Friday, May 3, 2019

CC Sabathia Building Hall Of Fame Case As He Joins 3,000 Strikeout Club

CC Sabathia. @Yankees.


Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia joined the 3,000-strikeout club on Tuesday night in his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The veteran stalwart of the Yankees rotation earned the mark by striking out the side in the second inning, with No. 3,000 coming on a strikeout of ex-Yankee John Ryan Murphy.


Sabathia is now just the third left-handed pitcher to join the prestigious club, joining Randy Johnson, who is second all-time with 4,875, and Steve Carlton, who is fourth overall with 4,136.

Yankees Manager Aaron Boone said of the milestone on Friday when the team returned to New York, "It's a huge number. It's one of those numbers in baseball that, you know, if you've grown up in the game or grown up a fan of the game, you know what 3,000 strikeouts means, and to be just the third left-hander, I think it's one of those longevity qualifiers that makes you a Hall of Famer.

"I think he's a Hall of Famer anyway, but he's just had such an awesome career as far as being a dominant pitcher, being a Cy Young candidate, being a Cy Young winner, an ace in the sport, and then being able to reinvent himself late in his career to become kind of a different pitcher that's allowed him to still be really good at his craft. I think he's going to leave with a legacy of all of you guys that know him (referring to the media), but certainly all of those guys that have had the opportunity to play with him and call him a teammate. He's an all-timer in that regard."

"This is a great teammate that I know so many people, not only in our room, but guys that have played with him throughout the past, it's one of those you get really excited when you see him hit that milestone because you know what he's meant to so many people."

Sabathia is 17th on the all-time list with 3,002, and next up is John Smoltz (3,084), Curt Schilling (3,116) and Bob Gibson (3,117). If he really gets on a run, Pedro Martinez's 3,154 (13th all-time) could be in Sabathia's sights.

There is no question that the 19-year veteran is making a very strong case for the Hall of Fame. He has 247 victories in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs, a performance for the ages when he led the Milwaukee Brewers to the postseason in 2008, and a World Series ring with the Yankees in 2009, his first year in The Bronx.

In 11 years in pinstripes, he has a record of 130-81 with a 3.73 ERA, including a 21-win season in 2010.

Sabathia has persevered through his 11 years in The Bronx, as he has battled through injuries the past few years, overcame alcohol addiction, and a heart scare this past December.

In spring training, Sabathia announced that this will be his final season and he is off to a fine start. In four starts, he is 1-1 with a superb 2.66 ERA, has thrown 20-1/3 innings, and allowed eight runs (six earned) on 15 hits and 6 walks, with 16 strikeouts.

SABATHIA HOSTING CHARITY SOFTBALL GAME ON MAY 16 AT YANKEE STADIUM:

CC Sabathia will host his second Celebrity Softball Game on Thursday,  May 16 at Yankee Stadium. All proceeds from the event will benefit the PitCCh In Foundation and the New York Yankees Foundation.
After raising nearly $1 million dollars in last year’s game, Sabathia hopes to top that number in 2019 and further his legacy (using #legaCCy) during his final MLB season.




This year’s game will feature A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Action Bronson, Dascha Polanco, Peter Rosenberg, Sharlee Jeter, Sheritsa Stoop, Tracy McGrady, Tiki Barber, Gary & Deleon Sheffield, Ebro Darden, Andruw Jones, national anthem performance by Angelica Vila and many more to be announced, squaring-off under the lights of Yankee Stadium, all in the name of charity.
The evening will begin with a red carpet followed by a VIP reception, the softball game itself and a post-game trophy presentation.
“We had so much fun last year that everyone was on board to do it again. It means a lot to host this game in my final career season and with the support of the New York Yankees,” said Sabathia. “It’s awesome to spend an evening engaging with the fans, our friends and family all to benefit youth and the community. You’re going to see a lot of fresh faces that are ready for some friendly competition.”
“CC and I were blown away by the amount of support and excitement surrounding last year’s softball game,” said Amber Sabathia. “We’re hoping to top last year’s funds raised and continue our efforts of giving back to the community through PitCCh In, especially as CC enters his final MLB season. Our goal has always been to positively impact as many children as possible and thanks to all the fans, we continue to do that. We’re so grateful to the Yankees and the Steinbrenner family for collaborating with us once again and allowing the event to take place at Yankee Stadium. We look forward to another amazing event!”

Funds and proceeds raised through the event will directly benefit the PitCCh In and New York Yankees Foundations. The PitCCh in Foundation hosts multiple initiatives throughout the year in the New York Tri-State area and Sabathia’s hometown of Vallejo, Calif., to enrich the lives of inner-city children through education and athletics. The New York Yankees Foundation is committed to dedicating resources to support, develop and implement initiatives that provide area youth with access to positive educational, recreational and social outlets.
“Over the years, CC and Amber Sabathia have reached out to the community in countless meaningful ways, and we celebrate their legacy of great works,” said Yankees General Partner / Vice Chairperson Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal. “We expect another fantastic event at Yankee Stadium on May 16 and look forward to positively affecting the lives of those in need through our partnership with the PitCCh In Foundation.”
Yankees Season Ticket Licensees, Yankees Group Leaders and PitCCh In Foundation Friends will have the opportunity to take part in a special presale beginning today. Tickets for the general public will go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, April 9, at 10:00 a.m. online at www.yankees.com/ccsoftball and http://pitcch.org/ and at Yankee Stadium Advance Ticket Windows. Tickets in general seating areas will range in price from $20 to $75. Special packages, including Delta SKY360 ̊ Suite seats, Champions Suite seats, Legends Suite seats, player packages and bat boy/girl packages, begin at $100 and are also available.
Last year’s attendees included, Giancarlo Stanton, Victor Cruz, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez, Antonio Cromartie, Carlos Beltran, Charles Oakley, Desus Nice, Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Damon, Leslie Jones, Mariano Rivera, Mo'Ne Davis, The Kid Mero, DJ Envy, Willie Colon and many more.
Follow the conversation using #CCSoftball and #LegaCCy.
For more information on the Celebrity Softball Game, visit http://pitcch.org/. For sponsorship opportunities, contact the PitCCh In Foundation at info@pitcch.org. To watch a recap of last year’s softball game, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIgQ6VpCBjs.

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