The Yankees met one heavyweight by sending in one of their own.
In an attempt to convince 300-pound lefty CC Sabathia to give up any lingering aversions to New York, Yankee GM Brian Cashman asked Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson to participate in a face-to-face meeting here Sunday.
HARDBALL AT THE WINTER MEETINGS
Sabathia requested a second sit-down yesterday, this time just with Cashman.
Cashman left the meetings that lasted roughly a combined three hours believing Sabathia is not simply playing rope-a-dope with the Yankees, stalling in hopes that one of his beloved West Coast teams, such as the Angels or Giants, offers enough for him to pitch closer to home and/or in the NL.
Dodger GM Ned Colletti acknowledged running into Sabathia on Sunday night. ESPN reported that Sabathia told Colletti to make him a Dodger. But when asked by The Post about it, Colletti said, he and Sabathia “just had a nice, cordial, easy conversation.”
For now, the Yanks’ pitching-record offer of six years at $140 million has been out there for nearly a month. The perception is that Sabathia does not want to pitch for the Yankees.
However, Cashman said, “We are not being played, we are not being manipulated, we are not being used. He is going through the process, and he knows we want him.”
Sabathia remains the Yankees’ top target, and that is why Cashman summoned Jackson, in hopes the two had enough shared experiences to make the thought of transitioning to New York easier for Sabathia.
Both are Northern Californians who were stars before being recruited by the Yankees.
“He went through something similar,” Cashman said of Jackson. “He came to New York, conquered New York and left New York. [Jackson] told him this was the place he enjoyed the most.”
Sabathia also met with Red Sox officials yesterday. SI.com has reported there are four teams bidding on the lefty. But the only two known bidders are the Yankees and Brewers.