The MLB Hall of Fame player in each organization

Each MLB team’s current Hall of Famer

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 27: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim first baseman Albert Pujols (5) and center fielder Mike Trout (27) head for the dugout after both scored on an Angels hit in the seventh inning of a game against the New York Yankees played on April 27, 2018 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 19: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Yankee Stadium on April 19, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

New York Yankees: CC Sabathia

In spite of all of his accomplishments his first dozen seasons in the major leagues, with 191 wins, over 2,500 innings, and over 2,200 strikeouts, as he won his 200th game in 2013, it seemed Sabathia was coming to a quick end in his career. Suddenly he was very hittable, and he led the major leagues in earned runs allowed in 2013, allowing a career-high 28 home runs.

Sabathia instead chose to re-invent himself, to turn himself into a guy who sought to fool hitters into weak swings that hit the ball in the weak spot of the bat rather than fooling hitters into swinging around pitches. That little bit of change encouraged a change to his pitching repertoire.

Sabathia even when he came to the Yankees in 2009 was still averaging 95 MPH on his four-seam fastball, and he threw his four-seam fastball as much as 60% in his final full season with the Indians. In 2014, Sabathia debuted a cutter and began to start using his two-seam fastball significantly more.

After two years of mediocre results, Sabathia went all-in in 2016. He began using his cutter over 30% of the time along with using his slider more, making his primary three pitches his cutter, two-seamer, and slider, working much more on movement and location. The results have been great, as not only can Sabathia get deep into games, but he can be effective a third time through the lineup again.

At 37 years old, Sabathia is at the point where he’s likely to sign one-year deals to finish out his career, and with his performance this year, there will be some competition with the Yankees for his services in 2019, which should allow him to clear some major milestones that will nearly ensure a first-ballot MLB Hall of Fame election, as he will cross the 250 win mark this season, the 3,500 inning mark likely early in 2019, and 3,000 strikeouts either late in 2018 or early in 2019.

While many have passed over what Sabathia has done as he’s anchored the Yankees rotation in what could be the second decade without a title since winning their first one in 1923, he’s still likely to be adorned with the interlocking “NY” on his forehead on his plaque at the MLB Hall of Fame.

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