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Toronto, Detroit, Waiting in Wings if CC Opts Out


By Frank Russo ~ October 27th, 2011. Filed under: New York Yankees, Rumor Mill.

The scuttlebutt among baseball executives down in Tampa has both the Tigers and Blue Jays getting ready to make huge offers to CC Sabathia if the Yankees are unable to sign him before their exclusive negotiating window ends. The threat of “outlier” teams jumping in and making it an all-out bidding war is the main reason why Yankees executives are ready to get a deal done with their star pitcher ASAP, since they know it could cost them millions more down the road if he opts out.

Both the Tigers and Jays have their positives. If Sabathia were to sign with Detroit, he would essentially become the club’s number two starter behind Verlander. Also, Comerica Park is a much more pitcher friendly venue than the “New House.”

The Jays would love to sign Sabathia to team him up with their current ace, Ricky Romero. Signing Sabathia would also tell Toronto’s fan base that the franchise is once again ready to go head-to-head with “the big boys” of the American League East.

Speaking of outlier teams, there are also rumors that the Red Sox could become “another fly in the ointment” now that John Lackey is out for next year with Tommy John surgery. Some baseball people that I have spoken with believe that the Red Sox might jump into the Sabathia sweepstakes if only to cost their “blood rival” more money.

It’s going to cost the Yankees a lot of money whether CC opts out or not, and money is something that the Yankees franchise has more of than Detroit, Boston, Toronto, or any other team for that matter. It all depends on how the negotiations go.

Again, I must reiterate what I have been told several dozen times over the past few weeks by people in the Yankees organization, which is, the team will do everything in their power to keep their ace in the fold and that the Steinbrenner’s are ready to go “all in” to keep Sabathia in pinstripes.

Here is a direct quote from a Yankees executive that I spoke with this week, “Aces don’t grow on trees. You don’t let your number one guy walk away, especially to the competition. We (the Yankees) don’t do business that way.” Everyone knows that the kids down at Scranton aren’t ready. Who the hell are we going to put at the top of the rotation? The last time I looked, Halladay and Lee weren’t available. We’re not going to just throw away the damn season and wait for the kids to develop. Starting over and rebuilding is not an option, and scrap heap pickups only get you so far when it comes to the starting pitching, especially in the playoffs. Re-signing CC is an easy decision. It’s the smart move, a no brainer.”

Frank is a resident of East Brunswick, NJ and former radio announcer. He is a 4th generation Republican and Yankees Fan. He also enjoys listening to talk radio. His favorite announcer is Shawn Hannity of “Hannity” on FOX and enjoys reading about military history. In addition to rooting for the Yankees, he also has a passion for the New York Islanders. You can enjoy Frank’s work at The Dead Ball Era and his book “Bury My Heart at Cooperstown”. Check out his “Rants and Raves” on New York Baseball Digest.
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15 Responses to Toronto, Detroit, Waiting in Wings if CC Opts Out

  1. Chuck
    October 27th, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    “Starting over and rebuilding is not an option, and scrap heap pickups only get you so far when it comes to the starting pitching, especially in the playoffs”

    Hey, Frank, tell your source I’d like an explanation for Garcia and Colon.

    Thanks.

  2. Frank Russo
    October 27th, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    Chuck,

    That is his opinion. You don’t have to agree with him. If you want, I’ll set you up so you can contact him directly.

  3. Chuck Johnson
    October 27th, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    LOL.

    Remember what I said yesterday about team officials spreading fertilizer to the media?

    That comment was a good example.

    Unfortunately, two things that don’t play well on the internet are humor and sarcasm.

    My question was intended as humor and implied as sarcasm.

    Oh, well, there’s always tomorrow.

  4. Stu B
    October 27th, 2011 at 8:02 pm

    This piece is a long-winded way of saying that there are two possibilities: Sabathia signs before opting out or he doesn’t. If he doesn’t, then there are two possibilities: he re-signs with the Yankees after opting out or he doesn’t. If he doesn’t, then there are a bunch of teams that will compete to sign him.

  5. Frank Russo
    October 27th, 2011 at 10:27 pm

    Stu,

    Long winded? Sorry you feel that way but I disagree. I made my points as I saw fit. Would you have prefered say, I write one or two sentences and be done with it? If my piece was so long winded then Mike would not have allowed me to put it up. If you don’t like the column, well, you have a right to your opinion. I guess quoting that person who works for the Yankees was also long winded as well.

