Former Brewers rent-an-ace CC Sabathia talked about a homecoming and playing for a West Coast team.
However, money talks and Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million deal to pitch with the New York Yankees.
Sabathia, who went 17-10, pitched the Brewers into its first playoff series since 1982. Theres no denying Sabathias dominance with the Brewers as he went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA and garnered Cy Young consideration despite a mid-season trade from the Indians. Sabathia received a record setting contract for a pitcher with the Yankees.
Since signing Sabathia, the Yankees have added A.J. Burnett (five years, $82.5 million and first baseman Mark Teixeira (eight years, $180 million) for a total of $423.5 million for three players. Four years ago, Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio bought the Brewers from Bud Selig for $223 million.
Pitching in the pressure-cooker of New York where its World Series or bust is a tall order. The Yankees, who havent won a World Series since 2000 which was its third straight title, may wind up disappointed after signing Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira to almost $200 million more than Attanasio paid to buy the Brewers. On paper, the Yankees look like a World Series favorite. However, history suggests that big market free spending teams have a shaky history when it comes to the World Series. Of the last seven World Series champions the Phillies, Red Sox (2007, 2004), Cardinals, White Sox, Marlins, Angels and Diamondbacks, only Boston can be considered a major market top five spending team. When the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007 its payroll was $155.4 million, second only to the Yankees ($218.3 million).
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Marlins and the Minnesota Twins in the Tom Kelly and Kirby Puckett eras before them proved that small market teams who draft top prospects, remain patient, can develop gritty and fundamental baseball players.
There is not one sure-fire blueprint for developing a World Series contender, but spending a record smashing amount doesn't guarantee success.
Sabathia is one of the games elite pitchers whose heavy workload will undoubtedly catch up to him. He has pitched an average of 210.9 innings the last seven years including an eye-popping 252.3 innings last season. He has pitched 241 innings or more the last two years. Sabathia is a big man whose weight and arm could take the toll in a win-or-bust philosophy in the Big Apple. Burnett has always been an injury waiting to happen and will be lucky to reach 30 starts.
The Yankees lineup isnt getting any younger with Jorge Posada (37), Johnny Damon (35), Derek Jeter (34), Hideki Matsui (34) and Mariano Rivera (39) all well past their primes and injuries away from putting the Yankees behind the eight-ball.
As a Chicago Cubs fan, Im happy to see Sabathia out of the Central Division. The mantra of Cubs fans who have endured a 100-year World Series title drought, has always been wait until next year.
Sabathia was the Brewers savior last year. He will find out that just getting to the playoffs will be meaningless. He and the Yankees will be judged by the number of World Series rings they win. Anything less will be unacceptable for a franchise that throws money around like a riverboat gambler.
Sabathias marriage with the Yankees may be short lived since he has a buy-out clause after three years because of his reservations about moving his family to New York.
There will be no honeymoon.
However, money talks and Sabathia signed a seven-year, $161 million deal to pitch with the New York Yankees.
Sabathia, who went 17-10, pitched the Brewers into its first playoff series since 1982. Theres no denying Sabathias dominance with the Brewers as he went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA and garnered Cy Young consideration despite a mid-season trade from the Indians. Sabathia received a record setting contract for a pitcher with the Yankees.
Since signing Sabathia, the Yankees have added A.J. Burnett (five years, $82.5 million and first baseman Mark Teixeira (eight years, $180 million) for a total of $423.5 million for three players. Four years ago, Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio bought the Brewers from Bud Selig for $223 million.
Pitching in the pressure-cooker of New York where its World Series or bust is a tall order. The Yankees, who havent won a World Series since 2000 which was its third straight title, may wind up disappointed after signing Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira to almost $200 million more than Attanasio paid to buy the Brewers. On paper, the Yankees look like a World Series favorite. However, history suggests that big market free spending teams have a shaky history when it comes to the World Series. Of the last seven World Series champions the Phillies, Red Sox (2007, 2004), Cardinals, White Sox, Marlins, Angels and Diamondbacks, only Boston can be considered a major market top five spending team. When the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007 its payroll was $155.4 million, second only to the Yankees ($218.3 million).
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Marlins and the Minnesota Twins in the Tom Kelly and Kirby Puckett eras before them proved that small market teams who draft top prospects, remain patient, can develop gritty and fundamental baseball players.
There is not one sure-fire blueprint for developing a World Series contender, but spending a record smashing amount doesn't guarantee success.
Sabathia is one of the games elite pitchers whose heavy workload will undoubtedly catch up to him. He has pitched an average of 210.9 innings the last seven years including an eye-popping 252.3 innings last season. He has pitched 241 innings or more the last two years. Sabathia is a big man whose weight and arm could take the toll in a win-or-bust philosophy in the Big Apple. Burnett has always been an injury waiting to happen and will be lucky to reach 30 starts.
The Yankees lineup isnt getting any younger with Jorge Posada (37), Johnny Damon (35), Derek Jeter (34), Hideki Matsui (34) and Mariano Rivera (39) all well past their primes and injuries away from putting the Yankees behind the eight-ball.
As a Chicago Cubs fan, Im happy to see Sabathia out of the Central Division. The mantra of Cubs fans who have endured a 100-year World Series title drought, has always been wait until next year.
Sabathia was the Brewers savior last year. He will find out that just getting to the playoffs will be meaningless. He and the Yankees will be judged by the number of World Series rings they win. Anything less will be unacceptable for a franchise that throws money around like a riverboat gambler.
Sabathias marriage with the Yankees may be short lived since he has a buy-out clause after three years because of his reservations about moving his family to New York.
There will be no honeymoon.
