Random CC worship

CC Sabathia is good at pitching, this is not news. How good he has been recently may surprise you though.

In his last 14 starts, CC is 12-2 with a 2.06 ERA while holding batters to a .210/.259/.280 line in 109 innings. He has yielded just 83 hits over that span with 26 runs — 25 earned — to go with 106 strikeouts to 24 walks. Beast.

He’s been even filthier over his last seven starts (6-1), with the lone loss coming on an eight-inning, five-hit, two-run performance against the Rays on July 21.

His finest work of the season (and perhaps ever) came last night when he took a perfect game 6 1/3 innings. He battled two rain delays to go seven innings and gave up a run on one hit with a career-high 14 Ks to only three walks…and those three walks came in his final inning when he walked the bases loaded. That performance made him MLB’s first 15-game winner (15-5) this year.

On the season*, CC’s 156 punchouts rank second in the AL (Verlander, 169) and third in all of baseball (Kershaw, 173); his 2.56 ERA is fifth best in the AL and ninth best in the majors; his 3.63 pitches per plate appearance is sixth lowest in the AL and his 14.8 pitches per inning is tied (with teammate Fabulous Freddy) for fourth best in the AL; his 1.11 WHIP is tied for 10th best in the AL and tied for the lowest of his career (2008); and each of his opponent’s triple slash numbers rank in the top 10 in the AL (with SLG ranking third).

For the stat heads: *his 2.73 DIPS is best in the AL and fifth best in all of ball; **his 5.6 WAR leads all of MLB; his 3.03 xFIP is third best in the AL and eighth best in the majors while his FIP is the best in the AL and fourth best in the majors; and his 4.2% HR/FB% is third best in the AL and fourth best in the majors.

In other words: he’s been nice this year. When he opts out after the season I really hope the Yanks break the bank for him. He’s earned it.

*among qualified starters entering play Wednesday, according to ESPN.com.

**among qualified starters entering play Wednesday, according to Fangraphs.com.