What Can the Yankees Expect from CC Sabathia in 2016?

CC Sabathia is getting a head start on Spring Training.

According to Ryan Hatch of NJ.com, the 35-year-old southpaw is already working toward the 2016 regular season.

"“The New York Post’s Dan Martin wrote that Sabathia threw off flat ground and a bullpen for Yankees’ pitching coach Larry Rothschild at the team’s training complex in Tampa [last] Friday,” Hatch said."

Sabathia’s 2015 campaign ended on October 5, when he announced he was going into rehab to treat his addiction to alcohol. The announcement came the day before the Yankees’ American League Wild Card matchup against the Houston Astros.

The hefty lefty posted a 6-10 record and a 4.73 ERA in 2015.

Despite last season not going as planned overall, Sabathia did pitch well down the stretch.

He was 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in his final five starts last season, Hatch said.

But, even with those positive numbers, what can Yankees fans realistically expect from Sabathia in 2016?

They should get used to seeing him pitch from the back end of the Yankees’ rotation.

Long gone are the days of Sabathia being an ace. His days of being a top of the rotation pitcher are gone as well.

Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda have all clearly established themselves as more viable rotation options than Sabathia heading into 2016.

That leaves an opening for Sabathia to begin 2016 as the Yankees’ fifth starter.

Sabathia was not brought to New York to be a fifth starter, but he simply has not been the same pitcher the past two seasons.

The velocity on his fastball has dropped. He has not been able to pitch deep into ballgames. His strikeout numbers have dipped considerably. He has not been healthy.

Even though his on-field performance has diminished in recent seasons, Sabathia still can contribute to the Yankees in other ways.

He will once again be a leader and a prominent presence in the clubhouse.

With young pitchers making up the rest of the Yankees’ rotation, Sabathia’s veteran experience will undoubtedly mean a great deal to arguably the team’s shakiest position group.

If Sabathia finishes 2016 with double-digit wins and an ERA under 4.00, I’m sure the majority of Yankees fans would be thrilled.

The last time Sabathia finished a season with 10-plus victories was 2013. 2012 was the last season when he posted a sub-4.00 ERA.

As a huge Sabathia supporter, it is not easy for me to talk about him in such a negative fashion. I’m not sure anyone was more excited than me when the Yankees signed Sabathia prior to the 2009 season. I never thought I would be talking about him being the Yankees’ number five starter.

However, I still remain hopeful. I know the Sabathia of old is no longer around. But, I am optimistic that the 2007 Cy Young Award winner and six-time All-Star still has a few flashes of brilliance left in the tank.