Several reports indicate that New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman met earlier today in Las Vegas with free agent pitcher CC Sabathia, one day after Cashman met with free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira and his agent Scott Boras in Maryland. Sabathia still has the Yankees 6-year, $140 million deal on the table, originally offered by the Yankees on November 14. But, Sabathia and his agent Greg Genske have yet to show any interest in that offer. Cashman wanted to gauge Sabathia’s interest via a face to face meeting to see if CC has a desire to pitch in New York - or is just using the Yankees as leverage for a better deal from a West Coast or National League team.

Meeting first with Teixeira, then with Sabathia is a brilliant move by Cashman, giving the reluctant Sabathia an indication just how determined the Yankees are in revamping their team from a year ago, a team which did not make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. With no disrespect to the Tampa Bay Rays, Cashman realizes his two big rivals in the American League are the Boston Red Sox and Anaheim Angels, two teams which have beaten the Yankees in recent postseasons.

And the Red Sox and Angels are each interested in Sabathia and Teixeira. What better way for the Yankees to improve their own team, AND hurt both of their rivals with signatures on the dotted line from Sabathia and Teixeira.  There is still talk that the Teixeira (and especially Boras the agent) is using the Yankees to drum up his final sales price, but when the Yankees make an actual offer to Tex, the pressure will be on the player and agent.

Also, the players union is keeping a watchful eye on free agent salaries, particularly this season with the national economy the way it is, and they will be pretty upset if players begin to sign contracts with teams which aren’t offering the most money. Look for the union to eventually begin applying pressure to Sabathia and Teixeira to sign for the most cash offered.

Sabathia is supposed to also meet with the Red Sox this week, and they could throw their weight around the big lefty. Some may see the Red Sox as not needing pitching, but the Red Sox have definite holes in their rotation, lots of talented (but unproven youngsters) and Josh Beckett coming off an injury plagues 2008 season. Plus, Theo Epstein realizes that a team can never have enough pitching. Reports indicate that Epstein, though, only met with Sabathia to denigrate the Yankees and New York City, hoping to convince Sabathia to sign with a West Coast team.

Peter Abraham also reported on his LoHud blog that he saw a Yankee contingent outside the Bellagio, with Cashman wearing one of his ginormous World Series rings, and Cashman rarely wears the bling. Was Brian Cashman looking to impress Sabathia in his face to face? A New York source told Pete Abe that Cashman was able to get some business done today. A good sign for the Yankee GM entering Monday’s beginning of the Meetings.

The offer is still there and, unless another team come up with significantly more money that what Milwaukee has offered (5 yr/$100 million), the Yankees will end up with their first choice in the free agent pitching market. But, as I wrote last week, the Yankees likely would have had Sabathia already if they went higher with their original offer.