[ad_1]
CC Sabathia, who is in his last season with the big boys, admits that a number has often crossed his mind since the start of spring training in February: 3,000.
That's to be prepared for a party, to play or even to witness a quiet moment off the pitch, the starter of the New York Yankees and his future future member of the Temple of Fame have regularly been concerned about reflections on one of the most rounded and iconic numbers of baseball.
Specifically, he envisioned joining only 16 other major league history pitchers to record 3,000 strikeouts. By doing this on Tuesday, Southpaw also became the third southpaw to accomplish this sacred feat.
However, as the time approached, Sabathia's patience was weakened.
"I'm just ready to finish," he said.
To finally make it number 3,000, here is an overview of the few elimination points that made this decisive feat possible.
N ° 1: the first K of CC arrives a special day
Date: April 8, 2001
In law: Cleveland
Victim: Mike Kinkade
Selected for 20th overall three years ago, the youngest player in the 2001 Major League made his Major League debut at Jacobs Field. At the age of 20 years and 261 days, a baby-faced Sabathia launched that day with an acquaintance for most veterans.
In five and a half innings, he allowed three hits and three points, and eliminated a trio of Orioles from Baltimore. The first opponent he drew from a strike was left-winger Kinkade, who finally scored a 0-3 in the Cleveland 4-3 win.
"I remember thinking that it was a bit crazy, because I had faced Mike Kinkade in the minor leagues, I would have liked it to be like Cal Ripken or someone else." 39, one of them. "
Sabathia is in her first match in the shoot-off
As nice as it may be to win his first game of the championship, Sabathia would still have liked that he was opposed to someone other than Kinkade.
"I remember thinking it was rather bizarre because I faced Mike Kinkade in the minor leagues," said Sabathia recently, laughing. "I would have liked it to be like Cal Ripken or someone else.
"It was the first guy I hit, it was pretty nice, huh."
Nevertheless, this attack allowed Sabathia to come out of its worst heat of a remarkable start to the match. All the tracks and two of the hits that he allowed went into the first one. Prior to the Kinkade attack, Mike Bordick doubled to center and Delino DeShields Sr. walked. Jeff Conine suddenly appeared to the rookie, propelling a three-point homer to the left.
Immediately after the home race, Sabathia attacked the next hitter, Kinkade, with a fastball that, at the time, could reach the top of the 90s. Sabathia also ended the battle with the ball. ; gasoline. Already in her third appearance on the pitch of the match, Sabathia already had Kinkade in her eyes.
N ° 70, 73, 78: Sabathia upset his future skipper
Date: July 13, 2001
In law: Cincinnati
Victim: Aaron Boone
Sabathia and Boone were not always on the same page, let alone the same team.
Long before Boone managed the pitcher with the Yankees or played with him in Cleveland (in 2005-06), he would be one of the guys to compete against CC. Boone is one of 1,179 men who have played at least one plate against Sabathia, now 38, in the last 19 seasons.
"Not good" is how Boone continues to describe his attacks on Sabathia. "It's not good at all – it's on the short list of bats that were not very comfortable for me … not fun."
"He hit me three times and I fell for the third time swaying in. And I thought," Who's this guy? " "
Yankees manager Aaron Boone
We understand why: the six chances Boone against Sabathia career did not go very well. He scored a goal against six with four strikeouts and a single in which he sarcastically jubilant at the time. "I was first and I talked to him well," Boone said recently about the June 2003 success to third place, which he scratched during his penultimate batting career against Sabathia. .
In a match that took place more than two years ago, Sabathia, who was still under 21, still looked ridiculous. "He hit me three times and I fell for the third time swaying," Boone said. "And I said to myself" Who is this guy? "
The rest of the baseball did not take long to find out.
No. 1,393: CC completes the joker suit
Date: September 28, 2008
In law: Milwaukee
Victim: Casey McGehee
July 7, 2008 was a holiday for the Indians. They had just raced the previous night between Minnesota and Detroit, and were bogged down in a series of eight defeats and remained stuck at 13.5 games in first place in the American League. With their season almost over and the trade deadline imminent, they have bought their biggest assets.
2 related
Sabathia, the award winning taker who had reached his peak and was in the middle of a career year for the clash. As Sabathia headed for 251 Ks, the Indians and Brewers developed a trade that would inject him squarely into a playoff chase that went to the end.
