Results tagged ‘ CC Sabathia ’
The Melky Cabrera Tale: How A Failed Trade Was the Move of the Offseason
A baby-faced ball of energy burst onto the Bronx scene in 2006 and 2007, capturing the hearts of fans eager to find the next homegrown hero.
The player was Yankees CF Melky Cabrera, asked to fill a defensive hole left by an oft-injured and rapidly aging Johnny Damon.
An awkward shot put release was replaced by an intimidating laser arm, and Cabrera completely changed the way opposing teams ran the bases.
In just 247 games in CF during this time, Cabrera generated an impressive 26 outfield assists. He nearly saved as many runs as he was originally expected to drive in at home plate.
The “Melk Man” love affair quickly eroded in 2008, however, as Cabrera instigated many more groans, boos, and expletives than magical moments.
Defensive lapses, a .249 AVG, and an anemic .301 OBP eventually forced New York’s hand.
There were now at least four to five names surfacing as potential starting CFs in the Bronx, and Cabrera’s name was no longer among them.
Speedy youngster Brett Gardner would likely replace him coming out of spring training, and any GM with access to technology could begin courting his services.
Trade proposals subsequently began to flow into Brian Cashman’s cell phone, and one in particular piqued his interest.
The Milwaukee Brewers were on the line, offering 36 year old CF Mike Cameron in exchange for the suddenly lactose intolerant “Melk Man.”
Some fans entertained images of the once Gold Glove caliber defense Cameron played in the past, while others accepted the reality of his age, career .250 AVG, and astronomical strikeout totals.
After a period of flirting and counter-offers regarding the portion of Cameron’s contract that New York would be obligated to pay, the trade interest eventually dissolved.
The Yankees have discovered that not trading away Cabrera may have been the smartest move they made all offseason.
While the calendar only reads June 6, Cabrera has already provided three walk-off hits to go along with a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of Thursday’s game.
Cabrera has resurrected his career and the “fan favorite” nature of his play, currently supplying stellar outfield defense while hitting .311 with a .360 OBP.
He helped to stabilize a Yankees lineup without Alex Rodriguez, Xavier Nady, and Jorge Posada, and has clearly risen to the occasion during clutch scenarios.
Cabrera has also performed at the highest of levels against New York’s toughest opponents, hitting 16-for-41 (.390) against the Red Sox, Angels, and Phillies.
Cameron, meanwhile, has failed miserably with runners in scoring position–going just 6-for-40 (.150) with two extra base hits.
Though his overall AVG and OBP are far above his career averages, he is making seven times the salary of Cabrera in 2009.
The Yankees already have a bevy of overpriced and aging outfielders with limited range (Damon, Matsui), and yet another would have prevented the athleticism of Cabrera and Gardner to be implemented.
It would have been especially debilitating as a result of Cameron’s propensity to kill rallies by not making contact.
Cameron is currently on pace for 143 strikeouts, which also destroys any ability for manager Joe Girardi to use the hit and run when he is at the plate.
In contrast, the “Melk Man” is hitting over .300 from both sides of the plate, and is on pace for just 65 strikeouts–proving to be very reliable in the aggressive elements of Girardi’s game plan.
Other offseason moves have come up roses, as C.C. Sabathia has begun to present himself as a true ace, and Mark Teixeira has been the unquestionable offensive MVP of the Yankees through June.
However, it may be maintaining Cabrera that has been as important an offseason move as any that Cashman made during the winter months.
It is a good thing most households in New York City are equipped with refrigerators, because the Melk Man continues to deliver–seemingly on a daily basis.
Also seen at: Heartbeat of the Bronx
C.C. Sabathia Proving to be Worth Each of his 2,300,000,000 Pennies
If it pitches like an ace, and it wins like an ace, and it’s paid like an ace–it must be an ace, right?
For at least the first month of baseball’s marathon season, fans and writers alike were not sure if their eyes were deceiving them.
Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia had certainly shown glimpses of brilliance over his first six starts, but the only things that matters in New York are wins and losses.
