Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY 7 NOV 2015
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Saturday 7 November 2015
CC Sabathia says he realized in 2012 he was an alcoholic
NEW YORK (AP) — New He informed the Yankees of and people don’t under- better.” from Derek Jeter, Alex Ro-
York Yankees pitcher CC his problem while the team stand, but it’s a disease,” Sabathia said he did not driguez, Andy Pettitte and
Sabathia first realized three was in Baltimore on Oct. 4, he said. “If it was my knee drink before his outings. Brian McCann all on the
years ago he was an alco- the last day of the regular or it was anything else, then “That was one of the things same day. The pitcher said
holic. season. people wouldn’t have a I think I wanted to clear David Ortiz and Torii Hunter
Sabathia left the team “That weekend I had start- problem with it. But, you up,” he said. “You don’t were among those who
ever drink before games or called.
anything like that.” “I’ve got to thank those
Sabathia was not allowed guys, and I’m truly blessed
to have a telephone dur- to be able to have friends
ing his time in rehab. His like that,” Sabathia said.
wife Amber, who was in- Sabathia made a deliber-
terviewed along with her ate decision to admit his
husband, said she heard problem publicly.q
In this Oct. 1, 2015, file photo, New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia (52) struggles with
his cap in the rain during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in New
York.
Associated Press
for treatment ahead of its ed drinking and, you know, know, it being alcoholism,
loss to Houston in the one- thought nobody was pay- it’s tough for people to
game AL wild-card playoff ing attention and, you swallow, but it’s the same
and went public with his know, was isolated by my- thing.”
problem. self, staying in my room the The 35-year-old left-hander
“In 2012, I kind of came whole weekend,” he said. was 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA
to the realization I was an Sabathia said he “woke this season, slowed by a
alcoholic, and I was kind up, and just felt like I need- chronic knee injury.
of battling it without any ed help. It was a tough de- A six-time All-Star and the
help,” he told ABC in an in- cision to make because I 2007 AL Cy Young Award
terview broadcast Friday, felt like I was leaving my winner, Sabathia has strug-
his first remarks to media teammates, but I definite- gled through three straight
since treatment. “I would ly needed the help to be subpar seasons, going 23-
go a couple, you know, a better husband, father, 27 while trying to adjust to
two, three months at a time teammate, you know, decreased velocity and
sober, and then I would just player.” pitching through knee
relapse, and, you know, go He defended the timing of pain.
on these weekends when I his decision, two days be- “I was just tired of hiding,”
thought nobody was pay- fore what turned out to be he said. “I just felt such a re-
ing attention, and I would the Yankees’ only postsea- lief that everybody knows
get in a hotel room and son game, a 3-0 loss. now. ... I can start the heal-
drink out of the minibar, “I understand where, you ing process and take the
pretty much everything.” know, fans would be upset steps forward to get myself
