The New York Yankees finally got their guy. CC Sabathia, the free agent pitcher previously with the Milwaukee Brewers, has reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $161 million contract with New York.
A unique aspect about the deal is the fact that it has an opt-out clause for Sabathia after three seasons. According to reports, Sabathia wanted that clause in case he and his family were not able to adapt to the city of New York. Sabathia, who grew up in California, apparently didn’t want to take a bite out of the Big Apple without having an out clause.
For the Yankees, this is a huge signing — in every meaning possible. They desperately needed an ace on their pitching staff and they landed one of the best arms in the game. Sabathia automatically makes the Yankees a much better team and a team capable of winning the 2009 World Series.
The only worry for the Yankees could be Sabathia’s weight. At 300 pounds, Sabathia’s belt doesn’t have many holes left. If he balloons up any bigger, it’s going to be tough for him to be an effective pitcher.
That said, the risk of Sabathia’s girth and his giant contract is worth the possibility that he becomes the ace of the staff for the next seven years.
Tags: baseball, baseball blog, baseball free agency 2008, baseball-news, cc sabathia, cc sabathia $140 million, cc sabathia $161 million, cc sabathia free agent, cc sabathia new york, cc sabathia signs, cc sabathia update, cc sabathia yankees, milwaukee brewers, mlb, new york yankees, new-york-mets, yankees free agency