How much does CC Sabathia have left for the Yanks?

New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia is set to begin bullpen sessions this month, coming off a season-ending knee injury.  Can he return to his Cy Young form in 2015?

Remember when CC Sabathia used to intimidate hitters and hearing the name alone as the projected starter used to give the Yankees a good chance at winning?

Feels like so long ago right?

After missing almost all of the 2014 season to a knee injury, Sabathia said in a recent interview with the New York Daily News that his right knee is feeling fine and that he hopes the 2015 season could be “World Series fine” for the Yankees.

“I’ve been good,” the 34-year-old Sabathia said.  “I’ve been playing catch.  I’ve been throwing.  I’ll probably start throwing bullpens by the end of the month.”

Sabathia was spotted at the inaugural boxing card for Roc Nation Sports last Friday, supporting the sports agency founded by Jay-Z that signed him last January.  Sabathia was also seen walking around just fine at the Cavs-Nets game in Brooklyn last month, catching the game with Jay-Z and hanging out withe LeBron James after.

That sounds like good news for a Yankee team that will need a solid showing from their starting rotation in 2015.

Sabathia went just 3-4 in eight starts in the Bronx Bombers last year, with a career-worst 5.28 ERA with 48 strikeouts in just 46 innings pitched.   It’s the first time in his career he only made less than 10 starts in a season.

Sabathia went onto the 15-day disabled list on May 12 with what was originally believed to be knee inflammation.  He eventually had surgery to fix a degenerative ailment.

“If I can be healthy, I’m sure all that other stuff will fall into place.”

For those who think that the Yankees will find a way to move the former ace due to his recent injuries and lack of production, forget it.

Despite going 17-17 with a 4.87 ERA, Sabathia is scheduled to make $23 million this year, $25 million the next and has a $25 million vesting option with a $5 million buyout for 2017.  In short, he’s staying in the Bronx.

At least his recovery has gone well enough that he’ll report to spring training in time with his teammates.

But how much more can Sabathia give back to the Yankees?

He’s going into the season at 34-years-old, turns 35 on July 21 and has declined throughout the last four seasons since his 21-win season in 2010.  Since then he won 19 games in 2011, 15 in 2012, 14 in 2013 and the previously mentioned three in an injury-shortened 2014.  His 14-13 record in 2013 marked the first time since 2008 that he finished with a double digit total in the loss column.

As the wins became more scarce, his ERA inflated from floating around 3.00 in 2011 and 2012 to floating closer to 5.00 the last two years.

According to scouts, CC could be as good as a No. 5 starter in any rotation and only because he’s a smart pitcher.

“When a guy gets into their 30s, they have to have a second career,” the AL scout who remains nameless said.  “I always felt that CC could do that because he really knows how to pitch.”

Unless his knee surgery somehow helps Sabathia recover some of the velocity that he’s lost throughout the last few seasons, he’ll have to use that high pitching intelligence in 2015.  He still carried a strikeout rate of 7.8 per nine innings the last two seasons, which is right on par with his career K/9 rate.

He needs just nine wins in 2015 to reach the 100-win mark as a Yankee this year and if he can re-invent himself as a strikeout pitcher through control and location instead of depending on velocity, Sabathia could (and should) return to the double digit win total in 2015.

He also should reach the 3,000 innings pitched mark this year as well and he’s already shown the weardown that comes with age and pitching so many career innings.

Yet, despite the downfall that comes with Sabathia’s return, he could play a pivotal part of a Yankee rotation that has more questions than pure talent as we draw closer and closer to spring training and opening day.

Hiroki Kuroda went back to Japan (probably because he had next to no run support in the Bronx), Ivan Nova doesn’t return until May from Tommy John surgery, Masahiro Tanaka’s elbow can snap at any time, Michael Pineda’s probably good for 10 starts tops and who knows what the Yanks can get from Nathan Eovaldi (probably nothing) and Chris Capuano.

While it seems unheard of Sabathia is going to have to be the straw that stirs the drink on the mound in the Bronx until the rest of the rotation can prove themselves throughout the season.

Including all of Sabathia’s three wins in 2014, the Yankees starting rotation accounted for 59 wins with a 3.77 ERA in 2014, which is remarkable considering the amount of injuries they suffered.  Kuroda was the last man standing when the season was over as the Yanks relied on a patchwork job to make it through the end of the year.

It’s been weird seeing a slimmer CC the past few years.  Now we’ll get to see a CC Sabathia who will use more control and location to get hitters.

Hey, if Seaver and Clemens and the other greats had to reinvent themselves, why not CC as well?

The Yanks will need it.

Statistics by Baseball-Reference.com

Next: Who are the greatest starting pitchers in MLB history?