C.C. Sabathia News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 18

New York Post

"CC Sabathia required two words to describe being a World Series winner rather than copping a second Cy Young award. "Much happier," the Yankees' ace lefty wrote in a text message yesterday after Kansas City's Zach Greinke was named this year's AL Cy Young winner. CC Sabathia required two words to describe being a World Series winner rather than copping a second Cy Young award. "Much happier," the Yankees' ace lefty wrote in a text message yesterday after Kansas City's Zach Greinke was named this year's AL Cy Young winner. Greinke went 16-8 and led the majors in ERA for the woeful Royals and gathered 25 first-place votes among the 28 ballots. Seattle's Felix Hernandez (19-5; 2.49 ERA) was ..."

Sabathia solid after short rest

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November 2

New York Post

"CC Sabathia came so close to another great performance. He just didn't count on Chase Utley forcing him off the mound in the seventh inning last night, with the white rally towels at Citizens Bank Park alive and well. All told it was a respectable outing for the Yankees' ace. Factor into the equation that he was working on short rest, and three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings doesn't sound so bad. But there would be no victory for Sabathia. Pedro Feliz took care of that with a game-tying homer off Joba Chamberlain in the eighth, giving Sabathia a no-decision in the Yankees' 7-4 victory over the Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series. "I thought he gave us a gutsy performance," manager Joe ..."

Pitching at a premium in World Series

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November 2

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Bruce Jenkins

"Girardi could always change his mind, with the benefit of a 3-1 series lead, but as of Sunday he had scheduled A.J. Burnett to work tonight's Game 5 on three days' rest. Even if Burnett is outdueled by Cliff Lee, the Yanks would still be in good shape to become the first team to use just three starters in a postseason since the 1991 Twins. In one sense, this is ridiculous. Teams routinely used pitchers on three days' rest in the past - even two days, in the desperate climate of the World Series. But we no longer live in that age. The Giants might think they have depth in their rotation, but an injury or ineffectiveness could dismantle the one thing that has given them an identity: starting ..."

CC gung-ho for Game 4

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November 1

New York Post

"CC Sabathia already has dispelled the notion he can't succeed on three days' rest in the postseason, so who better than the Yankees' $161 million thoroughbred to take the ball for Game 4 of the World Series against the Phillies? Manager Joe Girardi made the decision official yesterday before the Yankees' 8-5 victory in Game 3, naming Sabathia his starter for tonight, but stopped short of saying he'll employ a three-man rotation for the remainder of the series. Chad Gaudin remains a possibility to pitch Game 5 tomorrow. "The important thing on short rest is you have to know how your pitcher physically is feeling," Girardi said before last night's Game 3. "CC went through all his work ..."

Sabathia will start Game 4

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November 1

New York Post

"CC Sabathia has already dispelled the notion he can't succeed on three days' rest in the postseason, so who better than the Yankees' $161 million thoroughbred to take the ball for Game 4 of the World Series against the Phillies? Joe Girardi made the decision official today, naming Sabathia his starter for Sunday, but stopped short of saying he'll employ a three-man rotation for the remainder of the series. Chad Gaudin remains a possibility to pitch Game 5. "The important thing on short rest is you have to know how your pitcher is physically feeling," Girardi said, adding that Sabathia feels strong. "[Short rest] is not necessarily something you want to do in the context of a long season, ..."

Bombers nab edge by prepping CC, A.J. on short rest

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October 31

New York Post

"Advantage, Yankees. Can a team that hit .222 in the first two games of the World Series, is batting a putrid .200 with runners in scoring position in those games and has bullpen issues be the favorite in a best-of-seven Series that is tied 1-1 going into tonight's Game 3 at Citizens Bank Park? When the next three pitching matchups likely will be the Yankees' Andy Pettitte, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett against the Phillies' Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton and Cliff Lee, respectively, the answer is "Yes." The moment Phillies manager Charlie Manuel opted not to pitch Lee, who dominated the Yankees in Game 1, on three days' rest in Game 4, the pendulum swung toward the Yankees. The Phillies needed ..."