After a disheartening loss at the hands of the Angels in which he pitched very well before a late-inning collapse, Sabathia sat at just 1-3 with a bloated 4.85 ERA.
Since that point, Sabathia has had a pitching epiphany, once again solving the riddle of powerful American League batting orders.
Sabathia is 3-0 in his last three starts, posting a 1.12 ERA and dominating 0.75 WHIP. He has allowed just 12 H in 24 IP, all while pitching to a 20-to-6 K/BB ratio.
In just three games, Sabathia has transformed his season from 1-3 and a 4.85 ERA to 4-3 with a 3.43 ERA.
His slider has more tilt, his fastball has more consistent velocity, and his change-up rivals that of the great Bugs Bunny.
Sabathia has added a dynamic to the pitching staff far more important than wins–which I understand seems impossible when discussing the New York Yankees.
New York’s ace has made certain that the soft underbelly of the bullpen will not be exposed.
For at least one game every five days, Yankees fans can fasten a lock onto the household’s liquor cabinet.
Jonathan Albaladejo, Jose Veras, and Phil Coke will be getting the night off, and blood pressures around the tri-state area will begin to stabilize.
Only one important inning has been pitched by a reliever not named Mariano Rivera in his May starts, and New York subsequently lost that game 8-4.
Considering his “unacceptable” inaugural month in pinstripes, it is amazing that Sabathia still boasts a 1.14 WHIP and .221 BAA during the 2009 season.
To put this into perspective, the Cy Young Award winners of 2008–Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee–produced very similar statistics.
Lee generated a 1.11 WHIP and .253 BAA, while Lincecum sported a 1.17 WHIP and an identical .221 BAA as Sabathia’s current status.
Though wins and earned run averages make or break Cy Young winners, it is interesting that the “underperforming” Sabathia compares favorably in two increasingly important pitching stats.
If this is Sabathia’s benchmark through nine starts littered with inconsistencies, exactly how high can the bar be raised?
It is unreasonable and rather fantastical to expect another AL Cy Young to be placed on Sabathia’s mantle in 2009.
However, perhaps it won’t take as long as anticipated for him to adjust to the bright lights of New York City.
Some may believe that C.C. stands for “counting change,” as his salary accounts for 2.3 billion pennies in 2009 alone.
Carsten Charles would prefer his abbreviation to be confused with “cool and collected,” as he plans to ride his poise and expanding confidence into the latter part of October.
There may be more dollars in Sabathia’s 2009 salary than the entire population of the state of New York, but he may just turn out to be worth every penny.
Also Seen At: Heartbeat of the Bronx
Justin-Credible: Verlander Unhittable as Yankees’ Streak Reaches Four
The Yankees entered Comerica Park in Detroit while riding a painful three-game losing streak. That pain continued to compound on itself, as yet another loss dropped them below .500 on the season.
Even a sharp C.C. Sabathia was not enough to reverse the trend for New York, as its offense was never given a chance to get into a rhythm.
Tigers ace Justin Verlander was more than simply ‘on his game.’ Verlander was virtually untouchable, making 60′ 6″ appear more like a 46′ little league mound.
Verlander was armed with a blazing fastball touching upwards of 99 on the radar gun, as well as a power curveball that fell more sharply than the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, Verlander had no-hitter stuff, much more reminiscent of his 2006 Rookie of the Year campaign than his recent struggles.
Striking out nine and walking zero, he suffered no setbacks aside from the inability to figure out how to cool Robinson Cano’s hot bat.
The Red Sox series dug up limitless concerns about the Yankees ball club, and targeted many underachievers with a barrage of finger-pointing. Each crushing loss left a new catalyst to blame and excuses to make, leaving New York wondering how it let things slip away.
Monday night’s game did not provide any second-guessing, regretful sentiment, or ‘what ifs.’ Regardless of what buttons manager Joe Girardi attempted to push, the Yankees were going to be beaten by a hurler hell-bent on dominance.
