CPD
Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia looks lost, says The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Cabathia leaned on the dugout railing, staring at the diamond. It was the look of utter shock, of a heavy heart, of a mind so full of questions that when he tries to answer, he comes up empty.
The ace of the Indians pitching staff feels lost after being shelled, this time for nine runs in four innings as Detroit slammed the Tribe, 13-2, Wednesday night.
This was the second game in a row in which the 2007 Cy Young Award winner has been battered for nine runs. His record this year is 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in four starts.
Dating back to the start of the 2007 postseason, it's the seventh start he's failed to pitch more than six innings, his ERA being 11.34 in the span.
No wonder why Sabathia just stared at the field, wondering how it all went wrong.
The stat freaks point to his career-high 256 1/3 innings last season, including the postseason, 45 more than he's ever pitched. He also was sixth in all of baseball in pitches thrown during the regular season.
Wear and tear on the arm would be their diagnosis.
After the game, manager Eric Wedge and Sabathia both spoke in hushed tones, and both insisted the lefty was fine physically. The radar gun readings on his fastball were 93-96 mph, his normal range.
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