Phils ace their Sabathia test

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October 29

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"JOE Girardi has so many mov ing parts with his rotation in this World Series. He has to decide whether Chad Gaudin, a $100,000 August pickup, was worthy of starting a Fall Classic game for the $200 million Yankees. He had to contemplate what pitching on three days' rest might mean to A.J. Burnett's head and Andy Pettitte's arm. But the backbone to support Girardi in all of his decision-making was that CC Sabathia would outpitch Cliff Lee, possibly as many as three times. The Yankees had maneuvered through the first two rounds of the playoffs because Sabathia had set the tone by winning openers, and then pitching marvelously in ALCS Game 4 on three days' rest after the Yanks' first loss of ..."

Yankees ace has no answers for Chase

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October 29

New York Post

"The word was Chase Utley's foot hurt. The word was his hip hurt. Last night, Utley made the Yankees hurt. Utley delivered two big Game 1 blasts to send the Phillies to a 1-0 lead in the World Series. Utley hit two home runs, both off CC Sabathia and both to right field in the Phillies' 6-1 victory. The blasts continued Utley's domination over New York. Across town, he hit four home runs in eight games at Citi Field this season. Utley became the second left-handed batter in World Series history to hit two homers off a left-handed pitcher in one game. The other? Babe Ruth in Game 4 of the 1928 World Series when he hit two off Bill Sherdel. "I guess that's pretty good company," Utley said. ..."

CC not satisfied with loss

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October 29

New York Post

"Even though CC Sabathia surrendered only two runs and logged seven innings, he wasn't happy with his performance. And not just because he was the losing pitcher. Sabathia said his impressive line was deceiving in the Yankees' 6-1 World Series Game 1 loss last night. "I didn't pitch well," he insisted. "Three walks. I was behind everybody," he said. "I wish I could stand here and say it was just two pitches. But I was behind pretty much the whole game. I was able to battle back and make some pitches when I need to. But that's not at all how I've been pitching in the postseason." That last part is semi-true. In each of his three postseason starts, Sabathia had been brilliant, limiting the ..."

Sabathia struggles in first World Series start in Game 1 against Philadelphia Phillies

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October 29

New York Daily News

"CC Sabathia would love to be able to say his loss Wednesday night was the result of the two poor pitches that Chase Utley swatted for home runs. But his problems, he says, ran deeper than that in his first World Series start. "I didn't pitch well," said Sabathia, who allowed two runs, four hits and three walks in seven innings. "Three walks. I was behind everybody ... I was behind pretty much the whole game. I was able to battle back and make some pitches when I needed to, but that's not at all how I've been pitching in the postseason." Sabathia, the ALCS MVP who saw his postseason ERA jump from 1.19 to 1.52, fell to 3-1 in the postseason. Now the big question about the big lefty is ..."

For Indians, tough to watch Phillies starter Cliff Lee beats CC Sabathia, New York Yankees

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October 29

New York Daily News

columnist Bill Madden

"In case you hadn't heard, Shapiro's Indians, like a lot of middle-to-small-market clubs in baseball, are experiencing some tough financial times that revenue sharing apparently hasn't been able to cure. As a result, Shapiro was forced to trade off Sabathia last year before he reached free agency, receiving the Milwaukee Brewers' top two outfield prospects, Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley. This year, he had to move Lee and catcher Victor Martinez. For Lee, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, Shapiro received four of the Phillies' top prospects: pitchers Jason Knapp and Carlos Carrasco, infielder Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson. It remains to be seen, however, if any of them will ..."

CC Sabathia & Cliff Lee will set World Series tone for Yankees and Phillies

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October 28

New York Daily News

"They have both won a Cy Young Award and they once pitched in the same rotation. They keep in touch via text message and admire each other's talents. One is thrivingÂ in the playoffs after struggling the past two Octobers, while the other is thriving in his first postseason action. And Wednesday night, the two lefties will be facing each other in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series. Philadelphia's Cliff Lee and the Yankees' CC Sabathia are the two dominant pitchers of this postseason, aces who could face each other three times if their managers decide to push both pitchers on short rest. Lee's performance could determine whether the Phillies repeat as champs and Sabathia might be the key to ..."

