Cashman meets Boras, Sabathia next

NEW YORK (AP) -- Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met Thursday with agent Scott Boras and planned to get together this weekend with free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia ahead of the winter meetings.

Cashman's meeting with Boras and intention to meet with Sabathia were disclosed by separate baseball officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Yankees did not announce Cashman's plans.

The Yankees head into next week's winter meetings needing starting pitching. They made a six-year offer to Sabathia on Nov. 14, the first day free agents could start negotiating money. The proposal exceeds Johan Santana's $137.5 million, six-year contract with the New York Mets both in total and average, but there has been no public response from Sabathia or his agents.

New York has been trying to gauge its odds of landing the top available free-agent starting pitcher.

Boras represents pitchers Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez, who also are free agents. In addition, his available clients this offseason include first baseman Mark Teixeira and outfielder Manny Ramirez. In addition to Sabathia, the Yankees may be interested in Lowe and A.J. Burnett, another free-agent pitcher.

Cashman and Boras did not immediately return messages.

In other free-agent news, agent Barry Meister planned to meet with teams at the winter meetings to discuss left-hander Randy Johnson. Meister said 10 clubs had contacted him about the Big Unit, who needs five wins to reach 300.

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