CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett Visited Yankee Stadium Today

So, the Yankees finally got to show off their new $243.5 million toys to fans and media today at the old Yankee Stadium.

At the press conference, Sabathia addressed why it took him so long to make a decision (apparently, the Yankees, Angels, and Brewers were the favorites) and explained the opt-out clause in his contract.

“It was kind of a stressful deal,” Sabathia said, referring to the free agent process. “I was just trying to make sure I made a good decision, the right decision. I don’t want anybody to think I didn’t want to come here. That’s definitely not the case.”

“The opt-out was something that my agent said that we wanted to put in any contract, anywhere, that I didn’t want to go somewhere, a small-market team and kind of hold them up if...we couldn’t sign other players and I’d be the reason," he continued.

"Here that’s not going to be a problem...we’re buying a home here, we’re going to be here for seven years.”

Sabathia also noted that he has been invited to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, but is leaning against it. The Yankees will probably be more than willing to convince him that he’s making the right choice by not playing.

And let's not forget about Burnett, who talked at length about his proneness to injury and tried his best to quell fears.

“I finally listened to everybody. Everybody always told me you don’t have to rear back and throw 100 to get guys out and be successful, and I finally believed them and I finally did it," Burnett confessed.

"I started sinking the ball to both sides of the plate and working in more off-speed (pitches) instead of just ‘here it is, hit it as hard as you can.’ I believe in my heart that that’s the reason I took the ball every five days. I was pitching, I wasn’t throwing, therefore I stayed healthy.”

Brian Cashman is hopeful that he’s right.

“He’s a bona fide front-line starter, when he’s healthy,” Cashman said. “I know there’s risk to it at the same time, based on the past history. So we’re hopeful that luck will be on our side.”

Sabathia has been assigned No. 52 and Burnett, No. 34.

Also, to all those out there that thought Sabathia, who was listed at 311lbs. this offseason, looked slimmer in photos released this week, he had this to say:

“I work out every day,” he said. “In December and January I do two-a-days...I don’t think my physical appearance is going to change much.”