CC Sabathia has been saying to anyone who asks recently that he plans to pitch again next season. On Monday, before Game 3 of the ALDS, he said it again.
"I definitely want to play next year," Sabathia said.
Sabathia, who is scheduled to start Game 4 against the Red Sox on Tuesday night, has been with the Yankees since 2009. As one of the leaders in the clubhouse and a still effective pitcher, it seems likely the team would be willing to bring him back next season. But if not ...
"I'll play anywhere," Sabathia said. "I still want to play. I still want to pitch. I definitely can help and still get guys out. So whoever needs me."
Sabathia, who is moving up the all-time lists as his career rolls along, usually says he doesn't think about his place in baseball or Yankees history. But on Monday he admitted he is starting to think about those things.
"Here lately, I guess I have been, but just trying to figure out how long I want to play and all those types of things," he said. "I haven't really given it much, much thought, but the last couple months I've thought about the Hall of Fame or my career and things like that as I get to the end. So I don't really have a statement about it, I guess, but I have thought about it."
Sabathia, 38, is 246-153 with a 3.70 ERA in the regular season in a career that began in 2001 with the Indians. He is 10-6 with a 4.20 ERA in the postseason in 23 games (22 starts). He is a six-time All-Star, won the 2007 AL Cy Young award and was the 2009 ALCS MVP.
