Saturday, September 30, 2017

Article Revisit: Who is Going to Say “No” to CC Beyond 2017?


We discussed this earlier in the season but we also discussed it almost one year ago today as well, should the New York Yankees bring back CC Sabathia for the 2018 season? You know what my opinion is now, a couple weeks back I opined that the Yankees should bring back the veteran left-hander on a one-year deal with a reasonable base salary, but what did I think back in 2016? Find out in this article revisit from the 2016 season. Enjoy and leave your comments below on CC and whether the Yankees should retain him for next season below in the comments section. Thanks!


 Saturday, October 1, 2016

Who Is Going to Say No to CC Beyond 2017?



The New York Yankees were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Thursday night despite completing a sweep of the Boston Red Sox in a three-game set. Too little too late for the Bombers this season but it may not be too little too late for the man who was on the mound in that start, CC Sabathia. Once thought to be “done” and “washed up” after losing velocity on his fastball and after dealing with a degenerative knee condition the Yankees veteran left-handed has learned how to finally “pitch” rather than just throw the ball by everyone in the league and the results have been spectacular. After a relatively healthy season in 2016 and a solid season by all accounts Sabathia has his eye not only on 2017 but beyond that as well once his current contract expires with New York. Right now, who is going to tell him no that he can’t come back to the Bronx in 2017? Not me.

Sabathia was a machine from 2009 to 2012 with the Yankees posting a 74-29 record but his health and velocity dropped off suddenly leaving CC unsure of what to do. CC was used to rearing back and finding 95+ MPH to get him out of any situation, not Sabathia was left with an 88 – 92 MPH fastball that he had to pinpoint every single time to be successful. After working with pitching coach Larry Rothschild and a former Yankees ace that went through a similar transformation in Andy Pettitte the big man seems to have finally figured it out in 2016. We saw Sabathia make steps towards putting it all together in recent years but when he got into trouble he could still be seen trying to simply blow hitters away, now CC isn’t afraid to walk a guy or pitch around a guy to maximize efficiency and outs making him a perfect and durable candidate to anchor a young and upcoming Yankees rotation from the 5th starter spot.

CC will never be the 2009 version again by any stretch of the imagination but CC has somehow found a way to be dominant nonetheless while also leading the team in starts made and innings pitched. Overall Sabathia finished the year with 29 starts, a 4.02 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP but I can remember at the beginning of the season when CC held a sub-3.00 ERA and a 3.17 ERA into the month of July before getting hit around a bit. I can’t think of a team that wouldn’t take a veteran arm who’s been there on a reasonable contract at the back end of their bullpen, especially if he brings the health and stability he brought to the Yankees this season. Why not make that team the Yankees?


I know a lot can happen between now and this time in 2017 but if you’re asking me right now, this instant, I’m signing him up if he’s healthy. You can have all the young guns and rising stars in the rotation you want but they are going to need the old, savvy veteran to show them how it’s done. That’s CC.

2 comments:

  1. Daniel, since the beginning of the season, I was opened to bringing cc year to year, if he performed well. No one expected him to pitch so well to land a multi year deal.

    I Def think he would get a multi year deal. Would nyy do that? Who would? The Mets, surely. Red Sox, LAD, LAL, ATL, Seattle, giants, athletics, seriously, most teams.

    Does he stick with a 1 yr in NYY? Which teams give him best chance to win?

    HHopefully, its nyy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Would New York give him a multi-year deal? Honestly, I don't think so. One year deal with a TEAM option, maybe. I just can't see it, although the Yankees and Brian Cashman have done dumber deals in the past. See the Carlos Beltran deal, in my opinion.

      There's probably plenty of teams that would give him a two-year deal but if he were to take one I would think it would be out on the West Coast where he is from and where his family resides and such. As long as that counts out the Red Sox or an AL East team then I wish him well. I know he has to do what is best for him and his family and if that's the security of a two year deal elsewhere, then so be it.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)