two thing could happen
A: another team out bids the yanks for CC’s services, and the yanks get screwed
or
B: CC opts out (ala a-rod) and then rapes the yankees for all their money, screwing the yanks because they will give him a deal that will overpay him and take him past his prime?
either way the yanks will get screwed or raped so they cant win
They can’t win but its a definite win for baseball fans around the league. I always like seeing the Yankee’s getting screwed.
They can actually win if they stop giving all of their free agents opt out clauses. Soriano’s deal is actually mentally challenged.
So, how is this a win for baseball fans around the league? This board is littered with people whining about players wanting too much money, and I assume that this “win” is solely based on the Yanks not landing their man? So, CC gets a huge contract (everyone cries), the Yanks lose their man (everyone screams for joy)? I am confused…
I see what you’re conveying, but for the sake of argument…
As I said, the same situation was going to happen with Cliff Lee. The Yankees would get laughed at whether he came or whether he didn’t.
If he came, they’d laugh at the money amount given and at his age and bad back
And, in end, they’d laugh if he didn’t come here to begin with, turns out that was the result.
He’s going to opt-out and get the money that the Yankees had for Lee no ways around that.
CC will opt out, BANK it. you know HE is going to BANK it when he gets even more money from someone whether it’s the Yankees or someone else.
I love the potential here. as a non Yankee fan, I’d love to see them lose CC with no real high level free agent available after 2011.
as a sox fan its a double edged sword
yanks DONT re-sign him, they go trade for felix….
rather have CC on the yanks past his prime then felix
there’s no way the Mariners trade King Felix. They have him signed for cheap (relatively speaking) for the next four years and he’s the only player (besides Ichiro) on that roster that draws any fans to their games. Besides, they’ve been pretty good every other year and they were terrible last year so I like their chances of going .500 on the season this year.
You’re as bad as the nutso yanks fans who think they can get Hernandez without giving up Montero or a pitching prospect.
dude i know it will cost them and arm and a leg, but if the yanks cant keep CC they will trade anyone in their system/team to get him, even ten i dont want the yanks to get him”
i really really hope SEA NEVER NEVE R NVER trades felix
The Yankees aren’t going to be getting Hernandez anytime soon.
Hernandez has a full NTC in his contract. Even if he were to waive it, the talks would likely start with Banuelos or Montero +. Not happening.
If the Angels came calling, the Yanks would stand a chance of losing him as his wife prefers California! Otherwise he’ll sign in NY for 7-8 yrs at 23-26 mil per year!
She preferred California the last time too.
But now he at least has 1 WS ring.
And if he wants more, the Angels are the team to go to?
No. Now that he has one he may be more inclined to go closer to the fambam.
CC will be a Yankee in 2012, BANK it.
If he opted out, the Yanks would simply resign him for more. That’s probably why he is going to opt out. If you know you can get more money for doing the same job, why not?
*Cashman fliips the table across the room*
The Yanks pitching staff would be a train wreck without him, and he has no comparable competition. Easy decision to opt out, and get some more money out of the Yankees. Kudos to his agent for setting this up.
I was talking about this when Lee signed and nobody wanted to acknowledge it. If Lee can get 5-125 at age 32 then cc will be able to get much more than the 4-92 left on his deal at age 31…….its a no brainer he opts out
If he has a mediocre year he won’t be.
Even if he has a mediocre year he is leaps and bounds ahead of any other FA
Yes but that’s not the point I was making. He is probably only going to opt out if he can get a raise. But if he has a mediocre year (and when I mean mediocre I mean let’s say an ERA in the mid 4’s or something, although I don’t expect that of course), he’s not going to get a raise.
I know. Just saying.
You know, if the Yankees somehow lose CC, Billy Crystal is still available.
He was a hitter, not a pitcher.
exactly
As a Yankee fan i have to scratch my head sometimes…wasn’t the size of the contract offered for CC enough to compel him to sign…why did they have to give him an opt-out clause…why do they outbid themselves…i love that the yanks go out and get the best player to fill their need…but i hate that they give themselves a budget…but then pay players way more than the next highest bidder…like in the case Arod and Jeter…why pay a player more than you have to but then set a hard budget when dealing with Damon or Lee…they have the money or so it seems…if thats true then out bid all others to get the player you need…but if the next highest bid is much lower than yours don’t increase your bid like they did with CC…couldn’t they have gotten him for 6 years 126 mill without an optout clause…but if the yanks had to go 7 years 161 then certainly don’t give the player an opt-out clause…if anything have seventh year club option…but they didn’t go all out with Cliff Lee…as if they had a world series rotation in their minor leauge pitchers…if the Yanks want to throw money around why didn’t offer lee 7 years 161 mill…i can’t understand it…but they could have gotten away with paying Jeter far less and not given him a player option…so now they have a old short stop who’s production and defense is easier to replace and no extra ace who is absolutely necessary to win in the post season…and because of it they might not make the playoffs this year and each year it will be that much harder to make the playoffs…i just don’t understand Yankee ownership…and if CC opts out then where will the Yanks be…if they let him go they will pay probably in losses and if they resign him they pay in dollars and having ace past his prime getting ace money…a situation that was totally avoidable when they signed him the first time…