FEEL GOOD MOMENT FOR CC SABATHIA AFTER THE CALL TO THE HALL

CC Sabathia has always been a fan favorite, and for good reason. From the moment he joined the Yankees, he made an unforgettable impact. Now, the fact that he’s officially headed to the Hall of Fame is nothing short of incredible. This achievement is a testament to his remarkable career and solidifies his place among baseball’s greats.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees include Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, and Billy Wagner, as selected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Additionally, Dave Parker and Dick Allen were chosen by the Classic Baseball Era Committee to round out the 2025 class.

While all the inductees are deserving, it’s Sabathia’s story that resonates most with me. His reaction to the honor, as reported by Bryan Hoch, was perfect: “It means a lot to be in the Hall of Fame, period. But first-ballot, I know what that means as a baseball player. It’s very special.”

Former teammate Jorge Posada also reflected on Sabathia’s impact, particularly on the legendary 2009 Yankees team. “That 2009 team was special, and he was a big reason why we were the last team standing. CC earned this great honor. He had a remarkable career, and he was one of my favorite teammates I played with.”

With his Hall of Fame plaque featuring a Yankees cap, Sabathia’s career stats speak for themselves: 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts—trailing only Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton among left-handed pitchers.

For me, CC is one of the greatest Yankee pitchers I’ve ever had the privilege of watching, second only to Ron Guidry. No matter where you rank him personally, there’s no denying his legendary status. Congratulations to CC Sabathia on this well-deserved honor.

WHAT A FANTASTIC HALL OF FAME CLASS!

What an exhilarating moment for baseball fans everywhere! The Hall of Fame has just welcomed three incredible legends into its prestigious ranks: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wagner. This is a time to celebrate their remarkable careers and contributions to the sport we all love!

Ichiro Suzuki, making his first appearance on the ballot, came breathtakingly close to a unanimous selection! He missed it by just one vote, a distinction achieved only by Mariano Rivera back in 2019. Ichiro's stellar performance earned him a whopping 393 votes, which is 99.746 percent of the electorate—just a whisker behind Derek Jeter’s record for a position player. An outfielder par excellence, Ichiro dazzled with his multiple Gold Glove Awards and an extraordinary career that spanned continents and decades.

Let’s not forget the incredible journey of Ichiro, who started his pro career in Japan at just 18 with the Orix BlueWave. After nine standout seasons, he joined MLB with the Seattle Mariners at 27 and still managed to surpass the 3,000-hit milestone in the majors—a testament to his unparalleled talent and dedication.

CC Sabathia, another first-timer on the ballot, received 342 votes, securing 86.8 percent of the vote. Sabathia, who spent 11 triumphant years with the Yankees, intends to don the Yankees cap as he takes his rightful place in the Hall. His powerful presence at the front of the rotation in The Bronx will forever be remembered.

2009 the Yankees roll out the red carpet for CC Sabathia, signing him to a jaw-dropping seven-year, $161 million megadeal. And did he ever deliver! In his very first season, Sabathia took the mound like a king, tossing 230 innings of 3.37 ERA brilliance and racking up an MLB-best 19 wins.

Come the postseason, CC morphed into an unstoppable force. Over five starts, he dazzled with a microscopic 1.98 ERA, clinched the ALCS MVP award, and led the Yankees to their 27th World Series title. Talk about making an entrance!

And the hits kept coming. In the following two seasons, Sabathia racked up 21 and 19 wins, each year surpassing 230 innings with a slick low-3.00s ERA. He was so good, he snagged top-four finishes in Cy Young voting three years running. Yankee fans were in love, and for good reason!

Sabathia kept the fire burning, earning his last All-Star nod in 2012 and hitting the 200-inning mark for the final time in 2013. Even as his initial mega-contract wrapped up, he stuck around the Bronx on shorter deals, proving he still had plenty left in the tank as a solid back-end starter.

By the time Sabathia hung up his cleats in 2019, his career stats were legendary: nearly 3600 innings, a 3.74 ERA, 251 wins, and over 3000 strikeouts. And his 3093 Ks? They rank him a fabulous 18th on the all-time leaderboard. CC Sabathia, a true Yankee legend and a fan favorite.

Billy Wagner, who finally earned his well-deserved place on his 10th and final ballot appearance, garnered 325 votes, making up 82.5 percent of the electorate. His perseverance and incredible skill as a relief pitcher have been recognized, marking a fitting end to his Hall of Fame journey.

