http://tinyurl.com/466h8s CC Sabathia told reporters this past week that his experience with the Brewers opened up his world. That no longer was he married to the idea of using his impending free agency to relocate his job near his West Coast home. Some friends of the lefthander say Sabathia really has changed his thinking, that he spoke the truth. Others, however, still profess that they would be shocked if Sabathia didn't choose a California club. But there will be more forces in play than just geography or even the actual dollars. Keep in mind that in high-profile free agency cases such as this, the Players Association also plays a role. And that potential impact should only help the Yankees. Flash back to the 2002-03 offseason. The country was headed to war, and fresh off a new collective bargaining agreement, teams exhibited (conspired for) self-discipline. The one free agent set to make big-time money was Jim Thome, the affable Indians slugger. The Phillies bid heavily, offering him a six-year, $85-million package. The Indians, who drafted and developed Thome but thought they needed to give themselves more payroll and roster flexibility, countered with a five-year, $60-million deal. Thome, an Illinois native and resident, loved playing in the Midwest. He enjoyed immense popularity in Cleveland, and $60 million probably could have paid the bills. But the Players Association leaned heavily on Thome to take the Phillies' offer, saying, essentially: "You can't turn this down. Not this winter." This isn't to say that Thome chose the Phillies' offer - which concluded with the Phillies paying a good portion of Thome's salary for the White Sox the past three seasons - only because of union pressure. But it absolutely was a factor, according to a person familiar with the situation. Given how bad the country's economy is, and given the likelihood that the Yankees will blow other teams out of the water with their Sabathia offer, would the union similarly pressure Sabathia? When Johan Santana agreed to a six-year, $137.5-million extension with the Mets last winter in order to finalize his trade from the Twins, Santana's agent, Peter Greenberg, said that the two-time Cy Young Award winner felt an obligation toward his fellow players. "We just tried to pick a number that we felt he'd be comfortable with," Greenberg told Newsday. "That, at the end of the day, would be viewed as fair, and would be viewed as something that raises the roof sufficiently - so that other players like the Sabathias and whoever else comes along have a chance, if they accomplish things, to fill in that gap." Sabathia has accomplished things since Greenberg said this on Feb. 6; he earned himself plenty of money with his half-season run as a Brewer. Now he gets to fill in that gap, and make his own decision. --

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