CC Sabathia's Miserable Opening Days
Bill Chuck | Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 7:33AM
Things are simply getting worse for Yankee Opening Days for CC Sabathia. Since he's joined the team, he's 0-2 with three no decisions and he has yet to pitch well in an opener.
What should be of greater concern for New York is his decreasing velocity and the declining number of pitches over 90 mph.
Take a look...
2013 (L)(L, 2-8)
It was an ugly Opening Day for CC Sabathia and the Yankees as the Red Sox sent New York fans home early en route to an 8-2 victory.
Sabathia did not impress on this Opening Day against Boston lasting five innings and allowing four runs on eight hits, walking four and whiffing five. He did not allow a home run. He tossed 102 pitches at the average speed of 84.3, topping out at 91.7, with 29 pitches exceeding 90 mph. Batters swung and missed on 14 pitches.
2012 (ND) (L, 6-7)
Sabathia did not impress on this Opening Day against Tampa Bay lasting six innings and allowing five runs on eight hits, walking three and whiffing seven. He allowed two home runs. He tossed 104 pitches at the average speed of 87.4, topping out at 94.5, with 54 pitches exceeding 90 mph. Batters swung and missed on 16 pitches.
2011 (ND) (W, 6-3)
Sabathia pitched a near-minimum necessary for a Quality Start on this Opening Day against Detroit lasting six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits, walking two and whiffing seven. He allowed no home runs. He tossed 106 pitches at the average speed of 88.6, topping out at 94.7, with 68 pitches exceeding 90 mph. Batters swung and missed on 14 pitches.
2010 (ND) (L, 7-9)
Sabathia did not impress on this Opening Day against Boston lasting 5.1 innings and allowing five runs on six hits, walking two and whiffing four. He allowed no home runs. He tossed 104 pitches at the average speed of 88.7, topping out at 94.9, with 47 pitches exceeding 90 mph. Batters swung and missed on 7 pitches.
2009 (L) (L, 5-10)
Sabathia did not impress on this Opening Day against Baltimore lasting 4.1 innings and allowing six runs on eight hits, walking five and whiffing none. He allowed no home runs. He tossed 96 pitches at the average speed of 88.4, topping out at 95.4, with 54 pitches exceeding 90 mph. Batters swung and missed on 6 pitches.
In closing...
The Yanks better hope that Opening Day for CC was just another in his list of poor first starts because if this was any indication of how he has recovered from his offseason elbow surgery, the Yankee problems are much worse than anticipated.
Reader Comments (1)
The Yankees should understand that you don't have to throw your best pitcher on opening day. Within the month of April you could eventually put CC back in that number one slot.
What's interesting about some pitchers is the fact that they're more focused on throwing strikes compared to painting the corners their first month back. CC does well when he lives low, but it really looked like he just wanted to throw strikes.