BOSTON — CC Sabathia is sick of analyzing all of his starts.
“Of course, 100 percent,’’ the veteran Yankees left-hander said. “But that’s what happens when you pitch bad. So I have to sit here and figure out what’s going on.”
Sabathia heads into tonight’s outing against the Red Sox at Fenway Park coming off two solid outings, but prior to those, he went 0-3 with a 10.07 ERA in his previous four starts.
“I’ve felt better the last couple times, even just playing catch,” Sabathia said. “Hopefully I can build on that.”
Sabathia is still searching for the form he had for much of his career. Despite the difficulties he has had this season, he insists he still has time to turn things around — especially if the Yankees get to the playoffs.
“When I think about last year, I think about Game 5,” Sabathia said of his 3-1 complete game victory over the Orioles in the deciding game of the ALDS. “That’s the first thing that comes to my mind, even though I gave up 18 runs the next start, that’s what sticks in my head.”
Sabathia actually surrendered six runs in 3 2/3 innings in his disastrous final start of 2012, an 8-1 loss to the Tigers in the last game of an ALCS sweep.
As much as that defeat stung, he focuses on the previous outing against Baltimore.
“I couldn’t even tell you my record last year, to be honest with you,” Sabathia said. “But I know I won that game.”
If he is able to rally himself and the Yankees this season, Sabathia might also be able to move the ugly parts of this year into the background.
And the only way to do that is to perform better on the mound, which is when he is able forget his old issues.
“I get to go out and pitch,” Sabathia said. “When I go out there and pitch, I don’t think about what people are thinking about me. I get to change what they think.”
For that to happen, Sabathia will have to remain consistent with his arm angle, something that has been difficult for him lately.
“I’ve got to keep my arm and my hand in the right spot,” Sabathia said. “My two-seam [fastball] has been better and that’s definitely because of the arm angle. Hopefully it’s as good [tonight].”
Manager Joe Girardi was confident it would be.
“I feel better about him,” Girardi said. “His slider and changeup have been better and they are huge pitches for him.”
In the meantime, he has tried to alter his routine between starts.
“It’s hard for me at this point to do more work,” Sabathia said. “So I do different things like focus on different pitches at different times. Maybe that will give me my answer.”
If not, he may not be able to redeem himself in October.
