Yankees Reel In Big Fish, Land Sabathia

When I say big fish, this dude, at 6-7, 300, is the Orca of pitchers.

Sure, they overpaid, but these are the Yankees, and they're seemingly recession-proof with the mega-millions they have rolling in with the new Stadium.

Now he better get the job done. Oh, and don't expect this is the end of their shopping. Expect another starter in the fold soon, be it Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett or even possibly Ben Sheets. Or perhaps two of them.

CC Sabathia is not going to play on the West Coast. He is not going to play in the National League. CC Sabathia is going to be a Yankee, The Post has learned exclusively.

After three straight days of face-to-face meetings between GM Brian Cashman and Sabathia, the big lefty decided he wants to spend the next six years of his career as a Yankee. The decision came late last night after Cashman flew to see Sabathia at his home in San Francisco. By the time the meeting was concluded, Sabathia had informed the YankeesNew York Yankees that he had made his decision to call New York his baseball home, the Post has learned.

There are still minor hurdles to finalize, notably that Sabathia must pass a physical. But after so much belief that Sabathia was stalling because he wanted to avoid New York, he agreed to the largest pitching contract in major league history, at least $140 million.

It means that the Yankees have lassoed the player they were building their offseason around: An ace in his prime. Sabathia is just 28, and last year between the Indians and Brewers he went 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA. The previous season he won the AL Cy Young. Now he is the first major new piece to be put into the new Yankee Stadium.

In other news, New York's junior varsity squad landed a closer.