After the deal (Sabathia was traded to Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson and a player to be named later who turned out to be Michael Brantley), Sabathia was all the Brewers could have hoped for.
Sabathia was 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA with Milwaukee in the last two and a half months of the season. The team went 14-3 in the games that it started.
Due to his success at the end of the year at the head of the Brew Crew, it did not make sense to give the ball to Sabathia with the team's season during match 162. The Brewers needed two things to be realized: they had to beat the Chicago Cubs, rival of division. and the New York Mets to lose to the Florida Marlins.
Nine innings later, with a screaming Sabathia still standing on the mound, the Brewers won the 3-1 victory they needed. A few minutes later, the Mets also did their job.
As part of his full-play effort (then the 26th full match of his career, and the 10th of the season only), Sabathia pulled out seven Cubs on 122 shots. His last game, the 251st K of his two-team season, proved that he was only getting stronger as the game went on.
Sabathia was asked this week about this withdrawal and all the memories that he could have had playoffs that he had recorded over the years. As big as these moments are, he said that he did not really remember individual outs.
"I can remember the games [like the win over the Cubs], "Said Sabathia." But I've never really liked stumbling [the strikeouts] like that. It was just what it was. The numbers would be there no matter what, so I never really thought about it. I have never really thought about it, nor thought about it, nor anything like that. "
Sabathia, after all, has launched more than 14,500 batters during his career.
McGehee's decisive attack marked the beginning of the eighth inning of the regular season finale. Sabathia had just got Ronny Cedeno with a speed of 81 mph when McGehee stepped in. Four positions later, a backdoor slider at 82 mph drew him.
"It was his game," Brewer interim manager Dale Sveum told Sabathia after the win. "It was his year.It was his two months.It was his game to give his as long as he could.He is just a special human being."
Sabathia took her third start this month with three days off. He would still have a start with three days of rest that year: in a series 2 loss of the National League Division against the Philadelphia Phillies.
No. 1400: CC baptizes Yankee Stadium III
Date: April 16, 2009
In law: Bronx
Victim: Victor Martinez
With her 2008 season ending in October with a disappointment and a free player for what would be the only time in her career, Sabathia sought the opportunity to fulfill a prophecy published years ago by her late father, Carsten. Sr.
"He always told me that I would play for the Yankees, and when I was in Cleveland, I would say to myself," No, no luck. I will be an Indian all my career, "said Sabathia." He always said: "When you are a free agent, the Yankees will pick you up and you will win a world series with the Yankees."
And the Yankees came to call. Two months after the end of his career with the Brewers, Sabathia has signed a $ 161 million, seven-year contract – he will be retired at the end of this season, this will be the last MLB uniform ever. It will carry forever.
"He always told me that I would play for the Yankees, and when I was in Cleveland, I would say to myself," No, no luck. I will be an Indian all my career. "He always said," When you are a free agent, the Yankees will pick you up and you will win a world series with the Yankees. "
Sabathia on his father, Carsten Sr.
The beginnings of Sabathia in the Bronx were historic. For the first time since 1923, the dance club called a new building its home in the long run. The last edition of the Yankee Stadium opened that day, in front of the house built by Ruth, accompanied by all the fanfare of this memorable event.
Yankees royalty – from Yogi Berra to Reggie Jackson to Derek Jeter – was arrested. The boss was there. Jay-Z was there. The political elite of New York was also present. Even Babe Ruth's bat was at home.
For all these reasons, Sabathia – for the first time against the team that nominated him – had to be his best. He succeeded, allowing only one race in a performance of 5 2/3 that deserves to be celebrated.
Unfortunately, his pen was missing, and the bats of the Bronx Bombers did not show up either. With a seventh round of nine-man Indians, the Yankees opened the new stadium with a 10-2 loss to Cleveland.
True to his goal of making a good first impression, Sabathia soon fought to record his first dam in the Bronx – and the first to bat the new stadium. To make a 1-2-3 first, he tipped Martinez.
Bonus K: Sabathia Arrest Werth, Threat to World Series
Date: November 1, 2009
In law: Philadelphia cream
Victim: Jayson Werth
Although that does not count for his career-time total, this punch could be the biggest of all time for Sabathia.
He entered the fifth round of the fourth game of the 2009 World Series. On the eve of the completion of his father's prophecy, Sabathia kicked off this night at Citizens Bank Park two games from the first victory of his career.
With the Yankees leading the series 2-1 and a 4-2 lead in fifth, Sabathia had to face a huge test.
