Sabathia Extension Talks

[love_that_reefer]

The Indians will soon make a contract proposal to 2007 Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia.
The club intends to have the matter of a contract extension for Sabathia settled by the time pitchers and catchers report. If he doesn't agree to one by then, they'll let him play out the season and then resume negotiating once he's eligible for free agency. Sabathia is likely to command at least a Barry Zito-type deal (seven years, $126 million) as a free agent. The Indians probably won't get him for Jake Peavy money.

I could see Sabathia taking a $17 mil/year for six years I am sure they could have Sabathia. Sabathia seems like a team guy and knows this team will be good for a while. Indians need to get this doen soon.

[Pronk48]

I sure hope so, and it doesn't help that he won the Cy Young award when it comes to price.

I would hope that he agrees to an incentive-laden contract.

$2 Million Bonus for winning the Cy Young.

$500,000 bonus for starting Game 1 of the ALDS

$1 Million bonus for starting Game 1 of the ALCS

$1.5 Million Dollar bonus for starting Game 1 of the World Series

That would ensure he doesn't slack off.

[brewersfan19]

That is a no brainer!!!!!

[love_that_reefer]

C.C. Sabathia released a statement Thursday on his official website indicating that he will not discuss a long-term contract extension until after the season.
Sabathia and the Indians were said to be negotiating a potential extension, but the impending free agent wrote: "At this time, we haven’t been able to reach agreement. Now that the reporting date for spring training is here, it is time to put aside contract discussions so that I can focus all of my energies and attention on preparing for the upcoming season." Sabathia added that "there will be time after the season for the Indians and my representatives to discuss my contract status," but it's going to awfully tough for Cleveland to keep him once he hits the open market. Unlike what the Twins did with Johan Santana, general manager Mark Shapiro said previously that the Indians will not trade Sabathia.

I love what Sabathia is saying here. It's refreshing to hear and hopefully the Indians will take the opportunity over a whole season to come back and throw an offer that he can't refuse.

[Hammer]

its not refreshing to hear... he doesnt like the offer, so he wants to go hit the open market and cash in. its not like his statement represents a loyalty to the team. plenty of guys have accepted extensions during the year... to me it shows a bit of selfishness. id like to see him take a little less money to stay with a young indian team, that with him, could be contenders for the next 5-8 years. if he wants to wait until the offseason... im sure the yankees will be major players, as will the angels and sox... and by default his cash over the length of the contract is gonna go up 10-15 mil. maybe selfishness is a harsh word, but its definitely not like hes doing the team a favor.

unless youre saying its refreshing to see a guy looking out for himself and trying to get his best offer... in which case i agree, i like to see guys get paid, especially a guy like carsten charles who really hasnt been given his due respect til last year.

[love_that_reefer]

I thought it was refreshing to hear Sabathia say let's cut the bullshit and focus on the season. No distractions, just let the man pitch. He thinks he can do better and he can but he's not going to worry about that. Liek I said, the Indians have all season to come up with something.

[catman]

If the Indians cannot come to terms with this guy, they have no one to blame but themselves. He has become a very, very good pitcher and deserves to be paid as such. I don't want to see him go to a "big-market" team just because the Indians don't think they can afford to keep him, ala Santana.

[Pronk48]

Well, he isn't going to be at the table but his agent and the Indians will be. Maybe they will hammer something out before the season starts. Maybe it'll be like last year with Travis Hafner, where they went back at the AS Break and hammered out a deal then.

If we do end up losing Sabathia at the end of the 2008 season, I won't be all that concerned. We still have a deep pitching staff and some guys in the minors that can fill in...but right now there just isn't room for any of them.