Sabathia looking forward to pitching for New York Yankees in World Series

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October 28

New York Daily News

"When the Yankees commence the chase for their elusive 27th world championship tonight against the defending champion Phillies, the pressure on CC Sabathia will be formidable. To which Sabathia says, "Bring it on." "That's what you come here for, to pitch and play in these big games," Sabathia said. "I think the No. 1 starter is a guy that goes out there and gives his team a chance to win every time out. He has the respect in the clubhouse that guys feel pretty good when you go out there. That's all I try to do." Sabathia accomplished that and more in the first two rounds of the playoffs, going 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA against the Twins and Angels. But it gets tougher as he will be facing a ..."

World Series starters Sabathia, Lee highlight Cleveland Indians' deconstruction

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October 28

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"They will be watching from Puerto Rico and Cleveland. From Texas to Virginia and a lot of places between. CC Sabathia vs. Cliff Lee in Game 1 of the World Series Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. "I'm mad because we'd like to have them pitching for us in the World Series," said catcher Kelly Shoppach, from Fort Worth, Texas. Even if you don't believe in the Curse of Rocky Colavito, the Curse of Jose Mesa and that evil forces guided Edgar Renteria's high-chop single over Charlie Nagy's outstretched glove in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, it's going to be hard to be an Indians fan in Game 1. "They'll probably be licking their wounds in Cleveland," said Darek ..."

Indians supplied aces Cliff Lee, CC Sabathia to World Series foes

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October 28

St. Petersburg Times

"Before CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee throw their first pitches in tonight's World Series opener, the Cleveland Indians are already the big losers. That's because the Indians traded away both pitchers, and now - having lost 97 games and fired manager Eric Wedge - have to watch their pair of former aces in the spotlight. "They can't be feeling too good about it," Lee said. "I mean, it's two guys they could have had on their team that are now on different teams facing each other in the World Series. That's the way this game works sometimes, though." Sabathia was traded to Milwaukee last season then signed with the Yankees. Lee was dealt to the Phillies this July. They became close friends in ..."

Lee and Sabathia goes from friends to foes

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October 28

Camden Courier-Post

"The friendship began seven years ago -- Sept. 15, 2002, to be exact -- when Cliff Lee made his major-league debut at the Metrodome in Minnesota and wowed CC Sabathia, his new Cleveland Indians teammate. "He went out and dealt," Sabathia said Tuesday. "He was the Cliff that he is now." Over the years, they've grown closer, kidding each other about their vastly different backgrounds, encouraging one another to become better. Even after Sabathia got traded last season, they stayed in touch via almost daily text messages. And after facing off in the first game at new Yankee Stadium in April, they dined at Sabathia's house. Tonight, the friendship will add another chapter. Sabathia and Lee -- ..."

Lee vs. Sabathia: A pitching matchup only Cleveland could hate

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October 28

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Rich Hofmann

"The question goes to the very origin of the baseball species. CC Sabathia will pitch Game 1 of the World Series for the Yankees, Cliff Lee will pitch for the Phillies, and the city of Cleveland will lament what was. The lesson for everyone is simple, really primal.It is good to be the carnivore.Baseball is a zero-sum game. The Indians' loss was the Yankees' and the Phillies' gain. Lee vs. Sabathia. It is emblematic of what still can be the innate unfairness of this sport - less unfair than it used to be, but still so unequal when it comes to revenues. It is emblematic, too, of the journey the Phillies have taken as a franchise over the last few years. Because it wasn't that long ago when ..."

Manuel was an early advocate for Sabathia

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October 28

Philadelphia Inquirer

"A natural focus is on tonight's World Series Game 1 pitching matchup between CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, former teammates in Cleveland and former Cy Young winners in the year before they were traded by the Indians.Yesterday, Sabathia talked about another reunion. His first Indians manager was Charlie Manuel."Charlie was great," Sabathia said. "I owe him everything, because at the time when I came up, I was 20 years old, and the front office at the Indians didn't want to bring a 20-year-old up to the big leagues."Manuel made it clear: Sabathia was heading for the big leagues. He just got him there a little quicker."First couple of times I saw him pitch, I knew he could help us," Manuel said. ..."