And for the Yankees fans among us, this is a double delight! Ichiro and Sabathia, both having donned the pinstripes, hold a special place in our hearts. If you’ve been following Bleeding Yankee Blue, you’ll know there are a couple of standout articles about these modern legends that are a must-read. I'll include them below for you to relive their incredible journeys.

Congratulations to Ichiro, CC, and Billy! What a phenomenal Hall of Fame class! We LOVE IT! Let’s celebrate these amazing players and their unforgettable contributions to the game! 

Read these, from Bleeding Yankee Blue:

CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR: INTERVIEW WITH THE SABATHIAS

IT WILL BE ICHIRO FEVER IN THE BRONX

THE METS STILL LIKE DAVID ROBERTSON

Aug. 11, 2016 - Source: Eric Espada/Getty Images North America

It's been a while now, but I remember when I had a nice and interesting nugget about the Mets and their want and need for a "top" closer and at the time, the internal discussion with a source in the Mets clubhouse was about David Robertson.  Read SOURCE: METS WANT DROB FOR LEADERSHIP & "TOP" CLOSER to get up to speed. But if you don't want too, I'll lift a quote from it:

(July 5, 2014 - Source: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images North America)

"According to my person, it was said that Sandy Alderson has always envied the Yankees and their closer situation and the Mets have never really had that stability in recent years.  After all, the last big closer coming out of the Mets was Billy Wagner. The idea is, if they could get DRob to Queens, he would walk in already battle tested and provide some stability while also presenting some leadership with the club.  It was suggested that DRob in the Bronx, was 'just another Yankee'. 'He would be a leader with the Mets', the discussion went."

Now Mets beat writers got on me telling me I wasn't right, and sure, of course they would. I mean, I'm a blogger with a friend in their clubhouse. What do I know, right? Well... I know stuff, because now 2 years later comes this nugget...

(July 23, 2016 - Source: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America)

The New York Daily News writes:

"He's got closing experience, which Mets GM Sandy Alderson loves in a reliever, and he's proven he can handle the big stage in New York. The White Sox were trying to move Robertson last summer and, according to a source in their organization, were not looking for any big prospects in return.

As we’ve reported, Jeurys Familia is facing a lengthy suspension to start the season, so the prospect of adding Robertson was something that I thought would be a great move."

Well God damn... that sounds familiar!

Let's see what happens.  I know the Sox had asked about Michael Conforto, but we'll see if DRob comes back to New York... this time with the Mets.

Stay tuned... and you're welcome.

THE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES WERE NAMED

The names have been announced.  The names shouldn't surprise anyone really, even though I'm kind of shocked.

Mike Piazza
Ken Griffey Jr.

These men will be elected into the Hall of Fame in 2016 and well deserved even though I disagree.  BYB Senior Writer Ike Dimitriadis put together his list yesterday in his post MY HALL OF FAME BALLOT AT HIGH NOON. Here it is:

Mike Mussina
Lee Smith
Ken Griffey Jr.
Curt Shilling
Gary Sheffield
Trevor Hoffman

BYB Writer Alexis Garcia gave her opinion for why Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens should be in the Hall and you should read her thoughts on why in  BONDS & CLEMENS DESERVE COOPERSTOWN.

If you are asking me, I agree mostly with the voting, although I'm not so sure that Piazza should be in, at least right now. I'm shocked actually.  Then again, there can be an argument for making it as well.

I would have also chosen Mike Mussina for his great work a a Balimore Oriole more than with the Yankees, Griffey, Tim Raines, Billy Wagner, Trevor Hoffman and Roger Clemens.

I would have written in Pete Rose and if I was a member of the BBWAA, I would do it every single year. I do not care that he bet on baseball... his play needs to be recognized in Cooperstown. It's a wasted vote, I understand that, but it would have to be done. It would put my mind at ease.

I would have also written in Don Mattingly even though there is virtually no shot he will ever be a member of the Hall... his time may have passed.

Congrats to the inductees. Looking forward to the ceremony.




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BYB PRESENTS: YANKEES SHORTS #5

10. Trust It… Wins Will Come!!

Andy Pettitte’s debut did not deliver a win but Friday night he was stellar and did. BYB believes Andy Pettitte will be the key to turn things around (Read HERE) and remember, this is the great Andy Pettitte we are talking about. The rust is gone! Here comes Andy...