With his number of throws skyrocketing, Sabathia struggled to start the race by allowing Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins to reach. After two quick outings, Sabathia was joined by Werth, the Phillies 5-hole hitter who had participated in his first all-star game earlier that year and had a career-high. 36 circuits in the regular season.
"You have to understand that CC came here to be in the middle.He did not come here to be on the sidelines.He came here for some of the action."
The legend of the Yankees Reggie Jackson
In a jiffy, Werth could have reversed not only the game, but perhaps the series.
The tension could be felt in its entirety. The crowd at home roared louder and louder at each launch. Werth continually called the hour, coming out twice from the box to gather his thoughts and prevent Sabathia from knocking him out of his rhythm. Twice more, Sabathia left the mound to talk with Derek Jeter and catcher Jorge Posada about the signs they wanted to use with a runner at second base. This is as a result of this second encounter with Posada (who did not show any sign before speaking briefly with Sabathia) that the four-minute and 20-second match ended with the following. 39, one of the 121 attempts of Sabathia's career in the playoffs.
Werth was removed as a result of a gear shift at 85 km / h that he drove off the plate down. End of the round. The Yankees 4-2 lead has remained intact. Sabathia kept New York in the lead for the next two races, before an eighth-inning match against Joba Chamberlain tied. A half-inning later, however, the Yankees threw three of their own to flee with a win that gave them a 3-1 advantage.
Two games later, Sabathia was a World Series champion.
"You have to understand," said Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, to Howard Bryant of ESPN right after this world series, "that CC has come here to be in the middle.It's not came here to be on the sidelines.He came here for a piece of the action. "
No. 2444: CC wounds cause change
Date: May 10, 2014
In law: Milwaukee
Victim: Jeff Bianchi
Not all Sabathia players have a history of well-being. Several of the K's he has recorded in recent years have been accompanied by some physical pain.
As a result of this attack, Sabathia, who played at Miller Park for the first time since sending the Brewers to the 2008 playoffs, turned Bianchi to seventh. It was the only appearance on plate against Sabathia for Bianchi, a substitute third base player who had entered the match for Aramis Ramirez.
A day before Mother's Day, the 2444 return leg of Sabathia will mark the end of its 14th season. The next day, he was on the list of injured for 15 days with fluid in the knee. He would eventually be transferred to the 60-day IL and would eventually be lost for the year.
"You come [wonder] How long can it last? Then he continues with another type of year. "
GM Yankees Brian Cashman
Indeed, throughout the last eight years of his career, Sabathia has been injured with painful elbows, groin muscles, hamstrings, hips, heart surgeries and, most often, inflammation. knee.
Knee problems ended the Sabathia season after starting in Milwaukee and since then, these problems have persisted.
Arthritis has settled in Sabathia's right knee, requiring constant attention and treatment. During the off season, Sabathia underwent another knee surgery. The injuries helped to deprive him of the high speed that he had had in the 90s, forcing him to change his approach on the mound.
Finished the era of his powerful prowess. From now on, instead of regularly calling on her four dressmakers, Sabathia is biting a bit more in the strike zone with her last-minute knife. Sabathia has spent most of her career in the past six seasons working with fastball cutters, ex-Yankees Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte.
After three consecutive seasons (2014-2016) with losing records, Sabathia regained form in 2017, registering a record of 14-5. He also won the award in 2018 at 9-7.
"Between his knees, you come [wonder] How long can it last? Then he just goes on with another year like this, "said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
No. 2829: CCK's rivals will spark a decisive boost
Date: August 31, 2017
In law: Bronx
Victim: Rafael Devers
Just as with the Brewers in 2008, Sabathia has found himself in the midst of a somewhat unexpected playoff spurt in the summer of 2017.
The Yankees had begun to reorganize the organization and focus on building a new kernel. But they did not expect this group to mature as fast as it did, with Aaron Judge, the league's all-time rookie of the season.
Before qualifying for the World Series, however, this group had to prove in August and September that it could be part of a playoff team. Part of that challenge was beating the rival of the Boston Red Sox.
Sabathia had already faced the Red Sox three times in 2017 before facing them on the last day of August and he had a win each time. The 36-year-old was a bugaboo from Boston.
Knowing this, and also understanding that Sabathia could no longer move as before, Red Sox quick hitter Eduardo Nunez tried in the first inning to score with a simple surprise.
