CC Sabathia Yankees' deal to be the richest ever for a pitcher

More reasons ticket prices are a joke!

http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2008/12/cc_sabathia_to_sign_with_yanke.html

CC Sabathia has informed the Yankees that he will not be negotiating with any other teams and will sign with them for the largest contract ever given to a pitcher in baseball history.


There had been talk during the negotiations of adding an opt-out clause to allow Sabathia to get out of the contract after two or three years if he didn't enjoy playing in New York. The official did not know if such a clause would be included in the final deal.

Sabathia informed Yankees GM Brian Cashman of his decision Tuesday night in a meeting at the pitcher's home near San Francisco. After meeting with Cashman on Sunday and Monday in Las Vegas, Sabathia called Tuesday to ask Cashman to come and meet with him and his wife in California. With expected offers from the Giants and Angels not forthcoming, Sabathia told Cashman he had decided he wanted to be a Yankee.

Details were still being worked out this morning, but Sabathia will be taking a physical shortly, and an announcement is expected sometime within the next week.

Meanwhile, the Yankees continue to pursue other free-agent pitchers, with A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe at the top of their list. Ben Sheets is another free-agent starting pitcher at whom they're considering a run. But Sabathia was their priority all along -- all of their other pitching plans were secondary to their efforts to land the 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner. Now, it appears they've pulled it off.

Sabathia's decision was first reported by the New York Post on its web site.


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MLB top 50 paid players - no wonder tickets are $85 and up

1. Alex Rodriguez, NYY $28,000,000
2. Jason Giambi, NYY $23,428,571
3. Derek Jeter, NYY $21,600,000
4. Manny Ramirez, BOS $18,929,923
5. Carlos Beltran, NYM $18,622,810
6. Ichiro Suzuki, SEA $17,102,149
7. Johan Santana, NYM $16,984,216
8. Todd Helton, COL $16,600,000
9. Torii Hunter, ANA $16,500,000
10t. Bobby Abreu, NYY $16,000,000
10t. Carlos Delgado, NYM $16,000,000
10t. Andy Pettitte, NYY $16,000,000
10t. Carlos Zambrano, CHC $16,000,000
14. Mike Hampton, ATL $15,975,185
15. Magglio Ordonez, DET $15,768,175
16. Rafael Furcal, LA $15,730,196
17. Jim Thome, CHW $15,666,667
18t. Vladimir Guerrero, ANA $15,500,000
18t. Tim Hudson, ATL $15,500,000
18t. Richie Sexson, SEA $15,500,000
21. Aramis Ramirez, CHC $15,250,000
22. Jason Schmidt, LA $15,217,401
23. Randy Johnson, ARI $15,100,546
24. Mariano Rivera, NYY $15,000,000
25. Miguel Tejada, HOU $14,811,415
26. Andruw Jones, LA $14,726,911
27t. Lance Berkman, HOU $14,500,000
27t. Barry Zito, SF $14,500,000
29. Pat Burrell, PHI $14,250,000
30t. Mark Buehrle, CHW $14,000,000
30t. J.D. Drew, BOS $14,000,000
30t. John Smoltz, ATL $14,000,000
30t. Alfonso Soriano, CHC $14,000,000
34. Albert Pujols, STL $13,870,950
35. Troy Glaus, STL $13,500,000
36. Adrian Beltre, SEA $13,400,000
37. Gary Sheffield, DET $13,326,306
38. Derrek Lee, CHC $13,250,000
39. A.J. Burnett, TOR $13,200,000
40. Jorge Posada, NYY $13,100,000
41t. Johnny Damon, NYY $13,000,000
41t. Adam Dunn, CIN $13,000,000
41t. Hideki Matsui, NYY $13,000,000
41t. David Ortiz, BOS $13,000,000
41t. Roy Oswalt, HOU $13,000,000
46. Garret Anderson, ANA $12,600,000
47. Frank Thomas, TOR $12,560,000
48t. Carlos Lee, HOU $12,500,000
48t. Mike Lowell, BOS $12,500,000
48t. Mark Teixeira, ATL $12,500,000