CC shooting for 3

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October 27

New York Post

"If it's going to be CC on three in the World Series, manager Joe Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland face some tough decisions. When the Yankees convene at the Stadium today for their workout leading into tomorrow night's Game 1 of the World Series against the Phillies, expect Girardi to name CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte as his starters for the first three games. Beyond that, there are multiple variables at work. "I'll leave Joe and Dave to discuss that publicly," GM Brian Cashman said yesterday when asked about the rotation. Sabathia going on three days' rest to pitch Games 4 and 7 makes the most sense, given the manner in which the left-hander responded to short rest ..."

CC Sabathia's new letters as first-year Yankee: MVP of the 2009 ALCS

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October 26

New York Daily News

"How's this for delivering in the first year of a $161 million contract? Despite Alex Rodriguez's scintillating breakout performance in this postseason, CC Sabathia was named MVP of the ALCS after nervously watching Sunday night's 5-2 Game 6 victory over the Angels. Sabathia undoubtedly will be the Game 1 starter when the Yankees gun for their 27th world title beginning Wednesday night against the Phillies. "I thought it all along," Sabathia said when asked during the champagne celebration when he thought this was a World Series team. "Even when Al (Alex Rodriguez) went down (with a hip injury in spring training), we held it together for a while until he got back. ... And it's really not ..."

Sabathia is Yankees' gain, Angels' loss

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October 26

Los Angeles Times

"Do not trust the headline and the box score. The Angels did not lose the American League Championship Series on Sunday in New York. They lost the series on a Tuesday in Vallejo, a small town 30 miles inland from San Francisco. The date, to be exact, was Dec. 9, 2008. CC Sabathia had invited Brian Cashman to his home. Cashman, the general manager of the New York Yankees, did not leave until Sabathia had agreed to sign with his team and turn down the Angels. That decision haunted the Angels this October, and it could haunt them for Octobers to come. This pennant was lost, and more pennants could be lost, for want of $21 million. Sabathia was the most valuable player of this series. The ..."

CC Sabathia's calm demeanor has translated to three postseason wins CC Sabathia's calm demeanor has translated to three postseason wins

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October 25

New York Daily News

"Before a game early in the regular season, CC Sabathia spotted Jason Zillo, the Yankees' media relations director, walking down a hall and approached him with a smile, saying, "Hey, J. What's up?" Zillo, conditioned early in his career to tread lightly around starters on the day they pitch, mumbled a quick hello and kept walking. The next day, Sabathia sought out Zillo and said, "Hey, man, I was trying to make conversation with you!" While some pitchers are fire-breathing dragons on the day they pitch, refusing to talk to anyone and glaring at folks who come near, Sabathia is his mellow, easy-going self. He "sleeps all day" before a start, he says, and relaxes pre-game by playing video ..."

A friendly foe for Lee?

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October 22

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Phillies lefthander Cliff Lee and New York Yankees southpaw CC Sabathia are former longtime teammates and still good friends from their days together with the Cleveland Indians. If the Phillies and Yankees meet in the World Series, it's possible those two could pitch in the opening game. The Yankees hold a three-games-to-one lead over the Los Angeles Angels in their best-of-seven American League Championship Series heading into Thursday's game at Angel Stadium. The two players have remained in touch throughout this season. "We have texted back and forth, but we haven't talked," Sabathia said before Wednesday's workout at Angel Stadium."

Sabathia and Lee Facing Possible Stadium Rematch

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October 22

New York Times

"When the new Yankee Stadium opened on April 16, the starting pitchers were C. C. Sabathia for the Yankees and Cliff Lee for the Cleveland Indians. There is a good chance the same pitchers could meet at the same stadium for Game 1 of the World Series. Lee, who now pitches for the Philadelphia Phillies, has been as dominant in the National League playoffs as Sabathia has been in the American League. Lee is 2-0 with an earned run average of 0.74 in three starts; Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19 E.R.A. Sabathia and Lee were teammates for parts of seven seasons with the Indians, and each won the A.L. Cy Young Award in his final full season with the team. Sabathia won it in 2007 and was traded the ..."

CC Sabathia wins Game 4, proves he's worth more than A-Rod to New York Yankees

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October 21

New York Daily News

columnist Mike Lupica

"This continues to be the October of Alex Rodriguez, who hits the ball so hard and so often that he makes the way he can play baseball the lead paragraph of his own story again, his baseball back to being played ahead of steroids and strip clubs and all the scoring opportunities he wasted in all his other Yankee Octobers. He hit another home run Tuesday night, got three more hits and scored three more runs and the Yankees kept their manager in the dugout and are one win away from their first World Series in six years now. But CC Sabathia gives you more October than anybody on the team. Sabathia went out Tuesday night on three days' rest at Angel Stadium and went to 3-0 for the postseason, ..."

