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Who Wouldn’t Want To Be CC Sabathia’s Agent?

Instead of waiting until the team came home to meet his new teammates, Sabathia and his agent, Brian Peters of Legacy Sports, decided he should meet the Brewers on the road and hang out with them in the dugout. That initial meeting must have gone great, as CC has now helped lead the Brew Crew to the top spot in NL Wild Card hunt.

Since getting traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, CC Sabathia has gone 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA and pitched 3 complete games.  The Brewers have been streaking forward to claim the top spot since acquiring Sabathia.  Seems like a great trade for Milwaukee even if it is only a three-month, million dollar rental.

Peters and CC are entitled to $11 million this year from his contract with the Indians that Milwaukee took over not long ago.  He only signed a contract until the end of the 2008 season and will be on the open market again after the Brewers finish the season.  For the Brew Crew, it could be a short rental to help them get to the playoffs for the first time since 1983.

Sabathia has been playing great since his trade and has shown teams why they need to pick him up next year.  Leading Milwaukee to the post season for the first time in a long time would make Brewers fans happy enough, but a great showing in the post season would make CC and his agent a lot more money in next year’s contract.

Johan Santana could be considered an equally important pitcher to his team.  CC’s agent, Brian Peters should be in the position to ask for at least as much as Santana signed for this past season with the Mets ($137.5 million in six years).  CC did win the CY Young last season and is also a great hitter at the pitcher position.  Before he was traded to Milwaukee, he was leading all NL pitchers in RBIs (7), hits (12), batting average (.300, minimum 25 plate appearances), and slugging percentage (.475).  Whatever team is fortunate enough to pick up CC should be thinking about paying him in the range of $140 million plus for about 4/5 years.

The Indians offered him a 4-year extension worth $72 million that he turned down.  He is obviously going to get more than that now; maybe even double after his play the past two years.  Ryan Braun and others are hot right now, and the Brewers look like serious contenders.  Sabathia and Ben Sheets are a solid pitching duo and the team knows how to hit. If Sabathia wins another CY Young and Milwaukee wins the World Series, imagine the hand that Peters could be playing with in front of MLB owners and GMs.

The only thing his agent could be worried about is that he is throwing a lot of pitches lately (3 complete games), and might get tired towards the end of the season. On the other hand, Sabathia is looking very tough right now and will be earning the big bucks no matter what. As I said in the title, who wouldn’t want to be CC Sabathia’s agent at this great time?

3 replies on “Who Wouldn’t Want To Be CC Sabathia’s Agent?”

I agree that he is going to get paid, but 4-5 years at “$140 million plus” is not going to happen. You are talking about the $30 million per year plus range with that number. If Johan’s deal is 6 at $138 ($23 million per), then CC will be looking at something similar, not $7 million more per.

Not sure where you got the hitting statistics, but they will not figure into the negotiations. When you are talking about a front of the rotation starter, nobody cares how he hits.

Will,

I feel that the hitting stats are important. Imagine the Brewers are down 2-1 in the 6th with runners in scoring position and the pitcher spot due up. With a guy like CC, a manager can feel confident leaving him in to hit instead of using a pinch hitter. He could deliver a big hit and then still be there to pitch the next few innings.

His hitting ability would not be a huge factor in negotiations, but it definitely increases his value.

Not when you are talking about a guy of his caliber. Lots of other factors are going to be more important than CC’s ability to hit in your above scenario. Bottom, top of the inning, outs, matchup on the mound (pitching against CC’s team), where he is in the order during the next half inning, bullpen availability, bullpen quality, etc.

No manager will pull CC in the 6th for a pinch hitter only down by one, and expose a bullpen versus keeping CC on the mound.

The increase in value is minimal, and should not warrant any discussion.

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