Peter Abraham/The Journal News:
Baseball's Winter Meetings get started today at the Bellagio Hotel. But what happens in Vegas will not stay in Vegas this time.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman arrived here yesterday, intending to meet with left-hander CC Sabathia. The Yankees offered Sabathia a six-year, $140 million contract on Nov. 14 and have yet to receive an answer.
Cashman left the hotel to have dinner with a large party of team officials and did not stop to answer questions. But others indicated that Cashman was able to conduct some business earlier.
Tellingly, he was wearing a World Series ring. Cashman does not often wear any of his rings, but was perhaps trying to make an impression.
Given Sabathia's importance to their offseason plans, the Yankees are not likely to give him an ultimatum this week. But Cashman does need at least a sense of where Sabathia stands.
Cashman (And His World Series Rings) Ready To Gamble In Vegas
Same Old Rumors
I've been debating about posting all day now. There hasn't really been any new developments with Santana, and everyone is kind of stuck in neutral until the Winter Meetings kick off on
Monday.
By now everyone has probably heard about Johnny Damons plans for being successful in 2008-- lots of naked pull-ups and a "loose clubhouse" atmosphere.
I am also sure everyone has probably read the stories about Posada basically calling out Yankee ownership to do whatever it takes to get Johan and I am trying not to read so much into that(besides- what veteran catcher wouldn't voice their opinion about wanting to catch for Johan Santana).
And you've also probably read the stories about Posada talking like Andy Pettite is going to retire (Pettites dad seems to think the same thing).
So where are we left? We have all of the free agents we wanted other than the Viz and Pettite. We need to start working on the bullpen but I am pretty confident Cash knows what he wants going into next week. So right now--we are just kind of waiting around for the Winter Meetings. I will keep you posted with more as it develops this weekend.
Go Yankees 2008!!!
