TAMPA — If the velocity on CC Sabathia’s fastball returns, it will meet a new relative in the big lefty’s arsenal.
Taking a page from Andy Pettitte, Sabathia has added a cut fastball to his program.
“I always have conversations about pitching [with Pettitte],” Sabathia said of the retired left-hander who was in Yankees camp this week and threw batting practice. “He showed me the grip for the cutter. I used it [Thursday in a simulated game] and I am going to take it into the game.’’
Sabathia is adding the cutter, a pitch that was very good for Pettitte and defined Mariano Rivera’s career. He is adding it to the fastball, changeup and slider.
“It’s something we talked about last year,” said Sabathia, who discussed the idea with pitching coach Larry Rothschild. “Andy showed me the grip and it felt good.”
Sabathia will be 34 in July but said he believes it’s important to add to his package of pitches.
“It’s always good to evolve and get better,” said Sabathia, who was 14-13 with a disappointing 4.78 ERA last season, when he was coming off elbow surgery to remove a small bone spur. He blamed himself for the Yankees not making the postseason.
“I am still trying to master the pitches that I throw,” he said. “The changeup is coming along a lot better this spring. The two-seamer is still a work in progress.’’
Sabathia, who has worked one exhibition game and Thursday’s four-inning simulated gig at George M. Steinbrenner Field, is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Nationals in Viera. However, with Monday dark on the schedule, manager Joe Girardi could move Sabathia to Wednesday’s home game versus the Tigers and save his ace from making the two-hour plus trip across the belly of Florida.
As for the simulated game held inside because of heavy rains, Sabathia turned up the intensity.
“I got after it a bit and felt like I threw the ball good,” Sabathia said.
Simulated games are popular for managers and pitching coaches because the environment can be controlled as pitchers build arm speed. Yet, pitching in games is important, too.
“At this point, this is good,” Sabathia said of the simulated-game action. “After so many spring trainings, so many innings and games … I still have a few more games to get ready.”
Much has been made of Sabathia’s declining velocity, to the point the pitcher has accepted whatever readings the speed guns spit out are fine and he can pitch with whatever fastball he has on a given night.
Yet, the cutter isn’t being introduced as an alternative to the four-seam fastball. Nor, according to Rothschild, is it unusual for an older pitcher to gravitate toward the pitch.
“A lot of veteran guys pick it up. Andy didn’t throw until the second half of last year after not throwing it for two years,” Rothschild said. “I don’t think it’s something he needs, but it gives him another option.”
Should Sabathia master the cutter, hitters will have to make an instant recognition between the slider and cutter.
“The cutter is lighter and quicker and it breaks on the same plane,” the pitching coach said of the pitch Rivera used to become baseball’s all-time saves leader and one for which Pettitte has given Sabathia the blueprint.