"It's just a bit weak for me, it's what it shows, what they got there, it just makes you angry." makes me want to beat them, obviously I want to win every time I go there, but even more afterwards. "
Sabathia on the Red Sox
He succeeded, forcing Sabathia to free himself from the mound and hurl a wandering throw. Although Nunez managed to make the mistake of throwing and the Red Sox finally loaded the bases in the first run, Sabathia still managed to get out of the fray with a pair of retreats on holds.
At the premiere, Sabathia asked Xander Bogaerts to look at an 80 km / h backdoor slider that started just outside the attack zone and eventually broke through the plate as she fell. in the catcher's glove Gary Sanchez.
Devers was the second victim behind in the promising Boston run. After counting down, the left-handed batter hit a slippery 82-mph slider that slid down and just behind the plate. As soon as he recorded the K at the end of the round, Sabathia started screaming for the third goal, where Nunez stood in the baserunner, before turning quickly and heading for the Yankees canoe. A camera surprised him shouting a few insults to anyone in particular as he was crossing the line from first goal.
After the match, Sabathia admitted to being upset by Nunez's tactics early in the game.
"Just a little weak for me, that's what it is, it shows what they had there," Sabathia said. "It just makes you angry, it makes you want to beat them, obviously, I want to win every time I go out, but even more afterwards."
Sabathia later said that, as he was leaving the mound of that inning, he shouted at the Boston Canoe: "Turn the bat."
Nunez, his 2010-13 Sabathia teammate, apologized to the pitcher during the match, but did not shoot any shot after that.
"It's my game. I can not change the game," Nunez said. "We know that he has a bad knee.This is not my problem.If I have to play four times in a row, I will do it.I do not care to know if he is angry or not … I'm plugged in. "
After the fireworks of the first run, Sabathia had a strong performance that allowed him to hit six and allow only one race in six rounds.
In this first round, Sabathia helped set the tone not only for the 6-2 win, but also, in a way, for the rest of the season.
Once again, Sabathia gave the Yankees a victory the day after their defeat. At that time, in 2017, he was 8-0 in the throws days after the defeats in New York. He is currently 15-1 in these games since the beginning of the 2017 season.
Just before the Yankees defeated the Red Sox in this inaugural game, they had lost five of their last seven games. The Yankees are expected to take three of four players in Boston and 20-9 in September to make their place in the game of generic cards of the American League, before finally winning a victory over the World Series.
No. 2,990: In the last fight of DC, the countdown is launched
Date: April 19, 2019
In law: Bronx
Victim: Whit Merrifield
Entering the second start of its last season – after an angioplasty and a knee surgery during the off-season – Sabathia needed 11 strikeouts to break the 3,000-point mark. Early in the game, he seemed determined to have them all that night.
In front of his first hitter, Merrifield of Kansas City, Sabathia's speed never exceeded 89.3 mph. And it was very good. After Merrifield fouls a cutter and slider, Sabathia came back on a score of 2-2 with a speed of 83 mph to which the Royals first baseman had no answer. Swing and miss … 10 barred to do.
"Vintage CC It has been a lot of fun playing with him over the years … Being able to see how he behaves has been a pleasure."
Brett Gardner, winner of the Yankees
At the end of the five-run effort, Sabathia had wiped out five Royals and sat just six kilometers from immortality.
"Vintage CC," said Brett Gardner, the oldest player of the Yankees, apart from Sabathia. "It has been a lot of fun playing with him over the years … Being able to see how he's doing business has been a pleasure."
No. 3000: CC 3K!
STRIKEOUT #, 0003,000 !!!
Congratulations, CC Sabathia!#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/mFNNNmYsfk
– YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 1, 2019
Date: April 30, 2019
In law: Phoenix
Victim: John Ryan Murphy
Three funny facts about Murphy's previous ties with the Yankees, thanks to ESPN Stats & Information: On September 26, 2013, Murphy surprised the last appearance of Mariano Rivera. Then, on November 11, 2015, Murphy was traded to twins against Aaron Hicks. And now, it's the 3,000th withdrawal of CC.
"It's one of those impressive numbers: 3,000 hits, 500 circuits, 3,000 battles," Boone said before the game. "That's what I grew up with in my mind, and I think I could see Rod Carew hitting 3000, Reggie." [Jackson] 500 [homers], Don Sutton 3,000 [strikeouts], 300 wins.
"These are magic numbers in our sport, and people should be aware of them when they come to them."
[ad_2]
Source link