THE Mets this weekend conceded the NL East, the wild card and their best chance in years to make inroads into being kings of baseball inNew York. So no more conceding now that the offseason has begun for them, especially no conceding to the Yankees. So it should be the Mets who get CC Sabathia this winter.
It has been known for months that the Yanks will doggedly pursue Sabathia. But why shouldn’t the Mets see the large lefty as a solution to so many problems? Yes, the Mets must address their bullpen. But Sabathia does that by lessening the load on the pen. He led the majors in complete games (10) and innings (253). Johan Santana was third in innings (234). Between that duo the Mets would get roughly half the innings needed from a successful rotation.
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But, of course, you get so much more. Sabathia and Santana are among the majors’ five best starters. Just look what they meant to different teams down the stretch this year. Now imagine what they would mean together. Imagine lining up for a postseason series with both. It is a chance for the Seaver and Koosman of Citi Field.
Put them together in the Mets rotation and Mike Pelfrey doesn’t have to be pushed hard again, Jon Niese can be broken in with less stress and there is no need to guess if Oliver Perez or some other free agent is a good long-term bet.
The way Sabathia and Santana willed themselves and their teams to victory on the final, decisive weekend – both on three days rest – personifies the get-it-done spirit the Mets so badly crave to improve their dubious clubhouse culture.
That Sabathia made his final three starts on short rest means he fully invested his body into a Brewers team he knows will not invest financially in him. Just to double-check that Sabathia was simply not sprucing his free-agent credentials, I contacted two executives who have long associations with Sabathia. Both lauded his character. One said via e-mail: “He’s a great teammate and competitor. There are not many better.”
Thus, this is not a Manny Ramirez thing, where the Dodgers fear the dreadlocked one is on his best behavior now and will regress once he secures a multi-year contract. Several rival executives say the Dodgers are worried enough about that potential that they might not re-sign him, but will appease angry fans by making a substantial push for Sabathia. All things being equal, Sabathia wants to return home to California and stay in the NL where he can hit.
The Mets cannot offer the Pacific Ocean. But they can give him a bat, and reams of cash.
“His desire to pitch out West is legitimate,” an executive who knows Sabathia said. “I expect active bidding [from the Dodgers and Angels] in the regard. Could the two New York teams make a gap so wide that he would have to reconsider? If he sells his soul for the money, at least the Mets can give him a chance to hit. They definitely have a fighting chance.”
An executive whose team has interest in Sabathia said, “We have drawn up a list of teams we think are our competition and they (the Mets) are on that list. I expect them to play on him.”
However, I could not find a Mets official to say the same. To some extent they want to avoid a bidding war vs. the Yanks and the implications of losing that. So my advice is don’t lose. Don’t concede. The Mets also have a new ballpark and their own TV network. They have the resources to go toe-to-toe with the Yanks. But do they have the will?
Sabathia likely will exceed Santana’s six-year, $137.5 million pact (think the $150 million range). The fear would be having two pitchers heading into their 30s taking up so much payroll. But consider it diversifying your portfolio. If one is hurt, another ace is still available. Sabathia’s weight is worrisome, but he is a surprisingly nimble athlete with a chance to age well despite the bulk.
As one GM said, “The total package of risk and reward is big in favor of reward with this guy.”
The Mets need to be injected with one CC of boldness to begin fixing their team this offseason.