Three days before his first spring training start for the Yankees, CC Sabathia already was having a big man’s impact on those buttoned-down pinstripes.
Having just joined the Yankees as a free agent during the offseason, the left-hander made the trek from the team’s camp in Tampa, Fla., over to Orlando, taking Joba Chamberlain and Chien-Ming Wang along to watch the Magic beat the Phoenix Suns and Shaquille O’Neal.
His contribution to the Yankees can’t be overstated, bigger than his size 15 spikes and size 42 baseball pants.
“I think what he’s done off the field has been really beneficial for our team,” Girardi said. “I think he’s been one of those guys that has helped the clubhouse, I do, because of his fun-loving nature.”
Sabathia obviously has made a huge difference on the field, too, in his initial season in New York. He can reach 20 wins for the first time in his career when he makes his final regular-season start Friday night at Tampa Bay.
“Right now, to be honest with you, that’s kind of the last thing on my mind. I just want to get ready to pitch on Wednesday,” he said, looking ahead to the playoff opener next week against Detroit or Minnesota. “I mean, it would be great to win 20. I guess looking back one day, I’ll be like, ‘Oh, it was great. I won 20 games one year.’ But it’s not like a crazy goal or anything.”
He is baseball’s Clarence Clemons, cool and collected in large, loose clothes. And he’s given the Yankees something they haven’t had since Roger Clemens — a dominant, overpowering ace.
“It seems like he gets stronger and stronger every time out,” Derek Jeter said.
Many free agents, especially pitchers, have flopped following their big-money deals, especially after first joining new teams.
Sabathia couldn’t exactly glide in under the radar after getting a $161 million, seven-year contract, but he didn’t have to endure the brunt of the attention because of a $423.5 million offseason spending spree by the Yankees that also bought them pitcher A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira. In addition, hyperkenetic right fielder Nick Swisher was acquired in a trade, adding not only another bat but loud music to the clubhouse.
“Not just being the only guy coming in this year definitely helped,” Sabathia said. “Having those guys to lean on and, you know, those guys going through the same kind of pressured-type situations early in the year.”
The Yankees have had a slightly different demeanor this year, starting with Girardi’s decision to skip a Feb. 23 workout in favor of a team pool tournament at Tampa’s Peabody’s Billiards. Sabathia took Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera to a May 28 playoff game between the Magic and Cavaliers in Cleveland.
“I just like to hang out with the guys,” Sabathia said. “We’re together so much here at the stadium, it’s fun to hang out with these guys off the field, go to basketball games, go to movies, go to dinner. … It’s just kind of my personality now and who I am as a baseball player.”
Players gravitate to the 29-year-old left-hander. He is 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA, matching his high for wins set when he had the same record for Cleveland two years ago.
Sabathia (227 1-3 innings) is set to become the first Yankees pitcher to throw 230 innings since Andy Pettitte in 1997. Though 20 wins hasn’t been a concern, he long had hoped to grow into the type of ace a team depends on.
“I wanted to be that guy so much, and it took a toll on me,” Sabathia said. “It was really tough, you know, 23 years old, trying to be, you know, trying to be that guy. But you know, now being older and understanding what you need to do to be successful, it’s not that big a deal.”
Last year, on the final day of the season, the Yankees’ Mike Mussina became the oldest pitcher to win 20 games for the first time. Then he retired.
Sabathia has far bigger dreams. He’d like to reverse the 2-3 postseason record he compiled with the Indians and Milwaukee Brewers. He wants to earn a World Series ring.
But Girardi thinks that 20 wins, at some level, is a goal, too.
“I think it’s important to him,” the manager said. “I think that’s a benchmark for a player, a great pitcher.”