A tip of the cap to CC

Tonight may have been CC Sabathia’s final time as a Yankee starter. Chances are he will be on the post season roster as a relief pitcher, watching the game from the bullpen, waiting for  a chance to be a part of the Yankees post season run. He is fine with that role. 

Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. came to the Yankees in 2009 as a free agent having previously pitched for the Indians & Brewers. The story goes at the end of Milwaukee’s 2008 season, with a chance to make the playoff for the first time in 26 years, CC volunteered to pitch the final game of the regular season on three days rest. When his agent caught wind of this, he told the manager not to let him pitch. CC in turn told his manager he would start as planned and his agent “you worry about the contacts, I’ll worry about the pitching”. He started and won that game for the Brewers. CC has always been “Team First” player. He clearly still is. 

In 2009 CC signed along AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira, opened the new Yankee Stadium and with the core four, gave NY Yankee fans the team’s 27 Championship. In the 10 years since, CC had had his ups and downs, professionally and personally. There were the constant stories around his weight (too fat, too skinny), knee problems and a stint in rehab for addiction to alcohol. But his ability to reach down and get an out when he looked like he had nothing left, his pure joy for a teammates accomplishments, his fiery attitude during a game on the mound or in the dugout, negate any rough patches CC had had. He truly is the workhorse he had been labeled. For that, Yankee fans will always be grateful. 

I want nothing more than for CC to finish his time in New York with another World Series win. But today we tip our cap to Carsten Charles Sabathia, Jr. and know we’ll see you in Cooperstown. For now, we’ll see you in October.