CC Sabathia has never been one of my favorite players. Perhaps it’s something about Cleveland Indians players in charge-the-mound-3Minnesota?  I had serious problems with him and with Manny Ramirez when I was younger and when they were very young (separate incidents).  Neither would give anyone autographs and both thought they walked on water. They treated me like crap when I wanted them to sign cards.  This was pre-eBay’s heyday, so no one had the fear of mass profiting off of their names. And neither was a star by any means, so the signatures would have been just for me.

I have to put a lot of my disgust and dislike for Sabathia aside though because he is going to singlehandedly wipe out hunger in New York City.  You see, CC has dumped his “all you can eat and more” diet for an actual healthy one, and, as such, he no longer weighs more than “The Beached Whale” Rich Rueschel.

I couldn’t help but harpoon Moby Dick, but it’s nice to see that he did not eat himself out of MLB like Cecil Fielder, Kent Hrbek and Sid Fernandez seemed to have done during their careers. CC’s health is going to be a huge factor in the Yankees attempt to reclaim their rightful place at the top of the standings come October.

Farewell, Rick Ankiel

What could have been, what wasn’t, what was, and what now is now no more. It’s a long title, but it could easily be the biography header for Rick Ankiel’s career. When he came up with the Cardinals his curveball was the second best in the NL behind Kerry Wood of the Cubs. I suppose there is a dangerous message in that statement, but his talent was undeniable.  His breakdown in the playoffs wasn’t the first of its kind and may not be the worst of its kind, as you can ask Steve Blass, Salomon Torres, Chuck Knoblauch, Mackey Sasser, and dozens of other players who have suddenly just lost it mentally or emotionally and then seen that manifest itself physically.

Even his comeback isn’t unprecedented as other players have switched from pitcher to position player and vice versa. Babe Ruth is the best such case and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield also comes to mind. The thing that makes Rick different is the circumstance. To come back and be the kind of outfielder he was, and the power hitter he became back on the MLB level and for him to have carved out such a solid career is a testimony to talent, perseverance and some would say chemical enhancements. But with everything that he went through I want to thank him for showing people you can come back from that kind of devastation and disappointment.

MLB AtBat is All That

While I love to send out cheap shots and tantrums in my Charging the Mound posts, I want to thank MLB for creating the number one sports app in the world: MLB AtBat.  It is an amazing app that I’ve used for four years now, and if you’d like to endorse me I’d be forever grateful. I love the fact that I can watch highlights of any game and I can listen to the home or away radio broadcasts. It’s also great having a free game to watch almost any day of the week, provided it’s not my Twins playing because of blackout rules (which suck!).

It’s only $20, and if you love baseball it’s a must have.  Vin Scully in Los Angeles, and so many other amazing voices that make this game great are a fingertip away.