New York Yankees: CC Sabathia will be getting down to business in ’19

On Monday, Steiner Sports memorialized New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia’s now famous exit line from his September 27th ejection when he pointed to the Tampa Bay Rays dugout and said “That’s for you Bitch.”  Sabathia was having a stellar outing that day, yielding just one hit over five frames, but he intentionally hit Rays’ catcher Jesus Sucre in defense of Austin Romine, who had been hit earlier in the game.  

Sabathia cost himself some loose change for his aggression:

Sabathia’s action cost him $500,000 as he was due to reach an innings-pitched incentive during the game, his last of the season.  He had entered the game with 148 innings pitched and he needed to complete 155 innings to reach the bonus. It was discovered, however, on December 17th that the warrior would receive the bonus from the team, despite being six outs shy of the 155 innings specified in his contract for the payment.

Sabathia is back for the Yankees, leading the way on the field and in the clubhouse with his warrior’s attitude.  A fierce, emotional competitor, Sabathia plays the game the way it should be played and fans were thrilled when the Yankees brought Sabathia back for his eleventh season with the team and awarded him the bonus he had so nearly earned and so richly deserved.

A projection for Yankees’ Sabathia in 2019:

What can fans expect from Sabathia in ’19?  Projections, conservative as they usually are, suggest he will pitch fewer innings (117), that his numbers will decline, but not sharply-his ERA which was 3.65 in ’18 is projected by Steamer to be 3.75 in ’19.  

Sabathia, who successfully underwent surgery to clear a blockage in one of the arteries leading to his heart, is likely in his final season.  When he re-signed with the Yankees back in December, Sabathia said he felt there was “unfinished business to attend to.”  

The chase for number 28 begins February 13th, when Sabathia will report along with the other pitchers for spring training – let’s hope he gets down to business and finishes what he and the rest of the team are there to do, win a championship.