The man who everybody wants but hardly anyone can afford at baseball’s winter meetings is – of course – CC Sabathia (If he goes back to the AL will he reinsert the periods in C.C.?). The Yankees have already thrown their huge offer at the huge man while the Brewers are also working on ways to keep their trade deadline jewel and stretch run catalyst but I just read something preposterous on ESPN. Ned Colletti has said that Sabathia wants to be a Dodger. Why is that preposterous? Because Colletti is the GM for the Dodgers! Of course he’s going to say anything to make other teams think he has an advantage. You don’t think that Milwaukee might sweeten their deal a little bit if they knew Sabathia would take a hometown discount? This whole thing reeks of collusion and sounds like it’s just driving up the price for the big lefty.
Surprise, surprise, the Mets have made an offer to Francisco Rodriguez. If you didn’t think that the closer-less, deep-pocketed, desperate for a title Mets wasn’t going to go after K-Rod, well you just don’t know anything about baseball.
One of the best pitchers in this era has called it quits. Greg Maddux, the professor, is retiring. I’ll always remember Maddux as part of one of the best rotations I’ve ever seen assembled in 90’s when Atlanta had him, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz to go with a variety of No. 4 and 5 starters that were the usual downfall for the Braves dynasty. Maddux is a sure-fire, first ballot hall of famer in my opinion and is a great example for kids out there. You don’t have to throw the ball 100 MPH to be a star, you just have to hit your spots and know how to throw the right pitch at the right time.
Hmm. The Yankees are also talking with the oft-injured Ben Sheets. Now, I am a big Sheets fan and love his potential and his huge hook – one of the best in all of baseball – but there’s just too much of an injury risk there and New York will no doubt give him a multi-year deal like they always do with free agents. The Yanks also have an awful track record with injuries to pitchers which does not bode well.