Sabathia admits to Opening Day butterflies
Yankees' CC Sabathia pitches against the Miami Marlins in the third inning. (April 1, 2012) Credit: AP
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.
CC Sabathia has pitched in some of the biggest games in baseball in the biggest market the last three years, but he admitted there would be nervousness Thursday night and Friday morning.
"A lot of butterflies," Sabathia said Thursday afternoon. "I'll be excited all night tonight, all day tomorrow and then be ready to go at 3 o'clock."
A little later than that, Sabathia will take the mound against the Rays' James Shields in the Yankees' 2012 season opener.
When he throws his first pitch, Sabathia will become the ninth pitcher in franchise history to make at least four Opening Day starts and the first since Roger Clemens (1999, 2001, '02, '03).
"I still get butterflies pretty much before every game, but especially Opening Day," said Sabathia, who will make his ninth Opening Day start overall. "It's a brand-new season; you want to start the season off right. And it's just an honor to go out there and take the ball."
He has been exactly the take-the-ball horse the Yankees envisioned when they signed him before the 2009 season, going 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA the last three years. The 6-7, 290-pound lefthander, signed to an extension during the offseason that can keep him in pinstripes through 2017, came into camp 25 pounds lighter than he was at the end of last season. This year he plans to keep the weight off, something he was not able to accomplish last season.
Weight is always a concern with Sabathia, 31, because of his size and the number of innings he throws. Sabathia, who had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee after the 2010 season, has been one of the most durable pitchers in the game, throwing at least 230 innings in each of the past five seasons.
"I feel better, I feel healthier, my knee feels good," he said. "There's no reason to assume I can't go out and pitch the same way I have in the past."
Sabathia is coming off a relatively unimpressive spring training, one in which he went 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA, something that concerns exactly no one around the Yankees.
He is the unquestioned ace of the pitching staff and a clubhouse leader, roles that he embraced after signing with the Yankees.
"I think that's what every pitcher wants is to be that guy every time out that the team has confidence that you have a good chance to win," Sabathia said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself, so any outside pressure has no effect how I go out and play. I expect myself to go out and pitch well every time out."
Which is a comfort to his manager. "You're looking at a consistent winner year in and year out," Joe Girardi said. "A guy that takes the ball and gives you a great chance to win every time he goes out there, even on days where maybe he doesn't have his 'A' stuff."
Girardi said he feels Opening Day butterflies too.
"You know it's the start of a pretty long journey trying to get to where you want to be," he said. "I like this club. I look at the depth that we have and the health of players right now. I feel really good about it."
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