Angels can only tip caps

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October 21

New York Post

"The An gels have three monster problems: Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and the umpires. But they will be put out of their misery shortly. After last night's 10-1 loss to the Yankees, they're looking out over the Laguna Cliffs, down 3-1 in the ALCS. Sabathia, starting on three days rest, stifled Mike Scioscia's offense over eight innings by mixing in more off-speed pitches than the Angels expected. Rodriguez continued to be Mr. A-Rod-tober, hitting his third home run of the series. He also did the little things, getting a great jump off third base to score the first run of the night in the Yankees' three-run fourth. Torii Hunter, the honest Angels center fielder, put it in perspective, ..."

CC proves he's a money pitcher

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October 21

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"The money is great and no one turns down that kind of money, and you take it with all the blessings attached. But the money also is a potential booby-trap. You take it and you take a lot more than the big paycheck every two weeks. You take it, as CC Sabathia did, and that means you also accept all the understandings that come with the largest contract ever given a pitcher. You are taking the $161 million from the Yankees, which is a bit like taking a loan from The Mob. There are strings attached. This is an organization with a championship-only DNA and a championship drought that they might kill for in, say, Cleveland or Milwaukee, but that costs people their jobs in the Bronx. "It is ..."

CC, A-Rod the right call for Yankees

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October 21

New York Post

"This is the remedy for just about anything they can throw at you in the postseason, whether it's a charge of over-managing or tightened throats with runners in scoring position or an umpiring crew that should've just gone with the Costanza Method every time they needed to make a big call and gone opposite everything. It's two simple letters: CC. And one simply brilliant hitter. And now, the American League pennant has been reduced to the simplest of magic numbers: 1. There was a time not long ago when it seemed the Yankee birthright to qualify for the World Series, but in reality it has been six years since they marched that far, six years of overspending and underachievement and an ..."

Yankees on brink of Series after 10-1 win

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October 21

New York Post

"If Joe Girardi was dumb Monday, he was a genius Tuesday. Heavily criticized for the way he used the bullpen in an ALCS loss to the Angels on Monday, Girardi's decision to start CC Sabathia on three days' rest in Game 4 turned out brilliant. Faced with pitching Chad Gaudin, Joba Chamberlain or Sabathia on short rest, Girardi wisely went with the staff ace and Sabathia responded with eight brilliant innings, hurling the Yankees to an 10-1 victory in front of 45,160 at Angel Stadium. The win gave the Yankees a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series and moved them within a victory of advancing to the World Series for the first time since 2003. Game 5 is Thursday night when A.J. Burnett ..."

On short rest, Sabathia makes short work of Angels

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October 21

L.A. Daily News

columnist Jill Painter

"CC Sabathia shouldn't have looked so intimidating Tuesday. The New York Yankees' ace pitched a gem in winning the first game of the American League Championship Series, but he was throwing on three days' rest in Game 4. No matter. Sabathia didn't lose much off his 95-mph fastball and worked in an effective changeup to keep the Angels off balance. Sabathia allowed just one run on five hits in eight innings to power the Yankees past the Angels 10-1 at Angel Stadium. The Yankees have a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series, thanks to their ace. Sabathia struck out five and walked just two in throwing 101 pitches. The Yankees need just one more win - Game 5 is Thursday in Anaheim - to ..."

The Ace of (broken) hearts

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October 21

Los Angeles Times

"The Yankees have an "Ace," and the Angels don't. Really, that's been the difference in this ALCS so far. The Yankees' CC Sabathia has dispensed two xerox masterpieces, a pair of dominant eight-inning, low-hit, one-run performances, and the guys who were runners-up in the off-season CC Sweepstakes have had no one to match him. So Mike Scioscia's overpowered guys are down 3-1, like their L.A. neighbors, and they will turn to the closest thing have have to an ace, John Lackey, to try to take this thing back to New York. Only Lackey is no Sabathia. He's no Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee, either. Maybe now you can understand why so many of us urged the Angels to make the deal for a truly elite ..."