This has emerged as a trend of sorts for New York, as at least one facet of the team falters on a given day.
When they pitch, they simply cannot drive in runs. When they score enough to win while receiving quality starting pitching, the bullpen implodes. Even when the Yankees score in double figures, they find a way to set franchise records in pitching deficiency.
Until the Yankees begin to fire on all cylinders, or at least most of them, they will be unable to string together victories. They will need to eventually perform a feat equal to Boston’s current 11-game rampage.
New York has driven past the Red Sox on a highway going in very different directions. If it does not make a U-turn soon, it may be left in Boston’s rearview mirror for quite some time.
Hughes will attempt to throw water–instead of oil or fuel–on the Yankees fire, as he will replace Chien-Ming Wang and his recent mental/physical breakdown.
Someone has to wake the Yankees up from this nightmare, and hopefully that “someone” is Hughes. Stay tuned.
Yankee Stadium Magic: How an Unfamiliar Place Can Begin to Feel Like Home
Still wearing a Yankees away jersey to symbolize the foreign feeling of entering the new ballpark, I ambled through Gate 6 and into “The Great Hall.”
(Interestingly enough, fans are now their own ticket scanners. It completely eliminates the need for dozens of people to stand around pretending to help you, but they do it anyway.)
I had seen it all before, and knew for the first time how to get to any seat in the stadium. It resembled a college student’s second week in a freshman dorm, as I began to figure things out while still feeling very uncomfortable.
After reaching what would be my final resting place for the next five hours, it was apparent that the stands would not be roaring like its predecessor across the street.
The rain had scared away thousands upon thousands of season ticket holders, and many others chose to retreat to “waterproof” areas of the stadium. Only the bleacher creatures and select trust fund babies remained in their tickets’ assigned seating location.
Shortly before the first pitch, Yankee Stadium finally began to take on a recognizable aura; “…and at designated hitter, batting third, Jason Giambi.”
I looked around to make sure a bar still stood in center field where the famed black seats once rested. Indeed it did, and Giambi was again donning an “A” on his cap.
The game could be described by no word other than damp, and got off to a very inauspicious beginning. C.C. Sabathia’s prized and high-priced pitching shoulder evaded him once again, and the Yankees quickly trailed 3-0.
Sabathia was missing spot after spot, and it appeared as though a postponement would be a blessing in disguise. As the game wore on, however, the stadium began to produce more and more occurrences of déjà vu.
Derek Jeter willed the Yankees into the lead not once but twice. The captain made sure that his late-game heroics would not rest in peace along with the original Yankee Stadium.
Shortly thereafter, a very familiar sound began to crescendo over the stadium’s myriad of speakers:
“Say your prayers little one
It was of course the uplifting lyrics of Enter Sandman by Metallica, a song Yankees fans have sung along to many times before. It helps to resurrect “The House that Ruth Built,” and forces you to think back to lists of everlasting memories.
There was now just one missing element to a prototypical “Yankees Classic.” The game had to end as a result of an unexpected moment involving a surprising underdog as hero. After nearly five hours of rain-soaked baseball, the Bronx got its wish.
Up to the plate stepped a little used outfielder who was left for dead within the Yankees organization. He lost his starting job, and only remained on the Major League roster as a result of Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon’s recent injury histories.
Wearing a new number in 2008 to attempt a new beginning in New York, Melky Cabrera was forced to face former teammate Dan Giese. He was in danger of becoming a member of the very undesirable “golden sombrero” club.
A “golden sombrero” represents a player striking out four times in just one game, and Cabrera was poised to do so in consecutive at-bats. One magical swing later, however, he was instead met with a mob of teammates jumping around like home plate had suddenly become a trampoline.
Cabrera had hit the first walk-off home run at the new stadium, and began to recapture the mystique that flowed through the walls of the old ballpark.
Heroics from the Yankee captain? Check. Dominance from Mariano Rivera after a karaoke-like sing along? Check. Storybook ending? Check. Unsung hero? Check.
