TAMPA — In an early morning workout yesterday, CC Sabathia didn’t need the dew on the brilliant green grass to refresh him.
As he pumped a river of batting-practice fastballs under a warm blue sky, the Yankees ace noticed the results of a rigorous offseason conditioning program.
“I don’t get tired,” Sabathia said following a 25-pitch session at George M. Steinbrenner Field that was caught by Russell Martin. “Every spring training in years past I [tired]. My stamina is a lot better.”
Before the wise guys crack that Sabathia had better be able to make 45 starts to make up for the question marks in the back end of the Yankees’ rotation, that stamina isn’t necessarily going to carry the left-hander deeper into games. Before he dropped 25 pounds and dipped to 297, Sabathia routinely worked deeper than most in games.
Where the increased stamina could come into play is by making his stuff sharper.
“Improved stamina a lot of times can help the consistency of the stuff,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Considering Sabathia went 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA last year, opposing hitters won’t be looking forward to his fastball having more juice on it and his breaking stuff being sharper.
Knowing he was 30 and coming off arthroscopic right knee surgery, Sabathia decided to reshape his 6-foot-7 body. Twice a day, Sabathia went through cardio workouts.
The program that resulted in the weight loss will be altered during the season, but Sabathia said he hopes to maintain his present conditioning level and weight. Instead of working on a bike that raised his heart rate as high as 175 to 180 and then shifting to a running program — either on a treadmill or outside — Sabathia will work a schedule established around the days he pitches.
Sabathia says his knee also feels good.
“It was the knee and I was getting older. I wasn’t feeling the way I did when I was 25,” Sabathia said. “That was the reason I tried to lose [weight]. I am good now and we will see how the season goes.”
Not only will Sabathia have to adjust to a different body type, he also will be working with a new pitching coach and catcher. Larry Rothschild replaced Dave Eiland and Russell Martin took over for Jorge Posada.
Breaking in two new voices for the pitchers to listen to could take time to get used to, but Girardi pointed to the experience of the new men.
“Larry is so experienced, that learning curve will be very quick for him,” Girardi explained. “And Russell is not a rookie catcher. I think he will pick it up fairly quickly. The good thing in that sense is that players move around so much every year you are almost breaking in two or three guys every year. This year, he is going to have to break in a few more but I don’t think it will take Russell that long.”
Historically, Sabathia said his weight fluctuated during the season.
“It depends on what cities we were in,” Sabathia said.
Asked to name the dangerous towns, Sabathia said, “Kansas City and Chicago.”
Sabathia was asked to weigh in on the Knicks’ blockbuster trade that brought Carmelo Anthony to Madison Square Garden. He said he feels it’s going to take a while for Anthony and the Knicks to get comfortable together. However, he is high on point guard Chauncey Billups.
“He is the best part of the trade; he is key,” Sabathia said.