In a matter of minutes, CC Sabathia will take the hill for the New York Yankees, making his first start in the final season of his long career. Him being activated from the injured list couldn’t come at a better time. CC probably won’t pitch too deep into the game since he’s not fully stretched out, but the stability he brings to the rotation and the team will be every bit as important.
When he came into the league back in 2001, Sabathia was the prototypical power pitcher. He flashed a upper-nineties fastball and an upper-eighties slider that chewed hitters up and spit them out. When he came to the Yankees in 2009, he still had that arsenal at his disposal. Things changed a handful of years ago, when age and wear and tear began to show, and CC had to change his style of pitching to stay effective. Yankees legend Andy Pettitte helped teach him the cut-fastball and helped change his approach to get guys out with lesser velocity.
Over the past few years, CC Sabathia returned to being a dependable pitcher, often times stopping losing streaks and getting the Yankees back on track. In addition, and just as importantly, he’s been a team leader and a rock for his teammates.
I look forward to watching him pitch this afternoon and the rest of the 2019 season. Let’s hope we’ll be able to see CC hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy one last time.
Thank you CC!
The Titanium Spine 