First off, allow me to introduce myself. Name is Dan and I'm a 19-year-old college sophomore, currently majoring in psychology. However, I enjoy writing, and I'm a sports fanatic.

The Yankees are by far my favorite team; I live and die by them. Some would say a little too much, but I always say they don't understand. The euphoria that I feel when the Yankees excel is great, but the failures sting for me more than others I know. My opinion is that this enhances the experience.

Anyway, I'm hoping to become very involved with this site and writing many more articles on a bunch of New York sports topics. I'm also a fan of the Jets, Knicks, and Rangers, so I'll be doing some writing on those teams as well, some things negative, others not so much. 

I tend to be a bit of a pessimist but hey, being a cynic can be cathartic at times.  Anyway, I digress.

On to the man of the hour, CC Sabathia. This prodigious character was the Yankees' main target since months before last season even ended. With the laundry list of issues the Yankees starting rotation endured over the course of last season, it was apparent that the Yankees would do anything in their power to obtain Sabathia's services, too apparent I would say. 

He had them right where he wanted them. In a grandiose way of negotiating, the Yankees dropped a six year, $140 million offer on the table extremely early in the free agent signing period, before the Brewers even had the opportunity to offer arbitration to him.

This grandstand backfired on the Yankees. Sabathia played it coy, and waited out other teams to see if they would provide the Yankees any competition, and also to make them sweat.  Whether the rumors that Sabathia was uncomfortable with playing in New York were true or not, they were partly created by the fact that the largest contract ever offered to a starting pitcher was left sitting on the table without his signature for over a month.

His mere apathy at their offer spoke volumes, or at least everybody thought they did.  And in the Hot Stove League, perception is what matters. 

By the time the Winter Meetings rolled around the Yankees looked as if they'd be shut out of the Sabathia race, there were even rumors floating about that Sabathia had turned the offer down. 

The Yankees, in typical fashion of them, allayed his fears by offering an extra year and some more cash.  Seven years, $161 million and an opt out clause after three years.  First three years: three years, $69 million. He can opt out and make even more if he dominates his first three years.

His several meetings with the Yankees, where he allegedly asked questions about the New York lifestyle, the relationship between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, as well as, in the third meeting, to have his wife's concerns addressed, further exasperated the Yankees.

The Yankees finally caved, bidding only against themselves, pouring more money down the drain. In short, the Yankees got their man, but their man also got what he wanted and then some.