Yankees' Sabathia: Short rest won't be a problem

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October 20

Washington Times

"CC Sabathia isn't sure what all the fuss is about. The New York Yankees need him to pitch on three days' rest. He has done it before and been successful, so of course he's willing to do it again. "I don't think it's that big a deal going three days' rest," the left-hander said. "Everybody made such a big deal of it last year, but I think it's healthy enough during the year. I think anybody is about to do it." Yankees manager Joe Girardi will ask Sabathia to come back on short rest Tuesday for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. Rather than hand the ball to unheralded Chad Gaudin, Girardi will trust matters to his ace, who dominated the Los Angeles Angels in Game 1 on Friday. ..."

In CC they trust: Sabathia to start Game 4

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October 19

MLB.com

"CC Sabathia was breaking a sweat at Angel Stadium on Sunday, getting re-acclimated to the West Coast after flying across the country. He had an assignment to prepare for: Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. Manager Joe Girardi confirmed that Sabathia has been tabbed to start the fourth game of New York's series with Los Angeles on Tuesday at 7:57 p.m. ET on FOX, making that effort on three days' rest. "We wanted to make sure he felt fine, and he did great," Girardi said. "We're comfortable with him going on short rest. He's had success going on short rest. If you look at last year's numbers, we're comfortable doing it. He feels good, and we're going right to CC." Sabathia ..."

Yankess manager Joe Girardi gives CC Sabathia 'OK' for Game 4 start in ALCS

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October 19

New York Daily News

"The worst-kept secret of the ALCS is out. CC Sabathia played catch in the outfield at Angel Stadium Sunday in lieu of a bullpen session, saving his bullets for tomorrow, when he will start Game 4 against the Angels on three days' rest. "I played catch, I didn't want to throw a bullpen," Sabathia said before Joe Girardi officially tabbed him as the Game 4 starter. "I'll be ready." Girardi had dropped hints for nearly a week that he would use his ace in two of the first four games of the ALCS. Sabathia threw 113 pitches in Game1 Friday night."

Sabathia officially tabbed for Game 4

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October 19

New York Daily News

"The worst-kept secret in baseball was made official today, as Joe Girardi officially named CC Sabathia as the Yankees' Game 4 starter. The move makes perfect sense, especially when you consider that the big fella won't have to pitch on short rest in Game 7 if the series goes that far. Why not give him a third start rather than using Chad Gaudin or Joba Chamberlain? Sabathia - who is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two starts this postseason - worked out and played catch today at Angel Stadium, taking it easy with his next start only 48 hours away."

Sabathia delivers huge Game 1 win over Angels

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October 17

New York Daily News

columnist Mike Lupica

"By the top of the seventh, two outs and two strikes on Mike Napoli, they were on their feet and chanting "CC" at the Stadium. Then CC Sabathia threw one more away and Napoli waved at it for strike three. Sabathia threw his left fist in the air, a shot to follow the one he'd just thrown at Napoli. The place exploded. Big game for the big man Friday night. They threw all the money at him so he could throw one like this at this time of year. In football weather, a guy who could play in the middle of the line laid them all out. "I was happy to have the stadium be rocking and chanting my name," he said, "then give them a strikeout." "We couldn't have asked for anything better," Derek Jeter ..."

CC, Yanks land first punch in ALCS

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October 17

New York Daily News

"The Angels have been a big problem for the Yankees for nearly a decade. Friday night, CC Sabathia looked very much like the solution. The big lefthander delivered his second dominant performance of the postseason, pitching the Yankees to a 4-1 win in Game 1 of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. Sabathia held the Angels to one run on four hits over eight innings, walking one and striking out seven. "To pitch eight innings against this club and only give up one run, that's quite a performance," Joe Girardi said. "He was sensational." Mariano Rivera pitched a hitless ninth for his record 35th postseason save. Sabathia is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two playoff starts this ..."

