C.C. Sabathia Extension Rumors
2-5-08 at 9:50am: Indians GM Mark Shapiro has no plans to trade Sabathia. Not a big surprise, since they’re a contending team.
2-4-08: Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has some details about the Indians’ December contract extension offer to ace C.C. Sabathia. The four-year extension would run from 2009 through 2012 and is believed to be between $68-72MM. There would also probably be some kind of bonus added to Sabathia’s $11.25MM ’08 salary to bring him more in line with his peers.
If Sabathia compares himself to Jake Peavy and Carlos Zambrano, then the Indians’ offer has a chance. But the new Johan bar is set at about $23MM per year. Hoynes says the Tribe is probably going to have to revise its offer because of the Mets’ new ace. Peter Gammons says Santana is "the reason the Indians have no chance of re-signing Sabathia unless someone finds oil in Lake Erie."
You can bet Sabathia and his free agent adventure will receive a ton of coverage from this site come December.
Red Sox To Let Beckett Walk After 2010?
In Peter Gammons latest piece, he explores the trickle-down effect that the extension signed by Johan Santana will have on other pitchers. While the article focuses on pitchers closer to free agency (ie. C.C. Sabathia), there was one surprising quote from an unnamed Red Sox official:
We’d better enjoy Josh Beckett the next three years. Because we won’t be able to sign him after his deal is up after 2010.
Beckett, who finished second in the Cy Young voting this past season, will be 28 on Opening Day and is scheduled to make $9.5MM this season, $10.5MM next season, and has a $12MM team option for 2010. While Beckett will certainly command top-dollar on the open market, it is hard to imagine he would seek a deal in the same range as Santana or Barry Zito, even with inflation factored in. Both Santana ($137.5MM) and Zito ($126MM) are lefties and signed their deals prior to their age 29 season. Beckett, a righty will be 31 when he begins his next deal. Still it is interesting to note that the Red Sox may have already resigned to the idea of not retaining the services of their ace past 2010.
Santana Contract Could Spell Sabathia Departure
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes today that a six-year extension in the $130-150MM range for Johan Santana is likely to spell an end to C.C. Sabathia‘s Indians career after this season. The Indians made an offer to Sabathia in December, something probably in the range of four years and $70MM. It would be hard for Sabathia to pass on the chance to double that total.
Sabathia does want to stay and believes negotiations for an extension are progressing (he’s let his agent handle it so far). Indians GM Mark Shapiro would probably like to avoid an in-season contract distraction but no one’s suggested any deadlines out yet.
State Of The Indians
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer talked to Mark Shapiro about the Indians’ relatively quiet offseason. Interesting quote from Shapiro:
Every single major guy that has been traded, with the exception of Johan Santana, we’ve been involved in the conversations.
We knew the Tribe poked their head in on Miguel Cabrera and Dan Haren. But does this mean they also inquired on Miguel Tejada, Jose Valverde, Nick Swisher, Brad Lidge, Edgar Renteria, Jim Edmonds, and Josh Hamilton? Hard to say where Shapiro draws the line at "major guy," but he must’ve looked into some of these.
As far as signing C.C. Sabathia long-term, Shapiro said:
I don’t see us ever closing the door. There’s no reason to do it. Even if he files for free agency, I still think we’ll be an active player.
Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com notes that the Indians made an initial offer to Sabathia, and that’s all we know for sure. He believes it’s safe to assume that the Indians are reluctant to give him five guaranteed years.
Perrotto’s Latest: Sabathia, Varitek, Crede, Villone
John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus checks in with his usual Sunday column. He’s got some new hot stove material to consider.
- Perrotto says the Indians are holding firm at an offer of four years plus an option for C.C. Sabathia. As of a week ago, the Indians were said to have an offer on the table for him. I suggested that the Tribe might top out around four years, $72MM plus an option for 2013.
- Perrotto writes that "Boston is expected to sign catcher Jason Varitek to a two-year extension worth around $20 million." Varitek could retire after that.
- Perrotto suggests that Joe Crede is on the Giants’ radar if they don’t re-sign Pedro Feliz (hat tip South Side Sox). Crede seems like he’ll be involved in one of those late Spring Training deals, given the need to prove his health.
- The Yankees, Mets, and Pirates are interested in free agent lefty reliever Ron Villone.
Extension Offer On Table For Sabathia
C.C. Sabathia‘s future may become a popular topic during the 2008 season as he heads toward free agency. He’s in line for a megadeal – he turns 28 in July and won the ’07 AL Cy Young award.
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer confirmed yesterday that the Indians have made an offer to Sabathia. Hoynes expects negotiations to drag at least until the regular season begins, since Sabathia wants five to seven years and the Tribe doesn’t want to go that far.
Jake Peavy had a well below-market deal running through the 2009 season, and about a month ago he inked a contract extension covering the 2010-12 seasons for $52MM. The three-year extension also has a club option for 2013. Peavy’s contract will be the model for Mark Shapiro, rather than anything Johan Santana signs.
Realistically, I think the Indians could top out around four years, $72MM plus an option for 2013 in their offer to Sabathia. Will Sabathia make that concession, or will he go for the free market and maybe get seven years, $140MM?
Odds and Ends: Sabathia, Loretta, Patterson
You know the drill, here’s a roundup of some rumor nuggets. I’ll update the post continuously throughout the day.
