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SPORTS A19
CC Sabathia to enter alcohol rehab center, miss playoffs
HOWIE RUMBERG
AP BASEBALL WRITER
NEW YORK (AP) - CC Sa-
bathia walked into man-
ager Joe Girardi’s office in
Baltimore on Sunday and
made a stunning admis-
sion: He has an alcohol
problem.
“The first thing he said is, ‘I er brace, the 300-pound-
need help,’” Girardi said
Monday during a workout
at Yankee Stadium for the
AL wild-card game. “I was
shocked.”
Sabathia surprised many
in the Yankees organiza-
tion by revealing his prob-
lem. And with the team’s
help, the burly left-hander
is checking into a rehab
center and will miss the
postseason, a setback to
the pitching staff the day
before New York meets
Houston in the AL wild-card
game.
The team issued a state-
ment Monday from the
2007 AL Young Award win-
ner, who said he took the
step to receive the care
he needs and become the
kind of person “I can be
proud of.”
“I love baseball and I love
my teammates like broth-
ers, and I am also fully
aware that I am leaving
at a time when we should
all be coming together for
one last push toward the
World Series,” the 35-year-
old Sabathia said. “It hurts
me deeply to do this now,
but I owe it to myself and
to my family to get myself
right. I want to take control
of my disease, and I want
to be a better man, father
and player.”
A leader in the clubhouse
who helped the Yankees
to the 2009 World Series
championship, received
the unconditional support
of his teammates.
Tuesday 6 October 2015
“We play for CC now,” Alex New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia delivers in the first inning of a baseball game
Rodriguez said. against the Boston Red Sox in New York, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015.
Sabathia is 214-129 in 15
major league seasons and Associated Press
was 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA
this year, slowed by his sur- video of Sabathia getting that it’s taken,” Cashman ... Definitely would like to
gically repaired right knee. into a confrontation with said. “He could’ve come play well tomorrow night
After returning from the dis- hecklers outside a night- up with a lot of different and advance and make
abled list and using a tight- club in Toronto. things to hide whatever he him proud.”
“I just flipped out, you know. is dealing with right now.” Sabathia signed a $161 mil-
plus pitcher was 2-1 with a I could have handled it bet- Known for his positive de- lion, seven-year contract
2.17 ERA in his last five starts. ter,” Sabathia said a few meanor, charitable work with the Yankees before the
He got the win against Bos- days later. “Made a bad and love of Cap’n Crunch 2009 season and helped
ton last week that clinched decision. Sometimes these cereal, Sabathia was a first- New York win the World
the Yankees’ return to the things happen,” he said. round draft pick by Cleve- Series during his first year
postseason following a rare The Yankees’ staff strug- land in 1998 and made his in the Bronx. Rather than
two-year absence. gled in September, with big league debut three exercise his right to termi-
“As difficult as this decision Masahiro Tanaka’s ham- years later. Convinced nate the contract after the
is to share publicly, I don’t string injury and ineffective they could not afford to re- 2011 season, he agreed to
want to run and hide,” Sa- outings by Michael Pineda sign him, the Indians traded a new deal - adding a $25
bathia said. “Being an adult and Ivan Nova. If the Yan- him to Milwaukee during million guaranteed salary
means being accountable. kees beat the Astros, rookie the 2008 season, and he for 2016 and a $25 million
Being a baseball player Luis Severino, Pineda, Nova helped the Brewers reach team option for 2017 with a
means that others look up and Tanaka could be their the playoffs. $5 million buyout. That sal-
to you. I want my kids - and starters in the AL Division “We’re proud of him for ary would become guar-
others who may have be- Series against Kansas City. stepping up and admitting anteed if he doesn’t have
come fans of mine over the Sabathia likely would have he had a problem and re- a major left shoulder injury
years - to know that I am gotten a start. alizing it’s a whole lot more next season.
not too big of a man to ask “The fact that it’s occurred important than what we’ve “I am looking forward to
for help. I want to hold my and this is something we are got going on around here,” being out on the field with
head up high, have a full dealing with the day before Yankees outfielder Brett my team next season play-
heart and be the type of our playoffs start makes me Gardner. “Since 2009 he’s ing the game that brings
person again that I can be that much even more im- been a huge part of what me so much happiness,”
proud of. And that’s exact- pressed with the courage we’ve done around here. Sabathia said.q
ly what I am going to do.”
General manager Brian
Cashman, along with the
players and Girardi, would
not elaborate on who was
involved in helping Sa-
bathia inform the team
and come to the decision
that he needed immediate
help.
But Cashman did say that
it wasn’t one incident that
affected the timing of the
decision, and that no one
asked the six-time All-Star
to put off the decision until
after the postseason.
“It’s an acknowledgement
that the issue that he has is
bigger than what we are
going through right now,”
Cashman said.
In mid-August, TMZ posted