WORLD OF THE BIZARRE

Look, I'm CC Sabathia's biggest fan.  So, when he struggled all season, I continued to back him, because I personally like the guy, and his wife Amber, and not only that, I just love the guy's approach. He's a gamer.  He's also a guy that appears to be on the downside of his career.  No matter. I still want the guy out there.

When CC struggled this year, many were suggesting maybe he should suck it up and go to the bullpen.  I think it was Jeana Bellezza who wrote in SORRY CC, BUT ENOUGH'S ENOUGH!:

"...If he has a bad outing tonight, I think it's safe to say I am off of the CC Sabathia "Starting pitcher" train. It might be time to go to the bullpen..."

Fair enough. Good opinion piece. Then, something happened.  CC, being the team player he is, said he would be happy to come back in a bullpen capacity. That came when we wrote RELIEF & REALITY FOR CC MONSTER:

"...The Yankees respect CC Sabathia and weren't gonna just take the dude and shove him in the pen without a conversation or green light from the man himself.  CC has done a lot for this team over the years, but as you know, the past 3 years that knee has been mad cranky. Now, as we get terrific news that maybe he'd be on the shelf for only 2 weeks, maybe 3, he'll come back, free up the starting rotation a bit and he'll do what we need as a bullpen soldier. You gotta love that! I know I do.

"Helping the team any way I can."  That's our CC Monster.  The gamer."

OK, case closed right? No. Wrong.

According to Meredith Marakovits, there's been some movement:

CC Sabathia threw a bullpen(about 30 pitches) for the 1st time since going on DL. Will likely throw 1 more pen b4 facing hitters #Yankees

— Meredith Marakovits (@M_Marakovits) August 31, 2015

Not only that, according to Hardball Talk, "Assuming he makes it back to the Yankees this season, general manager Brian Cashman said that the plan is to use him as a starter as opposed to a reliever." Yup, you read that right. And yes... I fell off my chair.

I understand respect of players. I understand a team's appreciation of everything a player does and keeping them in the spot they are used to to "work it out".

What I do NOT understand is when a player suggests he will be willing to move aside, to allow other players who have a grasp on that position to conquer it, so that first player doesn't hurt the team... and then...  IT'S IGNORED BY THE TEAM!  Cash, what the hell are you doing?  CC is telling you he doesn't mind going to the pen!  So... let him do it! It's a great opportunity to free up the starting rotation and a great spot for CC to reinvent himself!

This, my friends, is an interesting situation.  We'll have to see how this plays out.  But let me ask you? What would you want? Do you want CC to be a reliever down the stretch? Or would you send him back out there as a starter? Let's do a poll.  Vote, you can vote on the home page in the upper right side.

Once the poll closes, we'll write a piece about the results.  

I love CC... but if I'm Cashman and company, I would show my respect for him by listening to what he wants to do to help the team.

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