BALTIMORE — Nobody has hit CC Sabathia harder this year than the Orioles.
Sabathia has had plenty of problems with Baltimore this season, facing the Orioles three times — in April, May and September — and struggling in each start. He went 0-2 with an ugly 6.38 ERA against the Orioles — the worst ERA he had versus any team this season.
So, of course, Sabathia is set to face the Orioles potentially twice in the ALDS, starting today in Game 1 at Camden Yards. Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.43 ERA) gets the start for Baltimore.
“With me, it’s just command, starting with fastball command,” Sabathia said yesterday in explaining his struggles against the O’s.
Sabathia’s poor ERA against the Orioles wasn’t misleading. He didn’t deliver two great starts with a poor third start that skewed the numbers. Rather, he surrendered four or five earned runs in all three starts. And in his 18 1/3 innings vs. Baltimore, Sabathia put 32 baserunners on, thanks to 24 hits, six walks and two hit-by-pitches.
In his most recent start against the Orioles, Sabathia allowed five runs on eight hits — including three home runs — in a 5-4 loss on Sept. 8.
“We know we had success, but we’re comfortable against anybody,” Orioles center fielder Adam Jones said. “He’s still an ace. He’s still Sabathia. … We’ve got to put pressure on him. We’ve got to make him uncomfortable.”
One encouraging development is that after struggling for several starts following his return from the disabled list with an elbow problem, Sabathia pitched extremely well in his last few turns to close the season. He fired eight innings in each of his past three starts, showing improved velocity, posting a 1.50 ERA and striking out 28 batters in 24 innings.
“I just feel like my command was a lot better,” Sabathia said of his improved performance to finish the regular season.
With his renegotiated contract last offseason, Sabathia is operating on a five-year, $122 million pact. It’s clear how valuable he is and how much the Yankees are counting on him. He’s the franchise’s ace — and has been since 2009.
Nevertheless, in his last five postseason starts dating back to the 2010 ALCS loss to the Rangers and through last year’s ALDS defeat to the Tigers, Sabathia has been far from ace-like. He posted a 6.27 ERA in 18 2/3 innings, putting an unsightly 39 men on-base (27 hits, 12 walks).
“I don’t take [what I did against Detroit last year] into [tonight],” Sabathia insisted. Rather, Sabathia said he’s focusing on his last few regular-season starts.
In the 2009 postseason, his first in pinstripes after signing as a free agent, Sabathia helped lift the Yankees to a World Series title and earned ALCS MVP. He pitched five times combined against the Twins (ALDS), Angels (ALCS) and Phillies (World Series), throwing at least 6 2/3 innings in each start and never surrendering more than three runs.
During that five-start playoff run, Sabathia went 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA, going 4-1 in those games.
Manager Buck Showalter’s crew has had its way with Sabathia three times this season, but Sabathia hopes the fourth time is a charm.