Is Sabathia California dreamin'?

CC Sabathia, who hails from Northern California and currently lives there, is building a home in Southern California. So it's obvious his heart is on the West Coast.

But will the rest of him follow as a free agent this winter?

Quite possibly. But not all baseball people believe it's a lock that he will sign with a California team as a free agent this winter.

Five executives who know Sabathia were asked whether they believe he will follow his heart or the money, and there's a split about how heavily he'll lean toward signing with a California team. Two executives opined that he's surely bound for California ("he isn't a New York guy,'' said one) and would be shocked to see him go to the Yankees or any other big-market East Coat team. But three others said some version of "money talks.''

A couple of those executives who think he'll follow the money do tab the Yankees, who have a whopping $88 million in contracts coming off the books, as the favorite to sign the Vallejo, Calif. product. The word from those three executives is that while Sabathia does indeed prefer California, he won't give the California teams a discount.

Sabathia's asking price is expected to be a deal to match Johan Santana's $137.5-million Mets contract from last winter, and if he doesn't get there, he should get close, particularly after carrying an ERA of about 2 since late April and sparking the Brewers, who understand Sabathia is only a "rental'' for them and appear resigned to him leaving via free agency.

The Yankees didn't want to give up the prospects to go for Santana and will continue to emphasize youth under GM Brian Cashman, assuming he himself doesn't leave via free agency at season's end. But the Yankees do appear primed to make a big push for Sabathia.

According to executives, the Dodgers seem to be the most likely West Coast landing spot for Sabathia, who is 9-8 with a 3.51 ERA (and 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA since joining the Brewers). They'll probably lose Derek Lowe to free agency, often play the free-agent market and have the bucks for Sabathia, who's only enhancing his value by continuing to pitch well in the National League (and hit well, too).

The Angels already have the best starting pitching in baseball and haven't seemed inclined to go for a nine-figure deal in the past (outfielder Torii Hunter got $90 million). But they do have the money, have been known to pull a surprise or two and could still make it an L.A.-vs.-L.A. fight by bidding on Sabathia.

Among the other West Coasters, the Giants have spent big on free agents but might want to avoid repeating the $126-million Barry Zito debacle. Others don't see a comparison between the two, and suggest no one should worry about that happening. Zito's a "touch and feel guy. CC's a power guy,'' one AL executive said. The other two California teams, the A's and Padres, never play for major free agents.