Yankees Hot Corner – CC Sabathia continues to prove doubters wrong

Matt Harvey could learn a little from CC Sabathia.   After Saturday’s outing where CC went six strong, giving up only three hits and earning yet another win, it’s safe to say that he has completely reinvented himself as a pitcher.  Sabathia continues to be one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball, and it’s no coincidence or stroke of luck that he’s pitching so well.

He has been excellent this year, with a 2-0 record so far this season and an exuberant attitude.  He has the third lowest ERA in the American League (1.39) and has gone at least six innings in each of his last three starts.  He is still a workhorse in the middle of the Yankees rotation and a mentor for Luis Severino and the entire pitching staff. Sabathia hasn’t turned back the clock but has become a completely different pitcher and has thrived so far.

The reason why Matt Harvey should have taken notes from Sabathia instead of eventually being DFA’d by the Mets is because they come from similar backgrounds. Both were fireball pitchers with electric stuff, have pitched at a championship level, and needed to overcome their physical gifts dwindling; Harvey from injury and Sabathia from age.

The difference between the two however is stark; Sabathia has become the clubhouse leader of the Yankees and is still pitching at a high level. He went from flamethrower to a Greg Maddux-esque level of precision pitcher. Harvey on the other hand is now out of a job because of his refusal to realize that he is no longer the pitcher of the past. Instead of adapting he came into each game with a poor attitude and is no longer a Met because of that.

Whenever CC ends his career, he will be lauded by Yankee and baseball fans alike as a class act and Hall of Fame pitcher. What will be most impressive in his career is his ability to always change and adapt to new pitching styles. He is the horse of the Yankees and so far he is being ridden as such. If this continues, we may just see Sabathia come home with a second ring in what is already an illustrious career. Not bad for a man who was written off just a few years ago.