Sabathia Gets $160M

Posted by Chris Campbell at Wednesday, December 10, 2008

I rarely post about sports here, mostly because my interest has dwindled over the years. But there's one game and one team that still keeps my attention, and that's baseball and the New York Yankees.

Word is that 28-year-old lefty CC Sabathia has accepted the Yankees' absurd offer of $160M over seven years. It was very clear that Sabathia wanted no part of heading to the Bronx, but no other team could touch the Yankees' offer. So instead of staying in the National League where he wants to be, or on the West Coast, where he wants to play, just like every greedy and materialistic slob in this country, Sabathia went for the cash. I mean, is that extra $30M or so going to buy him seven years of happiness? And did Brian Cashman and the rest of the Yankees' upper management not realize that they were writing this MASSIVE check to a guy who doesn't even want to play for them?

This is exactly why I've lost interest in sports. These are no longer games. I remember watching the New York Knicks in the early-to-mid 90's and the Yankees struggle through the 80's and finally reaching the playoffs again in 1995. Sure, it was still very much about the cash, but there was a camaraderie and will to win that is nearly invisible in today's games. Nowadays every player is playing for his next contract. Every team will do whatever imaginable to fill seats. I understand that it's a business, but we've collectively forgotten that it's still a game.

I'm a Yankee fan and should be pretty happy at the Sabathia signing, despite the fact that he is absolutely, unequivocally not worth $160M. But like most athletes, he wanted more than he's worth. And in typical Yankee fashion, they buckled. Despite 26 world championships, the Yankees have a long history of such ridiculous and short-sighted moves. Ummm, who's that guy manning third base, making $30M/year, yet can't get the ball out of the infield in the postseason?

But we did hear this regarding Sabathia: "He's now excited about becoming a Yankee," one source said. Wow, aren't we lucky.