I missed this one, so this’ll be a quickie. Despite going eight innings and striking out seven, CC Sabathia gave up a career-high five home runs (all of the solo variety) as the Yankees fell to David Price and the Rays by a score of 5-1. While it’s always strange to see the big man turn in a less-than-desirable outing, it’s not entirely surprising, as CC’d been rocking a seriously low HR/9 all season. Still, I’d imagine watching Casey Kotchman and Kelly Shoppach hit back-to-back homers in the third was pretty aggravating. Interestingly, Shoppach is one of three Rays with very good career numbers (.280/.400/.440) against Sabathia; the other two are fellow solo-home-run-hitters-from-last-night Johnny Damon (.276/.344/.483) and Evan Longoria, who apparently crushes Sabathia (.357/.500/.893).
Anyway, fortunately they go right back at it again this afternoon. A couple of us TYAers are getting together for this one; should be a good time.
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2 Responses to Sabathia loses second straight start for first time all season
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Joel Sherman wrote in an article published in today’s NY Post that it’s no coincidence Sabathia hasn’t been the same since he was brought back into the rain-delayed game against Seattle on 7/26. As much as I don’t care for Sherman, I agree with him on this one. Sabathia gave up three walks when he re-entered that game, ten hits to the White Sox the start after that then got hammered by the Red Sox and the Rays.
Sabathia could avoid pitching against the Red Sox at Fenway because his next start on normal rest is 8/17 at Kansas City. The earliest he could start after KC is 8/23 vs.Oakland because of an off-day 8/22. If he started 8/23, his next start on normal rest would be 8/28 at Baltimore. Even if he started on extra rest vs.Oakland 8/24 he’d still start vs. Baltimore 8/29 a day before the series at Fenway. I’m guessing the Yanks will start him 8/18 on an extra day of rest then 8/25 on two days of extra rest from continuing to employ the six-man rotation and that will put him in line to start the first of three at Fenway 8/30, if they want him to face Boston again, that is.
If they started him on 8/18 and 8/25, here’s a possible rest of the season schedule for him:
8/18 vs.Minnesota on an extra day of rest
8/25 @ Oakland on an extra two days of rest (8/22 off-day)
8/30 @ Boston
9/4 vs. Toronto
9/9 vs.Los Angeles
9/14 @ Seattle (he avoids playing on Toronto’s artificial turf)
9/19 vs. Minnesota (makeup game)
9/24 vs. Boston
9/27 or 28 @ Tampa Bay (tuneup for the postseason)
10/1 Game 1 of the 2011 ALDS (date for the game???) vs.Detroit (Verlander), Cleveland (Masterson), Texas (Ugando), or Los Angeles (Weaver) on normal rest
Or the Yanks could start him on an extra day of rest 9/10 vs. L.A. and 9/16 @ Toronto so he could start 9/21 and 9/26 vs. Tampa Bay and be on line to start Game 1 of the ALDS on normal rest 10/1 if the game is on that day. Boston doesn’t get one last firsthand look at him.
BTW to the nerd who called me a fairweather fan because I am against the Yanks giving Sabathia 7 or 8 years and a blank check:
I am not a fairweather fan. You, however, are the resident TYA comments section knowitall who thinks everyone should agree with what he writes and anyone who doesn’t is a “fairweather fan”.
I’ve been a Yankees fan since 1982, probably as long as you’ve been alive or longer.
I have no problem whatsoever with Sabathia save what he will ask for when he opts out. I have even said I’m cool with him for the next four years, my reason being he’d be 35 at the end of that period. I just don’t want him at age 37, 38, and possibly 39. I would offer him a $25M extension for 2016 and note that he’ll earn a record $186M across an 8 year period ($161M for 2009-15 + $25M for 2016.) If he rejects that and wants a new contract of more than 5 years, thanks for 2009 and possibly 2011, CC. Go be bad to #3 mediocre in your final three or four years at $25-27M per year somewhere else.
The only new contract I’d agree to is 5 years at $25M per or basically $2M tacked on to each of his next four years plus $25M for 2016.
Bottom line is I don’t want the starting pitcher version of A-Rod I think Sabathia will be in his final three or four years under contract: an overpaid former star.