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| [ PHOTO: THE WASHINGTON POST ] |
September 28, 2018
Peter Solari, Editor in Chief Follow @4PeteSakeNY
On Thursday afternoon, CC Sabathia may have taken the hill for the final time as a New York Yankee, and once again, he showed why he's been worth every penny and then some.
After Tampa Bay reliever Andrew Kittredge fired an up-and-in fastball behind the head of Yankees catcher Austin Romine in the top of the sixth inning, Sabathia took notice. Though both teams were warned by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza, The Yankee southpaw took the hill and, with his first pitch of the frame, plunked Rays catcher Jesus Sucre in the left thigh, and was subsequently ejected. As Sabathia was walking off the mound, he pointed to the Tampa dugout and could be seen mouthing the words, "That was for you, bitch." Watch:
After Tampa Bay reliever Andrew Kittredge fired an up-and-in fastball behind the head of Yankees catcher Austin Romine in the top of the sixth inning, Sabathia took notice. Though both teams were warned by home plate umpire Vic Carapazza, The Yankee southpaw took the hill and, with his first pitch of the frame, plunked Rays catcher Jesus Sucre in the left thigh, and was subsequently ejected. As Sabathia was walking off the mound, he pointed to the Tampa dugout and could be seen mouthing the words, "That was for you, bitch." Watch:
Tensions getting high as CC Sabathia is ejected after hitting a batter.— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 27, 2018
(via @FOXSportsFL) pic.twitter.com/WJMw04Sri0
What makes this situation so amazing is that Sabathia threw away a half million dollars to protect his battery mate. As part of his contract, Sabathia was slated to earn a $500,000 bonus if he pitched 155 innings on the season. Entering Thursday's game, he had pitched 148 innings, and was cruising through five. With his team ahead 11-0, Sabathia had given up just one hit and fanned five rays. He was well on his way to the payday, needing to pitch just two more innings, but the portly starter put his team ahead of himself, instead.
"I don't really make decisions based on money, I guess," Sabathia said after the game. "Just felt like it was the right thing to do."
Should Thursday really turn out to be Sabathia's last hurrah in pinstripes, what a fitting end it would be, as the left hander's sacrifice was the embodiment of what he has meant to the Yankees organization over the past decade.
In 10 seasons in the Bronx, Sabathia is 129-80 with a 3.75 ERA. He's been to three All Star Games and was the ace of the Yankees' last championship team in 2009, a year in which he was also named MVP of the American League Championship Series. With Thursday's victory, Sabathia now has 246 career wins, passing Dennis Martinez for 50th on the all-time list. He should easily be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer, and while he's had to re-invent himself as a pitcher over the years, one thing that's never changed is Sabathia's role as a team leader and his larger than life presence in any clubhouse he has been a part of. It was on full display at Tropicana Field.
The Yankees should give Sabathia his bonus regardless of falling two innings short of the 155 threshold; not only for his selfless act in Tampa, but for everything he has meant to the club over the years. He is arguably Brian Cashman's best acquisition in 20 years as the team's general manager, and deserves to be recognized for his accomplishments.
Sabathia will become a free agent at season's end, but has said he wants to pitch next year. Whether or not that happens in New York remains to be seen, but if Thursday afternoon in Tampa was Sabathia's final act as Yankee, he couldn't have done it in a more appropriate way.
