If history is any in dication, we should just be getting to CC Sabathia’s favor ite part of the sea son.
A year ago, after a poor start, the lefty rebounded and almost single-handedly pitched the Brewers into the playoffs, going 11-2 with Milwaukee, seemingly pitching every day.
The Yankees aren’t looking for those kinds of dramatics this sea son, and Sabathia can help avoid them today when he starts against the Red Sox.
Before the Yankees’ 2-0, 15-inning win last night, Sabathia was asked if he was looking for a signature win with the Bombers.
“These games are big,” he said. “We have to win these to win the division.”
And he knows this rivalry is different. “It’s definitely loud,” Sabathia said of the fans during this rivalry. “Later in the season, people get intense. I’ve never played in anything like this.”
So far in his first year in pinstripes, Sabathia has pitched just once against Boston, dropping a 4-3 decision at Fenway Park on June 11.
It wasn’t a bad outing, just not good enough, and Sabathia said that pretty much describes his season.
After extolling the virtues of the other members of the rotation — praising A.J. Burnett’s power, Andy Pettitte’s longevity and Joba Chamberlain’s raw talent — Sabathia added he “would take our rotation over anybody’s.” Sabathia described himself as “OK. Just OK.”
The Yankees obviously need more than that as the season gets to crunch time, and Sabathia sounded confident that, as he goes for his 12th victory, he’s just now rounding into form.
“It usually takes me a while to get going,” Sabathia said. “I tend to throw harder later in the season.”
And despite his lack of dominance in his last start, an 8-5 win over the White Sox in which he gave up five runs in seven innings, Sabathia said he’s pleased with the way he threw.
“I felt like I had a lot better command,” said Sabathia, who hasn’t walked a batter in two of his last three starts. That could be a key today, when he faces a strong Boston lineup as he looks to improve upon a 2-5 lifetime record against the Red Sox.
Asked if he thought the best is yet to come, Sabathia said: “I would hope so.”