9. A Closing Fiasco

With the unfortunate loss of Mo for the season and DRob suffering from his own injury, the Yanks move on to #3. Hoping the old saying "3rd time’s a charm" applies to Rafael Soriano in his role as the pinstriped closer, it goes without saying you always have to think ahead. Read HERE. So here’s a thought Mr. Cashman:  If "3rd time is not a charm", you should consider bringing the other Enter Sandman Billy Wagner out of retirement for the Yankee season.  Just a thought, and some think it's silly... but it could be a Great One!!

8. Incedible Gesture

This isn't a Yankee thing, but instead it's a life thing. Royals outfielder Jeff Francoeur recently tossed into the stands a $100 bill wrapped around a ball inscribed "Have a few drinks & dogs on me." According to Sports Illustrated "It was a classy gesture to fans - who are enduring a 9-18 season." We at BYB agree.  Sometimes fans pay their hard earned money to root for their team and they just want a win!  We tip our cap to Francoeur, you're a class act!

7. The Heat is On

Never did I question Robinson Cano’s so called slow start. Neither did BYB. Read WHY THERE'S NO WORRY WHEN IT COMES TO CANO.  As long as I’ve been a Yankee fan, it seems to me the Yanks start off a little slow but always finish strong. Face it, Cano is a forced to be reckoned with whether on the field or at the plate. 

6.  Sonia from the Block

US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor addressed NYU student’s at Yankee Stadium, read HERE. Standing on second base she spoke of her love for the city, stating she grew up in the Bronx a few blocks from the house that Babe Built. Sotomayor said “There’s a magic to being part of this city.”  I agree with that statement. Sonia, I’d like to know if you felt the magic of Robinson Cano while standing on his 2nd base? Just Wondering…Congrats Grads!

5. Jeter and Twitter

Bleeding Yankee Blue posted some fun stuff about Jeter and Twitter.  Sure we used our creative juices to entertain you and we simply asked if anyone thought Jeter would come off as arrogant in his tweets or would he be the same guy. It was all in good fun of course. Read WHAT WOULD JETER TWEET DURING HIS HOT STREAK? Me, being a huge Jeter fan, I must share my thoughts on this... Derek Jeter would NOT be arrogant. He would stay true to himself.  Crediting his success to hard work he would acknowledge his trainers, team, etc.  Jeter would express his desire to win and simply say "I’m here to do a job and hope to have continued success throughout the season and post season." Now with that said, if Kate Munrow could tweet for Jeet... I would say a little something like this:  "So critics, I see you’re back on the Jeter train. What happened to the comments about being at the end of my career?  Yeah, I see the cats got your tongue now. Like Marilyn Monroe said 'if you can’t take me at my worst, you sure as hell can’t have me at my best!'" What can I say, I’m not as humble as Mr. Derek Jeter…Oh well...

4. Memory Lane

Hey Yankee Fans... does May 17th, 1998 ring a bell to you? If not, let me remind you that 14 years ago David Wells pitched a perfect game and wrote his own page in the history books, Read HERE. Once citing "if you embrace New York, New York will embrace you"… I believe he proved his statement to be fact! Congrats to you again David Wells for that incredible game and always know Yankee Nation will always embrace you!

3. Yankee Prospect? 

  

Yankee Scouts get your note pads out! This 6 year old has already had the game of his life! Ross Bernath turns an unassisted triple play during a little league game in Georgia. Wow! Can you imagine the things to come? Congrats little guy!

2. All I do is Win, Win, Win…No Matter What!

In lieu of Derek Jeter’s phenomenal season, he continues to hit milestones and break records. Whose record is next to be broken in his pursuit? Check out five of the records in sight HERE. All I can say is no record is safe!

1. Honorary Bat Girl Gives Back

Erika Rech was selected as this year’s Yankees Honorary Bat Girl. Her story is an inspiration to us all. Read HERE. At the age of 15 she started a charity called “Breast Intentions” after getting news that her mother and two aunts were diagnosed with breast cancer. The charity provides financial help for every day expenses to those women and their families that are fighting the fight. Now at the young age of 19 she plans to continue adding locations for her charity. Thanks to the New York Yankees and Erica for bringing awareness to this devastating disease! Keep up the fight!

Hope you enjoys Yankee Shorts this week...stay tuned for more!

--Kate Munrow, BYB Staff Writer

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.