$abathia Chooses Ea$t Coa$t

Haven't heard?  After all the West Coast speculation, it was reported early Wednesday by Joel Sherman at the NY Post that CC Sabathia and the Yankees were closing in on a seven year $160 million deal, a year and $20 million more than the Yankees original offer. So much for the west coast. Since then, different rumors have trickled out about the details, notably an opt-out clause after the third season.  Also worth mentioning, the total dollar amount is now $161 million, which makes for a tidy $23 million per year average.  Round numbers are most important. This is quite the change of pace from all the high ground, family-based talk that preceded this deal.  Reportedly, Sabathia's wife Amber prefered to stay on the West coast.  That was, of course, until the Yankees upped the ante to $160 million.  And, if the market improves and Amber doesn't like New York, in 2012 they can move on with their lives. I don't begrudge Sabathia his payday.  He deserves to get what he's worth.  And people certainly have every right to knock the Yankees for spending this type of money on one pitcher when half the banks in New York are begging for this type of cash.  Of course, that's their fault, not the Yankees. And to be fair to CC, we never heard the West coast bias come out of his mouth.  At least, not yet.  He did his due dilligence and signed one heck of a contract. But in the end, it was the money, pure and simple.  Isn't that what we all expected?