CC Sabathia has already made clear that the 2019 campaign will be his final season as a Major Leaguer, but the likely Hall of Famer isn’t ready to step away from baseball entirely. In chatting with reporters today (Twitter links via Newsday’s Erik Boland and NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty), Sabathia revealed that he hopes to land a front office position with the Yankees after his playing days are complete.
“I definitely want to be around the Yankees for years to come,” said Sabathia. Kuty notes that Sabathia has been in general manager Brian Cashman’s ear about a potential special assistant role.
Sabathia would hardly be the only retired big leaguer to take such a position in a team’s front office. Within the past year and a half, the Yankees themselves have hired Carlos Beltran (link) and Andy Pettitte (link) as special advisors to the baseball operations department, for instance. Such roles are often fairly nebulous — at least so far as in duties that are specified to the public — and they typically aren’t full-time commitments. But it’s common for former players in such roles to serve as an instructor for the team and its minor leaguers during Spring Training, visit minor league affiliates throughout the season and in some instances weigh in on roster and/or player development matters.
The 38-year-old Sabathia’s final season has been a solid effort — one that has seen the big lefty cross some notable milestones along the way. In addition to tossing 76 2/3 innings of 4.03 ERA ball with 8.4 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9, Sabathia has collected his 250th Major League victory, recorded his 3,000th career strikeout and surpassed the 3500-inning mark at the MLB level.
He won most awards with Cleveland, so wonder whose cap he’ll wear IF he gets into HOF.
he spent more time and won a world series with New York
I agree he’s probably not a sure fire hall of famer like a lot of people think he is, but I’d imagine he’d just do what Mussina did with the O’s and Yankees. There’s a lot of almost too much history in both organizations to slight either and make a choice. But I guess it is up to him.
What did Mussina do?
no logo
Which is how they should all go in, no reason for a logo or somebody like Winfield to sell the advertising space to the highest bidder.
That was Wade Boggs who tried to sell his HOF cap for a Devil Rays front office job. Dave Winfield despised Yankee Boss George Steinbrenner so he went in as a Padre. I’m an older fan and I still remember Winfield as a Padre so it worked for me.
“he’s probably not a sure fire hall of famer like a lot of people think he is” Compare his stats to the lefties already in the HOF, and look at his all time ranking among of Lefties in major categories. He’s most definitely a Hall of Famer. You can’t compare a left handed pitchers stats to a right hander. Oh by the way, the important people (the writers) think so.
Obviously it’s my opinion, I just have a hard time getting over the high career ERA, when compared to his would be peers.
14 pitchers have 3,000 K and 250 wins and all of them are in the HoF except for 2.
CC and Clemens.
Both will get in eventually…
Clemens won’t because he took PEDs.
Isn’t it technically the HOF committee’s decision made in consultation with the player?
Yes. Especially since Dave Winfield took the bribe from SD to go in wearing a Padres hat.
What was the bribe?
FO job.
are you nuts? one of three lefties in the history of baseball to have 3000k’s and 250 plus wins? uhmm,,yeah, he’s in.
Not a HOFer. Hall of Very Good…
Maybe not a HOFer, but a heckuva good Yankee. Very nice career.
His HOF credentials are based on him being a Yankee and the 3,000 strikeouts. But Curt Schilling has 3,000 and may never get in. Politics.
He also has a cy young award and 250 wins. His 250 wins will probably be the most of his generation after Verlander. The 300 win bar will be lowered
steroids, not politics, is keeping him out.
fact is, til 2001, schilling was decent, at best.
then all of a sudden, at 32 years old, with 2000 innings under his belt, he turns into an elite player.
if you think he’s clean, you’re nuts. hell, that’s also right around the time he went from railing against steroids to embracing them (also played with a ton of guys we know or suspect of use, i.e. manny, papi, and gonzo)
I looked into this, and you’re fairly off base from the stats I’m seeing, devil’s 3way…
Consistent enough numbers other than wins. I’d even say that Ws are the only career stat CC even edges out Schilling.