Followin' CC's lead

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October 17

New York Post

"One of the toughest acts to follow in baseball is actually one of the easiest, swears A.J. Burnett. "I've had the pleasure of following [CC Satathia] often this year," said the Yankees' Game 2 starter. "There ain't nothing like going after him. "He sets the tone, he comes out and he attacks. He has that confidence, too. He works hard in between every fifth day. "That's what you want to see from your fellow starters. You want to see commitment and effort. He's non-stop through the whole season. To be able to throw that many innings and do what he does year in and year out, he's definitely an ace, number one. "He's had a huge impact on me." Actually, Burnett started the game after Sabathia ..."

Sabathia helps Yanks take ALCS lead

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October 17

New York Post

"How do you heal baseball frostbite? If you're the Yankees, you apply as many CCs of red-hot pitching as you can. On a frosty Bronx night that featured a beefy wind dancing in from left field, ace CC Sabathia sizzled, hurling the Yankees to a 4-1 victory over the clumsy Angels in Game 1 of the ALCS that was witnessed by a chilled Yankee Stadium crowd of 49,688. Game 2 is slated for tonight, weather permitting, when the Yankees can take a commanding lead in the best-of-seven series. A.J. Burnett is scheduled to start for the Yankees and will be opposed by left-hander Joe Saunders. Sabathia, pitted against John Lackey, proved for the second time this postseason the Yankees knew what they ..."

Angels' ace no Lackey on mound

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October 16

New York Post

"Neither rain nor cold nor doom portended by a loaded Yankees lineup will stay John Lackey from an appointed, round, minimum $100 million this winter. Even in an economy that has tanked far worse than the Angels ace ever will in 100 million years. "I'm not going to get intimidated by anybody," said Lackey, CC Sabathia's opponent in Game 1 tonight, when asked if it's hard not to be threatened by a team this deep. "That's why I'm throwing [tonight]." A man of few words, who has made short work of postseason lineups with the best pitchers of this generation, left it to Mike Scioscia to explain how. "He's pitched big games wherever they show up, in the pennant race or playoffs," said the ..."

CC, Lackey ready for cold, wet ALCS

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October 16

New York Post

"It will be as cold as Hillary Clinton's freezer face tonight at Yankee Stadium when the Angels and Yankees open the best-of-seven ALCS. Mix in some light rain and temperatures in the 30s by the end of the game and you have anti-baseball weather for Game 1 of a series that will decide who represents the AL in the World Series. And it's expected to be just as bad tomorrow night when Game 2 is scheduled to be played with more wind, rain and dropping temperatures are on tap. This is what you get when MLB doesn't demand recently built stadiums to have at least a retractable roof. "You try to keep your hands warm and stay loose," Mark Teixeira said of the expected conditions. "You can get so ..."

Pitch-perfect delivery

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October 16

Boston Globe

"Chien-Ming Wang had spent eight years in the United States without seeing an NBA game in person before CC Sabathia pulled the Taiwanese righthander aside two weeks into spring training and offered him a ticket to an Orlando Magic game. Within a few hours, Wang found himself in courtside seats with Sabathia, bumping fists with Dwight Howard. It was a trip nearly every pitcher on the Yankees staff made at some point, as Sabathia used the 90-minute drive from the team complex in Tampa to Orlando to get to know his new teammates."

Rain threatens Yanks' CC schedule

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October 15

New York Post

"Mother Nature, Fox and the NFL are threatening the Yankees' plans to use CC Sabathia as many as three times in the ALCS. The weather forecast is for heavy rains this weekend, and the Commissioner's Office is particularly fearful that tomorrow night's ALCS opener at the Stadium is in strong peril of being postponed. If that's the case, Game 1 would be played on Saturday and Game 2 on Sunday, which currently is scheduled as an off-day. However, because the Angels vs. Yankees is a Fox series, the Commissioner's Office probably will move the ALCS game to Sunday night so as not to conflict with the network's 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. NFL telecasts. The marquee game on the NFL schedule is a Fox game at ..."

Sabathia could get extra start

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October 14

New York Post

"All the bluster about who the Yankees' ALCS Game 4 starter is going to be could be a lot of wasted hot air. If the weather cooperates, manager Joe Girardi said yesterday he is strongly considering starting CC Sabathia three times if the series goes a full seven games. "We are definitely considering," Girardi said, "going to a three-man rotation in this round." That would mean Chad Gaudin and Joba Chamberlain — candidates for a Game 4 start — would both stay in the bullpen. Because there is an extra off day between Games 4 and 5, the Yankees would be able to get by with just their three elite starting pitchers —Sabathia A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte — if Sabathia pitches Game 4 on three ..."

