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CC Sabathia Back to Old Weight, But Can He Get Back to Old Ways?

By Lou Musto

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CC Sabathia has had a rough two seasons, combating injuries and putting together some of the worst performances in his Major League career. With a return to health and his old, heavy playing weight, Sabathia and the New York Yankees are hopeful he can produce at an All-Star level again.

The left-handed ace arrived to Spring Training weighing in at 305 pounds, 30 pounds heavier than the 275 he trimmed down to last year. The 6-foot-7 pitcher says he feels more comfortable at his larger size, and believe the weight makes him stronger coming off the mound.

Sabathia last weighed over 300 pounds when he won the AL Cy Young Award as a member of the Cleveland Indians. If that’s any indication of what impact his weight has on his performance, it’s fair to assume the Yankees are more than open to the 34-year-old being as large as he wants to be.

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But is it silly to think weight could make such a difference for Sabathia at this stage of his career? Especially more weight, which isn’t generally considered to be a positive for a pitcher exceeding 300 pounds?

While it may be silly from a logical perspective, the icon Yogi Berra did once say that baseball is 90 percent mental. If Sabathia thinks he’s at his top form and can produce with some extra baggage on board, that’s the half the battle. It’s unlikely he revitalizes his career to the point he can be a lethal No. 1 in the Bronx, but a reliable second or third starter would make him a valuable asset once again.

One thing is for certain: the Yankees can’t afford to continue putting him out there if he replicates his underwhelming 2013 and 2014 campaigns. In 40 starts, he posted a 17-17 record with a 4.87 ERA. Once a lock to give the Yanks more than 230 innings, he averaged just 128 innings between the two seasons (only appeared in eight games last season). He’ll never be the workhorse he once was, but the talent should still be present. It’s merely a matter of remaining healthy and keeping his mechanics technically sound.

If he can do those two things, Sabathia should be okay. Playing in Yankee Stadium in the AL East, he probably won’t be able to give them something in the low 3s in terms of ERA and 230-plus is out of the question.

However, something above his 3.63 career ERA and close 200 innings would take a load off the team’s shoulders. With a star-studden bullpen in tow, Sabathia doesn’t need to be a Cy Young-winning ace anymore. He just needs to be a quality pitcher who can keep the Yankees competitive.

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