"I know CC well enough to know he didn't really want to go to New York," said Sheldon Ocker, the veteran Indians beat writer for the Akron Beacon Journal. "I don't think it (Sabathia's reluctance) was about the Yankees, but it was the city. The media stuff might wear on him. I don't know. He certainly is aware of what he's getting into. And I'm sure he has it in his head that he can deal with it (the New York media), but when you face the reality of it it's sometimes different."
Ocker said Sabathia "consciously tried to avoid" listening to sports-talk radio in Cleveland ("It will be harder to do that in New York") and described him as a "regular guy" who has no "prima donna" in him.
"CC was one of the best (to deal with). You can ask him anything," Ocker said. "With CC everything is pretty casual."
"The media may wind up affecting his life," Ocker said, "but it won't affect his pitching."
"He (thinks) he can't make any mistakes, that he can't give up a hit or a run," Ocker said. "That's what his problem has been in the playoffs the last two years....I wouldn't call it choking. He just puts a lot of pressure on himself because he's supposed to be the guy."I think Sabathia will be fine. Pitching well will help that greatly, but he also seems like someone who a lot of people genuinely like, and that will help him a lot with the writers here. I don't think he's very likely to pull a Randy Johnson and take a swipe at a reporter on the day of his press conference.
By the way, am I the only one who thinks the title of the Raissman article - Cleveland friend sees NYC as too XL for CC Sabathia - is slightly ridiculous?
7 Comments:
"I wouldn't call it choking. He just puts a lot of pressure on himself because he's supposed to be the guy."
This quote from the article reminds me of another fella who happens to play third base for the Yankees.
Yea I thought of that too. I'm hoping that CC can learn from his past postseason performances and pitch with a little less emotion in October. But at least with him on the team the Yankees chances at making the playoffs have increased.
I, too, thought of that.
Mike
The part about his really not wanting to come to NY is a bit worrisome, but he'll get along great with the beat writers, who only want a player who doesn't duck them. He does seem like a good guy - the anti-Johnson.
Raissman is a tool. But anyway you hear that about so many athletes. Farve didn't want to be a Jet. Keith Hernandez started crying when he got traded to the Mutts. Mussina and Clemens didn't want to come to New York and they pitched well.
man, just looked up CC's post season numbers. eek!
What I find hilarious is this quote from the guy:
"And I'm sure he has it in his head that he can deal with it (the New York media), but when you face the reality of it it's sometimes different."
How does a sportswriter in Cleveland know the "reality" of being a PLAYER in NEW YORK. Not only has this guy never dealt with the media, since he IS the media, but he's a media guy in Cleveland. He has no idea what it's like to be a player in NY either.
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