Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia has not been shy about sharing his opinion since retirement. He has been willing to speak his mind on social media or in interviews, regardless of whether or not his opinion is popular. Sabathia is going to continue to be who he is no matter what.
That will hopefully continue in his new role. He has been named as a Special Assistant to the Commissioner, with part of his duties involving him as a liaison between the office and the players to help provide their viewpoint moving forward.
Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia what Rob Manfred needs
To say that Manfred’s popularity amongst the players is low would be an understatement. His actions over the past few years, including the lockout, have made him utterly reviled by fans and players alike. This is something that he is acutely aware of and has stated that he needs to work on correcting.
In theory, Sabathia will help with that goal. He is well respected around the game, a potential future Hall of Famer who gave it everything he had when he was on the mound to the point where he put the Brewers on his back to carry them to the postseason. Sabathia was one of those players who was considered to have “played the game the right way,” someone who deserves all the adulation he received.
He should continue that style as part of the Commissioner’s Office. Chances are, he will have opinions that Manfred will not like. However, if he is going to continue to have the respect of the players and to serve in his position as expected, he will need to have those difficult conversations.
Former New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia is joining the Commissioner’s Office. He may be exactly what Rob Manfred needs to bring the game forward.