The Obligatory Baseball Post

Move over Carl Pavano. There's a new worst ever Yankee contract in town. C.C. Sabathia, $161 million, 7 years, with an opt-out clause after 3 years and boy, will the Yanks fans hope that C.C. exercises that option. That would be the first bit of exercise Mr. 290 pounds has done in some time. He's a good pitcher, and I think every critic of this contract won't question that. He's a really good pitcher sometimes. But if I'm a Yankee fan, and thank god I'm not, there are a few HUGE things that worry me.

1. He was begging West Coast teams to sign him at the winter meetings after getting the Yankee's huge contract offer. He took like two weeks to sign that deal. $161 million and he took two weeks to decide on that. He has a history of pitching well in small market, no pressure teams (Cleveland, Milwaukee). He said he wasn't sure about living in New York and wanted to live and play on the West Coast.

2. Even after begging the Giants, Dodgers and Angels to sign him, no one threw him anything even close to the Yankee's offer. I can see the Dodgers and Giants being cheap, though the Dodgers could use a number one guy like C.C., but the Angels? They throw money around like there's no tomorrow. They're the Yankees of the West Coast. And nothing, no offer, nada. And C.C. wanted to play for them and probably would have taken quite a bit less to do so.

3. $161 million, 7 years. I'm sorry but no one is worth that kind of money. That's a terrible deal, anyway you slice it. I know it's the Yankees, and they have an endless supply of money with the YES network and the new stadium, but there was once a time when people wanted to play in New York. The Yankees have an unmatched history and legacy of winning. They play in the biggest market of all with the most potential for fame and endorsements. Their fans care. A lot. They shouldn't need to grossly overpay for players. Players should want to come to the Yankees and in some cases, take less money to do so because they know they'd make it back up in endorsement deals.

And then the Yanks go out and sign soon-to-be 32-year-old A.J. Burnett to a 5 year, $82.5 million deal. A.J., by the way, has only played like one complete season without being injured. He has an electric arm but can't control it. He's never had an ERA that's even close to under 3.00. Is this worth $82.5 million? Do injury-prone pitchers all of sudden become great when they hit 32? Unless A.J.'s hitting up Roger Clemens for some training and pharmaceutical advice, I don't see it happening.

And that sound you hear? That's the sound of the Red Sox and the three real Tampa Bay (Devil) Ray fans rejoicing.