Yankees GM, Sabathia to meet

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman left the winter meetings Tuesday and traveled to the San Francisco area to meet with CC Sabathia, giving New York renewed hope it could sign the prized free-agent pitcher.

New York made a six-year offer to Sabathia on Nov. 14 and met with him on Sunday and Monday. Cashman’s daily briefing with reporters was canceled by the team Tuesday, with spokesman Jason Zillo saying, “Brian is off hotel property and unavailable for the rest of the evening.”

Cashman’s trip to California was disclosed by a baseball official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t say where the GM had gone. Cashman traveled after being invited by Sabathia, the official said.

While waiting for Sabathia to decide whether he wants to pitch in New York, the Yankees pushed ahead with talks involving A.J. Burnett and Ben Sheets

Yankees manager Joe Girardi doesn’t think Sabathia is reticent to pitch in New York, where failure leads to harsh criticism.

“He’s been in the American League long enough to know what New York is about,” he said. “And CC’s personality, I think, would work very well here. He’s a guy that wants the ball every fifth day. He’s a standup guy, he’s a very honest young man. So I think his personality will be great.”