Girardi tries to manage CC expectations
During the Yankees postseason run in 2012, CC Sabathia was their version of Justin Verlander, regularly pitching deep into games and putting the entire staff on his back.
In Game 1 of the ALDS against the Orioles that season, Sabathia gave up just two runs in 8 2/3 innings and followed that up with an even better performance in a series-clinching Game 5 win, when he tossed a complete game.
Those days are over for the 37year-old, who will take the ball Monday in The Bronx to try to get the Yankees back in this ALCS, trailing 2-0 to the Astros in this series.
In two starts this postseason, Sabathia has pitched well but has lasted a combined 9 2/3 innings — or about the same as Verlander tossed against the Yankees in Houston in Game 2.
Sabathia isn’t bothered by his new role.
“I’m fine with where I’m at,” Sabathia said. “I go out and do my thing and let the bullpen clean up my mess.”
And Joe Girardi made it clear he’s not going to ask much more from the left-hander.
“We know that it’s a fine line and you have to watch the atbats,” Girardi said of Sabathia, who has had outings get away from him quickly this season. “And we’ll continue to do it the same way. I’m not going to change my philosophy on him. It’s kind of what’s worked all year, and it keeps him going, as well. We’ll continue to do the same thing.”
Sabathia was dominant through 4 ¹/3 innings against the Indians in Game 5 at Progressive Field, striking out nine batters. But with one out in the fifth, he gave up four straight singles before Girardi went to David Robertson and Aroldis Chapman to pitch the final 4 2/3 innings to finish the game.
Sabathia hasn’t thrown more than 80 pitches in a game since Sept. 11. And given the unenviable spot the Yankees find themselves in, Girardi acknowledged he may even have a quicker hook Monday.
“I think you maybe handle it a little bit different,” Girardi said. “And some other guys can play some key roles here.’’
Sabathia bristled at being forced to exit starts earlier in the season, but his stance has changed lately, due in part to the team’s relief corps.
“Our bullpen is unbelievable, top to bottom,” Sabathia said. “We have, I think, the best [bullpen] in the game. So it just gives you confidence to go out and do whatever you can and leave it all out there.”
Girardi knows that won’t be a problem, but he also knows pitching hasn’t been the issue through the first two games of the series.
“He’s been that guy that we’ve kind of relied on,” the manager said. “And you know that the situation hasn’t been too big for him. But, again, I look at what the other two guys [Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino] have done, and they pitched really well, too. To me, [it’s about] CC giving us a good five or six innings and us scoring a few more runs.”