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TAMPA — The Yankees have a rotation problem percolating for 2012 that will make the current worry about finding Nos. 4-5 starters feel as vital as the identity of the batboy.
CC Sabathia yesterday did not definitively say he would void the final four years of his contract, which is his right after this season. But momentously for the Yankees’ future, he did not say he would not — as he had publicly in every instance before.
And that leaves the strong likelihood that the Yankees will either be forced to upgrade his deal or else watch Sabathia head to free agency.
Because barring injury or significant drop in production, Sabathia almost certainly would receive far more than the four years at $92 million he is due after this season on his current contract.
Unless the Yankees can find an ace elsewhere, Sabathia would have all the leverage to optimize the opt-out. The Yankees failed to land Cliff Lee, next year’s free-agent class is without an obvious No. 1 starter and the Yankees already are concerned about the composition of their rotation even with Sabathia.
Thus, Sabathia could demand a deal greater than the one for seven years at $161 million he signed after the 2008 season.
Sabathia, in fact, noted a few times that he hopes to pitch “eight to 10 more years,” which was a significant factor in his losing 25 pounds.
GM Brian Cashman said the team’s policy remains not to negotiate new deals until the old ones expire. He said it was possible that could change for Sabathia, but only at the behest of ownership.
“I have no idea what [Sabathia] will do,” Cashman said. “He has a right to use that clause.”
In the past, Sabathia had always said he had no desire to do anything but play out the seven-year deal. As recently as late last season, he said, “100 percent” to describe staying on the current contract, and “I’m not going anywhere.”
But yesterday in a group interview with reporters, Sabathia used the team “I’m here” to describe just the 2011 season. Normally level voiced, Sabathia cut off further inquiry on the subject by stating, “I’m here, I’m in the clubhouse.”
In a follow-up interview with The Post, Sabathia dodged multiple, direct chances to say — as he had in the past — that he was here for the duration of the original seven-year deal.
“Anything is possible in a contract,” Sabathia said.
He also said, “Who knows what is possible, but I am not thinking about anything beyond Opening Day.”
Sabathia told The Post he was not advised by his agents to shift to a more ambiguous tone.
He said he would not discuss the matter any more this season so as not to be a distraction. But, of course, it would be no distraction if he simply were saying what he had in the past: He will not use the opt-out.
What adds to the fascination of this issue is that the Yankees put themselves in this position. For the first time publicly, Cashman revealed that it was the Yankees who conceived of the opt-out. It had been assumed that Sabathia had demanded it.
Cashman said the Yankees made their original offer for Sabathia in the minute free agency began after the 2008 season. But weeks went by without a positive response. Sabathia preferred to stay out of New York, play in California and — if possible — play in the NL so he could keep hitting.
Wanting to prod a signing before the Angels jumped in, Cashman decided to offer the opt-out, sensing that giving Sabathia a window to escape would ease his mind about coming to New York.
“I have no regrets about doing it,” Cashman said. “I truly believe he would have gone to Anaheim. Instead, we got a great left-hander who has helped us win a World Series.”
joel.sherman@nypost.com