Also, there are several articles that say Schilling’s win total, personally, and lack of a Cy Young are what continues to keep him out.
schilling doesnt have 250 plus wins.
Being joined by harold baines, tim raines and jim rice and mike mussina. The hall of very good players
Better ERA with the Yankees, however ERA+, WHIP, H9, SO9, and FIP are identical. Currently 350 more IP with the Yankees, have to think that will be over 400 by seasons end. May also increase the delta between the numbers that are currently identical to the Indians favor.
3 time all-star with each team.
Won the CY award with the Indians, but had more top 5 finishes while on the Yankees.
WS champ with the Yankees, but that’s irrelevant since it’s a team sport. Boggs won his WS with the Yankees, but he rightfully went in as a Red Sox.
Played three more seasons with the Yankees (11-8), and earned $185M more – think about how crazy that sounds. Has nothing to do with which hat to wear, but a great disparity.
Based on the above, I think it’s clear he goes in as a Brewer.
Sarcasm???
yeah, something that isnt your strong suit
*Y*
Don’t get your panties in a wad rocky..geesh
You just made my day with that last comment lmao
He will wear a Indians hat if he makes it in. Schilling hasn’t made it in yet with 3000 strikeouts not sure why Sabathia would.
From the outside looking in, he’s always been a well-liked and respected guy. With all his years of success and experience, he’d be an a great resource to young players.
He will likely wear Yankees in HOF as it should be – more than half his playing time and wins have come with the Yankees.
Why wins? How does that mean he was the better player?
I agree he goes in a Yankee, but not because of wins.
Captain Crunch will now be a staple in the Yankees clubhouse.
Cream Cheese too…
I’d vote him to the hof
Longevity is not enough to be rewarded the HOF. Only 1 20 win season, 3 200+ K seasons, and only 2 below 3 ERA years. Solid pitcher, but not HOF material.
there are pitchers with much less credentials and accolades who are in.
Such as…?
Compilah?
Head pastry chef?
Realistically, teams are making so much money these days, they give former players 200K or so just to hang around and do crossword puzzles. Especially for a revenue-rich team like the Yanks. Why not?; you’ve got all this extra money laying around, why pay it in taxes when you can reward good soldiers (and CC has definitely been that) for their efforts. And maybe pick up some useful info along the way. It’s also great PR.
A few (John Farrell comes to mind; there are others) actually turn into effective FO types (Farrell’s mistake was coming downstairs to the field). The Rays have hired Jeremy Sowers to do real work; Craig Breslow has a real job. It seems to make sense to have guys who have actually played the game in a decision-making spot. Especially with the Wharton-esque GMs that are out there.
I think he will definitely make the hall and has had the career and milestone numbers to justify it (prob not first ballot though), and I feel that th3 hall should allow players with a career split close to 50/50 to wear a split cap with both logos. Most importantly though I think he will forever be known as a champion human being forever beloved by his teammates and everyone he has come into contact with.
Wear a hat with no logo or no hat at all makes the most sense.
I’d like the hat to have half of each logo. The halves could disconsonantly meet at the mirror line.
Well those logos don’t have mirror lines but whatever, center lines.
Bet you wouldn’t say that to his face though.
Very good career, but if was spent as a Brewer or Ray or Royal would he get the same push as he will since he was a Yankee?
That would be GREAT for the Yankees. Just look how much the team has benefited from having Carlos Beltran back in the fold. CC is a Yankee for life.
He had 6-7 very good to great years, his career ERA is too high. Over his last 7 years he’s had a couple good years and 3 bad years. He’s had a real nice career, I don’t see a 3.71 ERA as hall worthy overall. Mussing getting in helps him a lot though.
if eckersly and glavine are in, sabathia is too.
Uh, yea, sure. We will discuss later…..
They’ll sign him to be a #5 again for 30 million and he’ll win 3 games.
Take Gardner with you I’m tired of seeing him as a 4th outfielder in LF everyday.
Come PS this MF is going to go 0-12