Union may play role in where Sabathia goes

Ken Davidoff

1:52 PM EDT, October 8, 2008

CC Sabathia told reporters this past week that his experience with the Brewers opened up his world. That no longer was he married to the idea of using his impending free agency to relocate his job near his West Coast home.

Some friends of the left-hander assert that Sabathia really has changed his thinking, that he spoke the truth. Others, however, still profess that they would be shocked if Sabathia didn't choose a California club.

But there will be more forces in play than just geography or even the actual dollars. Keep in mind that, in high-profile free agency cases like this, the Players Association also plays a role. And that potential impact should only help the Yankees.

Flash back to the 2002-03 offseason. The country was headed to war, and fresh off a new collective bargaining agreement, teams exhibited (conspired for) self-discipline.

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The one free agent set to make big-time money was Jim Thome, the affable Indians slugger. The Phillies bid heavily on Thome, offering him a six-year, $85-million package. The Indians, who drafted and developed Thome but felt that they needed to give themselves more payroll and roster flexibility, countered with a five-year, $60-million deal.

Thome, an Illinois native and resident, loved playing in the Midwest. He enjoyed immense popularity in Cleveland. And $60 million probably could have paid the bills.

But the Players Association leaned heavily on Thome to take the Phillies' offer, saying, essentially: "You can't turn this down. Not this winter."

This isn't to say that Thome chose the Phillies' offer -- which concluded with the Phillies paying a good portion of Thome's salary for the White Sox the past three seasons -- only due to union pressure. But it absolutely was a factor, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Given how bad the country's economy is, and given the likelihood that the Yankees will blow other teams out of the water with their Sabathia offer, would the union similarly pressure Sabathia?

When Johan Santana agreed to a six-year, $137.5-million extension with the Mets last winter, in order to finalize his trade from Minnesota to New York, Santana's agent Peter Greenberg said that the two-time Cy Young Award winner felt an obligation toward his fellow players.

"We just tried to pick a number that we felt he'd be comfortable with," Greenberg told Midweek Insider, back when it was known as just Newsday. "That, at the end of the day, would be viewed as fair, and would be viewed as something that raises the roof sufficiently -- so that other players like the Sabathias and whoever else comes along have a chance, if they accomplish things, to fill in that gap."

Sabathia has accomplished things since Greenberg said this on Feb. 6; he earned himself plenty of money with his half-season run as a Brewer. Now he gets to fill in that gap, and make his own decision.

Staff Decisions

It's fun to discuss and project the possible destinations of impending free agents, but right now, teams can only accomplish so much -- in other words, conduct illicit, back-channel conversations -- on that front.

No, what's atop the eliminated teams' radar screens right now is the more pedestrian matter of coaching staffs.

With the Yankees, it appears there's just one spot that could possibly be changed: Third-base coach Bobby Meacham's. Meacham and bullpen coach Mike Harkey were brought in by Joe Girardi last fall, and a source confirmed The Newark Star-Ledger's report that Girardi leaned heavily on that pair while not paying as much attention to the rest of the coaches.

Meacham did not coach third base very well, and Robinson Cano fell apart under his watch -- a striking contrast to Meacham's predecessor Larry Bowa, who enjoyed an excellent relationship with Cano and saw Cano elevate his status to All-Star.

Will Girardi push to keep Meacham? Will he feel he has the political juice to do so, given his disappointing first year as Yankees manager?

If the Yankees do let Meacham go, Willie Randolph is unlikely return as third-base coach. Since the Mets will be paying him next year, Randolph can pick his spots. And he and Girardi don't enjoy much of a relationship.

On the Mets' side, meanwhile, the front office would like to bring back everyone besides bullpen coach Guy Conti, who will probably be reassigned to the front office as the Mets cut ties with Pedro Martinez. It's just a matter of Jerry Manuel, now the full-time manager, signing off on bench coach Sandy Alomar, pitching coach Dan Warthen, first-base coach Ken Oberkfell and third-base coach Luis Augayo.

Experience Unnecessary

With their top choice Brian Cashman off the market, having returned to the Yankees for another three years, the Mariners are interviewing a quintet of candidates, none of whom has worked as a general manager, to fill their GM opening.

Seattle has five intelligent applicants in Mets vice president of player development Tony Bernazard; Diamondbacks director of player personnel Jerry DiPoto; Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava; Dodgers assistant GM Kim Ng; and Diamondbacks assistant GM Peter Woodfork.

Midweek Insider would love to be a fly on the wall during the Bernazard interview. Will the Mariners ask Bernazard about his role in Randolph's firing? Will they ask him why he would spend an hour with Nationals manager Manny Acta -- behind the batting cage, for everyone to see -- each and every time the Mets played Washington?