CC not shaken

CC Sabathia fell to 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA in four starts against the Red Sox this year and, given that's the team the Yankees likely will have to vanquish to get where they want to go in 2011, he knows there's concern that maybe Boston just isn't a good matchup for him.

But, he said, it's not as if he's proven in his career he can't beat them.

"I can see [that] if I hadn’t beat them in the last three years but I have so that gives me confidence to I know that I can go out and pitch well against this team," Sabathia said. 

Sabathia was 1-0 with a 3.96 ERA in four starts against the Red Sox last year and went 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts in 2009.

"Fastball command wasn't there," Sabathia said.

He said later: "It’s a good ballclub and they have a great lineup. They weren’t aggressive in swinging early and made me throw a lot of pitches. Got into some good counts and put some good swings on balls."

Joe Girardi said Sabathia's numbers don't bother him.

"I believe CC will turn it around, I do," Girardi said. "He wasn't sharp today for whatever reason. The last start he pitched very well against them for six innings and they got him in the seventh. But they make you work, that's the bottom line. He'll get it."