Yankee Stadium felt familiar for the first time, and more importantly, it felt like home.
The Calm before the Storm: Yankees Opening Day Arrives Tomorrow
The New York Yankees broke camp on Saturday following two exhibition games in the new stadium with the Chicago Cubs.
They finished spring training with a league-best 24-10 record, and displayed the ability to excel in all areas of the game.
The Yankees generated plenty of thunder in launching seven home runs into their newly built stands.
Now experiencing the calm before the storm, players must play the waiting game for Monday’s Opening Day matchup with the Baltimore Orioles.
The pitching matchup features C.C. Sabathia and Oriole ace Jeremy Guthrie.
Making more money per start than Guthrie will make for all of 2009, the pressure is on Sabathia to perform well out of the starting gates.
The Yankees should start off strong in 2009, as the Orioles have not put up a fight since a benches-clearing brawl in 1998.
After closer Armando Benitez drilled Yankees 1B Tino Martinez in the small of the back, the Orioles took their best swings of the next decade.
Unfortunately for them, they were made by their fists instead of their wooden bats.
The wait is finally over, and baseball has returned to all of our lives. Spring training and the World Baseball Classic are now forced into the rearview mirror as we look forward to meaningful competition.
It should certainly be an exciting year, as New York is buzzing with excitement in 2009 like no other year in the last decade.
Whispers of a Subway Series have already begun to carry in the wind from town to town.
However, the only words that mean anything to baseball fans right now will be emphatically yelled by a home plate umpire in only a matter of hours.
Four-Leaf Closer: Mariano Rivera Starts Strong on St. Patrick’s Day
St Patrick’s Day is a celebration filled with green top hats, clovers, leprechauns, pots of gold, and plenty of Guinness for those over 21.
The Yankees received none of this, but were able to follow up four dominant innings by CC Sabathia with the debut of their best “re-leaf” pitcher.
Rivera’s entrance was exactly what we would all expect from a man whose only weaknesses are kryptonite and Edgar Martinez.
Coming off of “minor shoulder surgery”, which should be a term outlawed when referencing pitchers, Rivera was nothing short of spectacular.
He cruised through a 1-2-3 inning while collecting two strikeouts, looking prepared to close the first save opportunity at the new Yankee Stadium.
More importantly, Rivera was clocked anywhere from 90-92 MPH on most pitches. He is still building arm strength, and a velocity in the vicinity of last year’s during his first outing is fantastic.
Rivera’s mechanics were smooth as always, proving that he did not need to overexert himself to reach the 90s.
Although Sabathia may not allow Rivera to finish some of his games this season, it was exciting to see the two pitch back-to-back.
They are both strike throwing machines, without being wild within the strike zone. They can spot their fastball virtually anywhere they want, and will rarely go deep into counts.
It is Sabathia’s ability to control his pitch count that may lead to a few extra days off for the Yankees immortal closer.
Rivera is the lifeblood of the Yankee pitching staff, and has been for a decade. Any re-injury of his pitching shoulder could result in a lost season for New York.
However, the Yankees contingency plan in the event of losing Rivera is seemingly set in stone.
Citing three Yankee officials, the New York Post reported that Joba Chamberlain would again vacate his rotation spot to play savior.
Although it is the logical response following two untouchable years in the bullpen, it is interesting to attempt to dig into the Yankee mindset.
Does this mean that Joba will permanently become the Yankees closer once Rivera retires in a few seasons? Would an eventual trade or free agent signing be their preferred path?
There is one more inquiry that is even more intriguing.
Would the Yankees thrust Joba back into the rotation if AJ Burnett, Sabathia, Chien-Ming Wang, or Andy Pettitte also missed any significant time?
Joba needs to know where he stands.
He needs to be confident once and for all whether he is destined to be the next Curt Schilling or Mariano Rivera. He needs to know if he is a starter or a closer.
Joba is a starter heading into 2009, and Rivera knows it is up to him to keep it that way.
“Mo” has never let us down before, and he does not see a reason to start now.
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