CC Sabathia: What's Gone Wrong?

[rotoquest]

C.C. Sabathia was lit up for nine runs in 3 1/3 innings by the Athletics on Friday.

Sabathia surrendered a run in every inning, including five in the second, taking his ERA up to 11.57 on the year. It's the first time in three outings that he's really stunk up the joint, but he also doesn't have a quality start yet. It's not a velocity problem; beginning in the second inning, he was typically at 93-95 mph with his fastball tonight. Hoever, his slider might as well have not existed. We'd be more worried if he was throwing the ball over the place or was struggling to touch 90 with his heater. It looks like he's healthy, and if that's the case, it's only a matter of time before he gets it turned around.

Do most people agree with this analysis from rotoworld? I watched the game the other day and he looked very hittable though he looked like he was throwing with his normal mechanics and velocity. Is he tipping his pitches or has his slider become non-effective?

[J35J]

He'll turn it around....just isn't what I had in mind since I had him as the 3rd best SP this year and drafted him in 2 leagues...

[Fugetaboutit]

The fat man just got paid. Thats the problem.

[jondunc]

Not sure what you mean. Carmona just received an extension, Sabathia is actually pitching for a big contract next year. Regardless, he'll be fine.

[The Artful Dodger]

I'm not sure if it's the burden of pitching a career-high IP workload last year, but I think it's more of a matter that Sabathia hasn't gotten in a groove with his location. There have been times in his career where he'll throw a game where his hit rate spiked up, but I think CC should be fine, even though I'm thinking '07 was his peak.

[FantasyFreak]

heres something

Sabathia logged 253.3 innings in '07, an increase of more than 60 from '06. There's cause for concern that the workload will affect him this year, a Cy Young hangover. His strikeout rate's been fine, but his increased walk rate is worrisome. With a .457 BABIP and 16.7% HR per flyball, better days are ahead on hits and home runs. I would start to worry if his elite control (BB/9 of 2.0 or less) continues to evade him. He's also not getting grounders like he usually does. Still, as with Oswalt, his owners pretty much just have to ride this out.

[Rubidium]

Yeah, it's difficult to expect a repeat of last season, but he's been good for long enough that he deserves a few mulligans. The only news in April that would worry me about a guy like him would be injury news, but I haven't read anything to that effect. He'll throw a couple 7 IP, 1 run games in May or something to make up for it.

[tribefan]

I've seen every one of his starts. His pitches have been flat, nothing breaking whatsoever. Pitches on the outside corner are getting hit to right and pitches on the inside are getting hit to left. Unless a pitcher throws that heater in the upper 90s, he's going to get hit with flat lower 90s pitches. He'll find his slider pretty soon.

[Field]

I've seen every one of his starts. His pitches have been flat, nothing breaking whatsoever. Pitches on the outside corner are getting hit to right and pitches on the inside are getting hit to left. Unless a pitcher throws that heater in the upper 90s, he's going to get hit with flat lower 90s pitches. He'll find his slider pretty soon.

This is what I've noticed as well in the limited time I've spent watching his starts this year. His velocity is fine and he seems to be locating his pitches pretty well, he's just getting hit right now. I think it's a little bit of bad luck and going against the A's who seem to have his number. He should be fine, these 3 starts seem like abheration. He's been really good for some time, his CY performance last year didn't come out of nowhere.

[Sea Dog Fan]

heres something

Sabathia logged 253.3 innings in '07, an increase of more than 60 from '06. There's cause for concern that the workload will affect him this year, a Cy Young hangover. His strikeout rate's been fine, but his increased walk rate is worrisome. With a .457 BABIP and 16.7% HR per flyball, better days are ahead on hits and home runs. I would start to worry if his elite control (BB/9 of 2.0 or less) continues to evade him. He's also not getting grounders like he usually does. Still, as with Oswalt, his owners pretty much just have to ride this out.

Some of my friends that the innings increase doesn't have a major impact on him, but I think it's ignorant to believe it won't. He looked completely gassed at the end of last year and I think it's going to carry over in to this year. 60 innings is a huge increase in work load.