CLEVELAND, Ohio – CC Sabathia hasn’t had much time to reflect on his 19-year career since announcing this would be his final season. He’s been focused on helping New York stay at the top of the American League East, in hopes of winning a World Series.
“There’s really no room for none of that mushy stuff,” Sabathia said. “It’s about going out and trying to win a game every day. It’s not really about me. I wish I was more sentimental in that way, but no, it is what it is.”
He did take a few minutes to look back on his time with the Indians at Progressive Field on Friday.
“It was a great time, a great time for me,” he said. “It just feels so comfortable to be in this park. Coming up here and being here for so long, just knowing where everything is in the stadium. It’s like home, for sure.”
Sabathia spent eight seasons with the Indians from 2001-2008. He won the Cy Young Award in 2007 and made three American League All-Star teams while in Cleveland.
He will start for the Yankees on Saturday afternoon in what will likely be his final game at Progressive Field.
“It’s awesome to be able to do it,” Sabathia said. “My family will be here tomorrow and I know this place is special to them, three of my four kids were born here so they consider this home and they’ll be able to come here for that last time and enjoy it, so it will be fun.”
Sabathia drove to his old house in Westlake on Friday morning. He spoke with his old neighbors and got to look back on the memories he made in Cleveland.
“Seeing our old house was cool,” he said. “The court that my dad put up is still there. Little things like that were cool to see. That court still being there means a lot because he worked on that so hard and it was a big deal that he was able to do that. The fact that it's still there, that was pretty cool to see.”
Sabathia spent some of the most important times in his life in Cleveland. He was the youngest player on the Indians’ roster in 2001. He transformed into a star during his time with the Indians.
“It definitely went by super fast,” Sabathia said when asked about his 19-year career. “It’s weird now, the dynamic of me being the oldest guy on the team. When I got here in Cleveland I was the youngest guy in the team. It’s just a lot of fun to be able to be in that role now and be the old veteran guy and helping this club try to win a championship.”
Sabathia didn’t leave Cleveland on the best terms. The Indians reportedly offered him a four-year, $72 million extension in 2008. He declined, which forced the Indians to trade him to Milwaukee. He signed with New York that offseason will finish his career with the Yankees.
Sabathia left Cleveland, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t look back fondly on his time here. The 38-year-old is happy to be back, but he isn’t going to take it easy on the Indians. He’s one win away from 250 career wins. He would love to reach that feat against the Indians on Saturday.
“I never got into game for numbers,” Sabathia said. “I never really thought about numbers, but to be so close to having a chance to win 250 games, it would be awesome.”
Sabathia will get his shot to do it against the team he grew up with on Saturday afternoon.
