[사영추 원츄 칼럼]다저스는 사바시아를 영입할 필요가 있다

BILL SHAIKIN / ON BASEBALL

Dodgers need to sign CC Sabathia

The free-agent pitcher would be an ace in the rotation, the clubhouse and the community.

Bill Shaikin
9:55 PM PST, December 8, 2008

Reporting from Las Vegas -- Ned Colletti ran into CC Sabathia in the hallway here, and this is what Sabathia said: I want to be a Dodger.This, remember, is what Manny Ramirez said the last time anyone with the Dodgers saw him: "I want to see who is the highest bidder." (윈터미팅이 열리고 있는 라스베가스 소식통에 의하면 네드 콜레티는 사바시아와 현관 복도에서 만남을 가졌고 사바시아는 다저스에서 뛰기를 원한다는 이야기를 했다고 알려지고 있다.매니 라미레즈가 가장 높은 금액을 제시하는 팀으로 가겠다는 것에 비하면 큰 차이이다.알려진 소스에 의하면 60초가량 이야기를 나눴다는데 사바시아가 다저스를 단지 영입 경쟁 루머에 포함시키기 위해서 써먹었다고 볼 수는 없겠죠.이미 양키스 6년 1억 4000만불 오퍼보다 더 큰 금액을 제시할 팀이 없다는건 알려진 이야기니까.어떤 칼럼리스트는 양키스와 다저스의 오퍼 금액이 2000만불 이상 차이가 나면 사바시아가 양키스로 갈 거라는 말도 하면서 다저스나 자이언츠가 6년 1억 3000만불 오퍼하면 양키스는 6년 1억 5000만불 오퍼해야 한다 말하지만 그다지 신빙성은.)

And this is what Frank McCourt has often said: He wants players who want to be Dodgers, and he wants the Dodgers to weave themselves into the fabric of the community.So McCourt ought to back up his words with a contract offer, one that would make Sabathia the highest-paid player in franchise history. (맥코트는 다저스로 뛰고 싶어하는 선수를 영입한다고 줄곧 말헀고 다저스 유니폼을 입고 싶어하는 선수를 바란다고 이야기했기에 사바시아는 프랜차이즈 역사상 가장 큰 금액을 오퍼할만한 가치가 있을 수 있다고.맥코트 돈 좀 써라.징한 넘아 구장 보수하고 티켓값 올려서 메꿀 생각말고 관중이 차야 돈을 버는거지.그리고 우승하면 팀 가치 팍 오르잖아 그떄 팔아버려 그러면 살때보다 2배 이상 남는 장사네.)

The New York Yankees met with Sabathia here, and so did the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. The Angels did not, but they're not short on pitching.

The Dodgers did not, Colletti said.

What are they waiting for?

The Dodgers need an ace in the starting rotation, in the clubhouse and in the community. Sabathia dedicates himself to all three.He wants to come home, to pitch in California, to play in the National League, although not so desperately that he'll sign a three-year contract when the Yankees have offered him six.

The Dodgers have been burned so often by Colletti's multiyear free agent signings -- injuries to Jason Schmidt, Rafael Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra and Bill Mueller, poor performances by Andruw Jones and Brett Tomko and the superfluousness of Juan Pierre -- that McCourt understandably is wary of the kind of proposal Sabathia would take seriously.

Yet Colletti said "special circumstance" could compel the Dodgers to extend an offer beyond their general limit of three years.

He said he has discussed the possibility of bidding five years -- or longer -- with McCourt, but with no authorization to actually do so.

"We haven't gotten to that point yet," Colletti said.

The Yankees are at $140 million, and they could go higher. The Dodgers should come close, on behalf of the crowds that pack their stadium year in and year out, on behalf of the fans asked to pay regular-season prices for spring training games, on behalf of the customers seated anywhere above field level who must wait at least until 2010 for long-promised upgrades to concourses, restrooms and concession stands.

Ramirez isn't going to sign before Mark Teixeira does. Do the Dodgers want to hold their winter hostage to a guy whose loyalty lies with the dollar bill?

Sabathia wants to be a Dodger. If that really means something to McCourt, then he should go get him. Sabathia devotes himself to reviving youth baseball in the inner city, so the Dodgers couldn't beat this deal: Sign him for $130 million, and he'll build 50 youth fields by himself. (사바는 다저스를 원하고 맥코트가 움직여서 6년 1억 3000만불만 제시하면 그는  다저스에 새로운 원기를 불러올거라고.원츄 !!!)