Girardi says Yankees are considering using three-man rotation for ALCS

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October 13

The Times of Trenton

"Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday that the team is considering going with a three-man starting rotation against the Angels in the ALCS. In a conference call with reporters, Girardi said Yankees officials will meet Wednesday morning to go over their scouting report on the Angels and discuss roster decisions. "We're definitely considering going to a three-man rotation in this round," Girardi said. "But we'll have to take a look at it and see how it goes." If the Yankees use a fourth starter, Girardi said it would be either Joba Chamberlain or Chad Gaudin, although he added, "We were happy with the way Joba threw out of the bullpen" against the Twins."

Ace CC Sabathia picks up postseason pace for New York Yankees

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October 13

New York Daily News

"Much has been made of Alex Rodriguez's monstrous performance during the Yankees' ALDS sweep of the Twins, but even A-Rod himself admitted that it was the starting pitching that stole the show. "People can say whatever they want about home runs and big hits, but if you don't pitch and you don't defend, you are not going to win," Rodriguez said. "The story of this has been CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte. All three of them were fantastic." Sabathia set the tone for the rotation, throwing 6-2/3 strong innings in his Game 1 victory over the Twins. The big lefthander may not have been carrying as much playoff baggage as A-Rod, but with an 0-3 record and a 10.93 ERA in his past three ..."

Could be 3 for CC in ALCS

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October 12

New York Post

"By eliminating the Twins in three games, the Yankees now can send CC Sabathia out three times in the ALCS vs. the Angels if they want. Had there been a Division Series Game 4 today, Sabathia would have started. That would have left him having to pitch on short rest if the Yanks wanted him to go in Game 1. In the clinching clubhouse last night, manager Joe Girardi did say that Sabathia will start Game 1 at the Stadium, now with extra rest. That extra rest makes it more comfortable if the Yanks want to start him on three days rest in Game 4. In that scenario, if there were a Game 7, Sabathia could come back on full rest. Girardi said there were still meetings to be held to formulate a plan. ..."

Sabathia slated to start Friday in Game 1 of ALCS

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October 12

New York Daily News

"CC Sabathia was rested and ready to pitch Game 4 against the Twins Monday night, but that's no longer necessary. Following the Yankees' three-game sweep of the Twins, the big southpaw will have to wait until Friday to pitch again, as he'll kick off the ALCS against the Angels at Yankee Stadium. "I'm excited," said Sabathia, who was 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA in two starts against the Angels this year. "I'll definitely be prepared. We'll celebrate tonight, but we know we have a long way to go. The Angels are a tough team, so we'll see what happens." Sabathia set the tone for the three-game sweep with 6-2/3 strong innings in Game 1, and A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte followed suit with solid ..."

Wait for Sabathia Starts to Bear Fruit

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October 9

New York Times

"Before they tangled with the Minnesota Twins in this division series, the Yankees danced cautiously with them in trade talks after the 2007 season. The series of events changed the course of the Yankees' franchise and led to an emphatic 7-2 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Teams make bad decisions when they are desperate, and the Yankees seemed desperate in the winter of 2007. They had just parted with Manager Joe Torre. They had lost their third division series in a row, chiefly because their No. 1 starter, Chien-Ming Wang, had been trounced twice. They needed an ace like the Twins' Johan Santana, and the general partner Hank Steinbrenner wanted him badly. But the ..."

CC Sabathia's performance in Game 1 against Twins is worth the weight for Yankees

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October 8

New York Daily News

columnist Filip Bondy

"Say this for CC Sabathia: The guy knew he'd stunk in the playoffs. There are some starters who kid themselves about these things, who forever believe they throw wonderful pitches in the postseason that illogically are battered by extremely lucky hitters into the distant reaches of the park. Randy Johnson comes immediately to mind. The guy never threw a bad pitch for the Yankees, even when he was getting knocked around for 10 runs in 13innings over two postseasons. Sometimes Chien-Ming Wang sounded the same way. But then there is Sabathia, who has always grasped the notion that when he is lousy, he is lousy. In five previous postseason games, he had a 7.92ERA and never got past six ..."