Can CC Sabathia be effective going forward?

Based on talent alone, the Yankees would have one of the best rotations in the league.  Unfortunately, talent is only useful when it can remain on the field.  This was evident last season as 4/5 of the staff went down, and even after dishing out nearly $500 million worth of contracts, the Yankees were never able to rebound from losing 80% of their Opening Day rotation.

With Hiroki Kuroda going back to Japan, Ivan Nova out until at least May, and question marks in Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Capuano, the Yankees will rely on Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, and CC Sabathia to carry their rotation.  While a strong bullpen will help ease the burden, it is imperative that these three stay healthy, or the team probably will not go anywhere.  While Tanaka and Pineda are both very young with very bright futures, the 2009 ALCS MVP Sabathia’s future is a lot less certain.

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Sabathia, who has not been effective since 2012, has begun throwing, and could start bullpen sessions by the end of the month.  He has stated that his right knee is feeling fine, after having surgery in July.  This is a definite positive, as Yankees fans and management both know how crucial CC, a 6 time All Star, getting back on track is to the upcoming season.

After going 17-17 with a 4.87 ERA in only 257 IP and 40 starts, equating to a -0.3 WAR, the 2007 American League Cy Young winner has his work cut out for him.  It is highly unlikely that he will ever be able to become an elite ace again like he was for many years, but it is very feasible that he can be an innings eater in the middle of the rotation who provides the Yankees with quality, and occasionally dominating, starts, similar to what Kuroda and Andy Pettitte did late in their careers.

If Sabathia can provide close to 200 innings, while keeping his ERA below 4, and keeping the Yankees in games, then this will have to be looked at as a plus, considering that this past summer there was talk he could have career ending surgery.

It would be foolish for one to assume CC will be the ace that Cashman signed him to be prior to 2009, but he can definitely help this ball club as we move into the post-Derek Jeter era, leaving the franchise without a face for the first time in a long time.  Having his veteran presence back in the clubhouse will also be an added benefit as there will be several young players who can learn from Sabathia.