SportsWrite

I have to say that I am disappointed, although not entirely surprised. I guess, ultimately, it probably was a forgone conclusion that Sabathia would sign with the New York Yankees, what with the $160 million they were offering.

But I was holding out hope that he would land somewhere else (perhaps the Dodgers), where he would be given a true chance to succeed.  ESPN’s Buster Olney made the comment today, and I paraphrase, that from the moment Sabathia first steps onto the mound, the fans and the city of New York will expect nothing but absolute perfection from him.  This kind of expectation can be extremely burdensome and certainly can affect performance.

I just wonder how fans in New York will react if, during the 2009 playoffs, Sabathia flames out like he has the past two years in Cleveland and Milwaukee. Will they give him a free pass and attribute it to him just needing to adjust to New York, the pressure and the lifestyle?  Or will they treat him like they have treated Alex Rodriguez since he came to New York?

I genuinely like CC Sabathia and I do hope he lives up to expectations while he is a Yankee.  I really do.  I just don’t think it’s very likely.