- Corey Patterson wants a multiyear deal, which probably isn’t something the Rangers want to do.
- The Indians met with C.C. Sabathia‘s agent on Thursday, but have yet to submit an extension proposal. That will happen this month, most likely.
- Check out how excited Pirates Rule 5 pick Evan Meek was. Pretty cool.
- The Astros expect Mark Loretta to accept their offer of arbitration. The deadline is midnight tonight for players to decide. Despite what Ed Wade says I doubt they really want a $4MM utility player.
- David Wells, Jon Lieber, and Brett Tomko are the types of names the Reds are considering. Tomko came up a Red but went to Seattle in the Griffey deal. Boomer is also a former Red.
- The Padres signed Shawn Estes, but it sounds like they’ve only made an offer to Milton Bradley.
- Andy MacPhail didn’t say no when asked whether he had interest in Eric Gagne and Octavio Dotel. Didn’t say yes, either.
Odds and Ends: Cabrera, Blanton, Haren, Sabathia
Let’s round ’em up.
- Indians GM Mark Shapiro will soon get a contract extension offer for C.C. Sabathia approved by ownership. Then he’ll put that in front of Sabathia’s agent, with an eye on resolving the situation one way or another before Spring Training. Shapiro’s model will not be Johan Santana‘s upcoming deal but rather Jake Peavy‘s three-year, $50MMish extension.
- White Sox outfielders Ryan Sweeney and Brian Anderson might be on the fringe. The Marlins, if I recall correctly, once had interest in Anderson as a center field option.
- Miguel Cabrera is out to prove he’s a good athlete and can stay at third base – he’s beginning a rigorous workout program like nothing he’s ever done before.
- The D’Backs could pursue Joe Blanton or Dan Haren, while the Yankees may turn to Haren if they fail to acquire Johan.
- The Yankees are receiving a lot of interest in The Farnz, according to Brian Cashman.
Odds and Ends: Lowell, Sabathia, Polanco
I’m going to start up a catch-all Odds and Ends post for smaller rumors and notes today. Refresh to see it grow.
- A reader emailed me to tell me that Buster Olney said on XM Radio recently that there are talks of the Twins going after Scott Rolen. These reports can be tough to confirm, but there you go. UPDATE: Joe Christensen squashes this one.
- Mark Feinsand doesn’t think Epstein is keen on giving Mike Lowell even a three-year contract. He might get five on the open market. UPDATE: The Red Sox apparently have a three-year offer out to him, and he’s still mulling it over.
- The White Sox inquired about Bill Hall, but Kenny Williams and Doug Melvin couldn’t find a match.
- Baseball America weighs in on the Brad Lidge trade. BP’s Nate Silver gives his opinion here and here. He thinks the Phillies made a mistake.
- The Astros have contacted Jeremy Affeldt‘s agent. Also, Jim Molony speculates in this piece that speedy Josh Anderson could be expendable because of the Michael Bourn addition.
- Back to where it all began: the Dodgers have signed Chan Ho Park. No need for more starters now!
- Andy Pettitte hopes to tell the Yankees whether he’ll play by the New Year. Also, Ken Davidoff notes that the Yanks would prefer to trade Hideki Matsui over Johnny Damon, but Godzilla’s full no-trade clause would be the problem.
- Theo Epstein let Scott Boras pitch his entire client list last night, A-Rod included. There’s a very slight chance the Red Sox sign Eric Gagne, and a contract extension for Jason Varitek may have been discussed. Also I hear Boras did the hard sell on Bruce Chen. Just kidding. UPDATE: That slight chance for Gagne just went away, as he’ll be closing according to Boras.
- Mark Shapiro is preparing a contract extension offer for C.C. Sabathia; he’ll have to run it by the Dolans first. No surprise there. Paul Hoynes notes that Sabathia gets an extra $2MM for ’08 if he wins the ’07 Cy Young. Shapiro, by the way, would listen to offers on any player. I get the feeling the Indians could come from out of nowhere and do something big this winter.
- Could the Tigers send Placido Polanco to the Mets? Mark Healey suggests it.
- The Giants included a vesting option for 2009 in Omar Vizquel‘s deal. McCovey Chronicles weighs in.
Tribe Has Decisions To Make
Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has a well thought out column up today regarding the possible market value of Jake Westbrook, Travis Hafner, and C.C. Sabathia. Westbrook would hit free agency after this season; the other two after ’08.
His take on Westbrook: four or five years at $12.5MM annually. Westbrook’s agent has yet to speak with Mark Shapiro. Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon-Journal weighs in at five years and $15MM annually.
You can bet Travis Hafner wouldn’t be underrated on the open market, even as a DH. Pronk could hit 50 HR this year. Hoynes thinks it would require five or six years at $12-17MM annually for him. I think he would get at least $15MM for the AAV. Teams that might need a DH in 2009: Baltimore, Toronto, L.A., Seattle, and Texas (where it all began). Of the three, Hafner probably makes the least sense for Cleveland to sign long-term. Ocker sees him getting 100/6.
Sabathia is another guy whose best season could be 2007. Carlos Zambrano‘s deal, whether reached now or after the ’07 season, could serve as a framework. Sure, Sabathia is heavy, but he’s also young and very good. I’m thinking five years, $75MM. Ocker counters with $135MM over seven seasons.