FanSided

Yankees: Sometimes, good things come in very big packages

By Steve Contursi |
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The Yankees earned a “W” last night against the charging Boston Red Sox that pushed the Sox two games behind in the standings once again. But it was the big night from two big guys that put an exclamation point on the win.

Are the Yankees going to prove that they’ve been right about Chris Carter all along? And that for $3.5 million, he’s a steal when he gets going with one of those hot streaks that power hitters are prone to?

And how about all the questions surrounding CC Sabathia over the winter? He’s too old, he’s lost his fastball, the Yankees don’t need him, the knee will never hold up. And so on. How’s the big guy doing now?

At the end of the day, Carter, after smashing his sixth home run of the season and driving in four runs with three hits, is still batting .202 and has an on-base percentage under three. He is what he is, a low average, high strikeout player. He won’t embarrass the Yankees in the field and he’ll put some juice into one every now and then. Just as he did last night when the team needed it.

CC Sabathia: He’ll show you a fastball just off the plate, but he’ll get you out with pitches especially designed for you that are not in the zone.

It can be painful at times to watch a Carter at-bat. He’ll watch a fat one sail by him for a called strike and one the next pitch flail helplessly at a ball that’s a foot off the plate, eventually trudging that big body back to the dugout with his bat never touching the ball.

Then, in his next at-bat, he’s on the attack, it’s almost like he’s a completely different hitter. One night does not a season make. But the Yankees and in particular, Joe Girardi have to be given credit for sticking with Carter, who still has a chance to hit at least half of the forty home runs he pounded for the Brewers last season.

Throwing away the crutches

Last night, a problem developed with the knee brace that CC Sabathia now wears during each of his starts. And we got to watch as Sabathia raised his pants leg and took the whole contraption off, raising the question if he would be able to adapt himself on the fly by pitching effectively without the brace.

No issues. No problem. Sabathia (7-2 3.66) turned in what might have been his best start of the season with eight shutout innings against the vaunted and befuddled Red Sox lineup, surrendering only five hits and needing only 95 pitches to complete his night’s work.

Sabathia’s success this season is no accident. He’s worked hard to transform himself into what we call a finesse pitcher.

At times, Sabathia brought it up there at 92, which is good enough to get major league hitters out with the right location.

But mostly, Sabathia is now a tease and taunt type pitcher. He’ll show you a fastball just off the plate, but he’ll get you out with pitches especially designed for you that are not in the zone. He pitches, he doesn’t throw.

The wannabes keep coming

For the Yankees, the win last night prevented the Red Sox from having a share of first place and it also ensured that they’ll leave New York after tonight’s game no higher than second place in the A.L. East.

And it also means that the Yankees have staved off both the Blue Jays and the Red Sox from making any kind of a meaningful statement against them. And that’s no small accomplishment when we’re in the middle of June.

Another wannabe team, the Orioles, follows the Red Sox into Yankees Stadium this weekend to see if they can put a serious dent in the Yankees team.

At this point in the season, the only way to do that is by sweeping the Yankees, which, given the performance of their starting pitching, is becoming an ever-increasing rare possibility.

Because just like CC Sabathia, the Yankees are “built to last”.

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