Flashback Friday: How Will History Remember CC Sabathia?

It used to be that in order to even be considered to be inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown you had to have 300 wins as a pitcher… for today’s Flashback Friday let’s look at a player who might prove that to be wrong. 

CC Sabathia is one of the most decorated and universally beloved pitchers of the last 25 years. During his 20 year career CC racked up over 250 wins, over 3,000 strikeouts and has a career ERA below four. Not to mention that he is also a six time All-Star, Cy Young winner, World Series Champ, and ALCS MVP.

As a Cleveland Indian from 2001-2008, Sabathia won 106 games, threw over 1,500 innings and struck out over 1200 opposing hitters.

The Debut

First breaking onto the scene in 2001, it didn’t take CC long to announce his arrival, as he would finish second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. He would follow that up with back to back All-Star seasons in 2003 and 2004. 

Then in his last full season with the Tribe in 2007, we got to see Sabathia at his most dominant, leading the American League with 34 starts made and leading all of baseball with an incredible 241 innings pitched. 

That season he also would lead all of baseball with an impressive 5.65 strikeout to walk ratio, had a record of 19-7 and would win the Cy Young and finish sixth in the MVP voting. 

The Trade & Michael Brantley

Of course, as we all know, CC would be dealt at the 2008 trade deadline to the Milwaukee Brewers before signing as a free agent with the Yankees in 2009. 

What casual fans might not know is that in that trade the Indians would acquire Michael Brantley as a player to be named later. 

What’s really incredible about CC though is that looking at his full season with the team, he never made less than 28 starts in a season which shows how consistent he was. 

So where is his place in baseball history? 

In my opinion there is no way you can tell the story of baseball without CC Sabathia in the Hall of Fame. Whether or not he is a first ballot candidate or not is up for debate but one day there should be a bust of CC Sabathia in Cooperstown, and hopefully he goes in as a Cleveland Indian.