  6. Stu B
    October 27th, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    Frank

    I didn’t mean any slight; I was merely summing it up in a nutshell.

  7. Stu B
    October 28th, 2011 at 6:39 am

    Did anybody else watching Game 6 last night think, as I did, “And this is why we watch baseball?”

  8. NorthYorkJays
    October 28th, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    “and money is something that the Yankees franchise has more of than Detroit, Boston, Toronto,”

    They might spend more than Toronto, but their ownership certainly does not have more money than the Jays’ ownership. Rogers is Canada’s largest communications company with yearly revenues north of 10 billion dollars. They use the Jays as a marketing tool to sell their brand and really have no limit to what they can spend, should they decide it makes financial sense for them to do so.

  9. Frank Russo
    October 28th, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    NorthYorkJays ,

    I should re-phrase what I said. Yes, Rogers Communications has more revenues and is worth more than Yankees ownership, but, Rogers Communications has never shown that they are willing to go head to head with the Yankees when it comes to spending and putting money back into the Blue Jays franchise like the Yankees ownership does. It’s not even close. In fact, both Blue Jays fans and executives have complained for years about how tough it is to compete with the Yankees.

    The Blue Jays franchise itself, it is ranked #27 in MLB, with a worth of $337 million.

    Rogers Communications has yearly revenues of $11.35 billion CAD with an operating revenue of $4.6 billion CAD. Also, Rogers has a Net income of $1.26 billion CAD, with total assets of $17.018 billion and a total equity of $20.01 billion (2010). With that kind of revenue stream, they could easily make the Jays payroll bigger and get more involved with the big-time free agent market, but they don’t. It’s simply a business decision.

    According to Forbes, Yankee Global Enterprises LLC, (which owns the Yankees, the YES Network and Legends Hospitality Management) has an overall value of $5.1 billion.

    The Yankees franchise is currently worth an estimated $1.7 billion and is ranked 1st in MLB.

    The team has revenues of $427 mil with an operating Income of $25.7 mil. with gate receipts of $300 mil.

    You also said that really Rogers has “no limit to what they can spend, should they decide it makes financial sense for them to do so.”

    Again, the fact is, Rogers communications does not put as much money back into the actual Jays franchise and has never proven that they are willing to go head to head with the Yankees, or the Red Sox for that matter.

    We’ll see if Rogers Communications and the Jays want to go head-to-head in the CC Sweepstakes, but if history is any indication, they won’t.

    http//www.forbes.com/lists/2011/33/baseball-valuations-11_Toronto-Blue-Jays_339533.html

    http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/33/baseball-valuations-11_New-York-Yankees_334613.html

  10. Daler
    October 30th, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    Chucks analysis is get rid of CC n trade Montero for a 3rd rate SP

  11. Rob
    October 30th, 2011 at 1:14 pm

    Yankees can spend more than the Jays? George Steinbrenner. $1.6 Billion worth…Ted Rogers $5.6 Billlion worth…both have passed away, but their worth is still there. If Jays wanted to spend the money they could and would. Lets not forget 1992-1993 check who spent what those seasons. American propaganda…

  12. Chuck Johnson
    October 30th, 2011 at 1:21 pm

    “Chucks analysis is get rid of CC n trade Montero for a 3rd rate SP”

    What’s your opinion on the subject?

  13. David S.
    October 30th, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    Rob,

    Dear God, are you stupid or just a moron? Did you even read what Frank wrote in his follow up comments?

    He clarified that, since they have taken over the Jays, Rogers Communications has not proven that they have wanted to go head to head with the Yankees when it comes to spending money.

    You said, “Lets not forget 1992-1993 check who spent what those seasons.

    The Jays were owned by John Labatt Limited during those years, which is a totally different ownership and situation. It’s 20 years ago. It has nothing to do with todays economics. We are not, I repeat not talking about Labatt here, we’re talking about Rogers Communications.

    Sorry but that facts are facts and not “American propaganda” as you call it. You comes across as nothing more than a jealous creep.

    Stick to hockey already.

  14. Stu B
    October 30th, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    @David: You have to consider the source. But I will say that Rob has a pretty big vocabulary for someone from the Great White North, eh?

  15. David S.
    October 30th, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    Stu,

    Too funny!

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