Sabathia will be honored before All-Star Game in Cleveland
TAMPA — CC Sabathia is not an All-Star, but he will be feted in Cleveland next week. MLB announced the 38-yearold lefty who is retiring at the end of the year, “will be recognized for his contributions to the game and his longtime service to the community prior to the 90th Midsummer Classic.”
Sabathia, who began his major league career 19 seasons ago in Cleveland, said it was a good way to finally begin reminiscing his career.
“I think that will be the perfect opportunity. Just one last time going in a relaxed environment. I’m going just to hang out and have fun, so it should be good,” Sabathia said before Friday’s game against the Rays at Tropicana Field.
Sabathia became one of just 17 pitchers — and only the
third left-hander and the third black pitcher — in baseball history to cross the 3,000 strikeout threshold and racked up his career 250th win this season. Of the 16 pitchers with 3,000 strikeouts ahead of him, only two (Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens) are not in the Hall of Fame. Both of those pitchers have baggage that voters consider along with their numbers.
“Really excited by it. I knew something was probably in the works, just not how it was all going to shake out. To know he’s going there to be a big part of it. Very deserving, very fitting and hopefully for him to go back to Cleveland where it all began, I am excited for him and his family,” Aaron Boone said. “It will be fun to watch it from afar.”
Sabathia made his major league debut on April 8, 2001
in Cleveland when the baseball stadium was still called Jacob’s Field. Sabathia and Cleveland won that game 4-3 over the Orioles. During those 19 season, he had racked up his first 106 wins, 1,516 of his 3,052 strikeouts and claimed his only Cy Young award, which he was awarded in his final, partial season there.
“We are delighted that CC and his family will join us in Cleveland, where his Major League career began,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating his many accomplishments during our All-Star Game festivities.”
A NEW TWIST IN TAMPA BAY
Friday night, the Yankees faced lefty Brendan McKay, the Ray’s two-way player, for the first time.
“Shocker they have another great young pitcher coming up through their system. I’ve watched a little bit, because he pitched against (Aaron) Judge and (Giancarlo) Stanton on their Triple-A rehab (assignment) a couple of weeks ago. So, I first saw him there a little bit,” Boone said. “Seems like a real polished pitcher. Young, up-and-coming. A lot of talent obviously, he seems to be fairly polished as well. He has a real understanding of pitching, can change speeds. Seems to have really good control and has already had success up here. We know we’ll have our work cut out for us, like we normally do anytime we’re facing the Rays on the mound. Hopefully we can get to him.”
McKay, who pitched and played first base through college and Class-A in the minors, is also a designated hitter. He went 0-for-4 as the DH on Monday.
While the Rays drafted him as a two-way player and are giving him a chance to try it at the major league level, manager Kevin Cash has said it will be hard to maintain.
“It’s interesting to watch, when I am watching games and I am away from our game and you see things like that. You know, kind of unique,” Boone said.
Boone said that in this era of versatility becoming a more valuable asset, he could see more two-way players coming.
“Yeah. I could. Maybe not to the level of an (Angels’ Shohei) Ohtani or something, but especially in this day and age where teams are typically carry 13 pitchers, to have a guy that is truly capable of one way or another that is truly capable of giving you something on both sides of the ball (is valuable),” Boone said. “I could see that happening a little bit. It’s still such a unique skill set and to get to this level to be able to do that. I still think there is more value in that now, maybe more than ever.”