Cleveland Sports Blog

According to CC Sabathia’s web site, he has terminated contract discussions with the Indians. The initial offer was apparently not close enough to be taken seriously.

Who can blame him? He’s sitting in a prime position, with one year remaining until he can put himself up for the highest bidder. He’s watched Johan Santana just get a 6 year deal averaging around $23 million/per. From the various sources speculating on the Indians offer, it was in the range of $16-17 million per year and just four years.

And if I hear one more time it is not about the money but the years, I am going to put my foot through this monitor. It’s about guaranteed money period.

According to his statement, he is not planning on discussing a contract with the Indians until after the 2008 season. So if the Indians can’t even get in the ballpark now with him, what chance do they have once other teams can bid on him?

If the Indians lose Sabathia, this will be a worse loss than Manny Ramirez. At least with Ramirez, even though they were losing a HOF type of hitter, they still had a good offense. It is always easier to replace offense anyway. A team cannot expect to contend and lose their ace. The Minessota Twins know this, which is why they are in a semi rebuild mode now that they don’t have Santana anymore.

The kicker will be if they do nothing and let Sabathia walk in free agency and not take advantage of his trade value while they still have a chance. They have no chance to sign him after this year. We have seen this play out before with Thome, Ramirez, etc. and know how it will end. His potential value to the Indians is too great to get nothing in return in exchange for one season where the Indians are questionable to return to the playoffs.

Rotoworld is reporting the Indians offered CC Sabathia 4 years and between $68-72 million.

That’s not going to cut it and especially now when the Mets gave Johan Santana upwards of $23 million per year. Plus, they gave him 6 years.

I don’t know why this team goes into cheap mode with great players. They did the same thing with Manny Ramirez, not willing to go the extra mile, all the while pretending that they don’t have any idea what the market is for these types of players. The offer to Sabathia, even before Santana’s deal, shows either an ignorance or unwillingness to recognize what the cost of doing business is with elite MLB players.

It’s not like it is often they have a bunch of them that need signed. These types of players are rare in all of MLB, let alone on one team. If they would just quit spreading millions around every year on mediocre or worse veterans they could easily afford players of Sabathia’s caliber.

The starting point offer to Sabathia should have been 5 years/$20 million.

The Indians re-signed relief pitcher Rafael Betancourt to a two year deal, with a team option for a third.

Glad to hear it. Betancourt came back with a big 2007 after his previous year struggles and there was a worry (at least with me) that his run in with performance enhancers a couple of years ago may have inflated his value.

He was arguably the best setup man in baseball in 2007 and is, at the least, good insurance for the iffy closer situation with the Indians going into 2008.

The money hasn’t been disclosed yet but this will take up his remaining year of arbitratin eligility in 2009.