If Sabathia “Is on the Right Track” Then Color Me Worried!

I know it’s spring training and I know I’m overreacting. The fact that I know this separates me from a lot of other fans and maybe inches me closer to the “sane” side of the ballpark. Maybe not. I know that spring training stats are meaningless and it’s all about simply getting the work in and getting out alive and healthy but you still don’t get that fuzzy warm feeling in your stomach when you see a guy struggle. Plus, and I don’t know if this is just me, you don’t like to hear a guy say he’s “right on track” after struggling in the spring either.

Enter CC Sabathia. Sabathia struggled in his latest spring start and came out of it saying all the right things. He’s right on track but how can he say that? He’s throwing meatballs down the middle of the plate at 86 MPH, is this what we should expect from the big man this season? Look, he came out of it healthy and he got the work in. That’s all that matters and I realize this but that doesn’t make me confident going into next season at the same time. Not if he is going to struggle with his control and his velocity once again.

I’m the biggest CC supporter there is as a person, he’s a true inspiration, role model and leader, but as a player (and me as a fan first, blogger second) I am a bit worried. He has the stuff and the talent to be the best #5 starter in the league but if he lays an egg like he did this spring very often this season his win/loss record likely won’t look good once again at the end of the season. Sabathia is paid to win games, he’s the highest paid player on the team this season and one of the highest paid players in all of MLB this season so I don’t think it’s unfair to expect or want a little more.

I’m not screaming doom and gloom yet, just something about that comment rubbed me the wrong way. Velocity was down, command was down, pitches were up and so was the opposing team’s score. There is still plenty of time to get the work in and turn things around, trust me I’m far from worried, but a couple more starts like this and I may be.