Yankees: The 5 best pitching seasons of the 21st century in the Bronx

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NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 04: C.C. Sabathia of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout with a copy of the New York Post after their 7-3 win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) /

CC Sabathia, 2009, 6.2 WAR

If you were hyped about Gerrit Cole this offseason, that’s how your dad and older brothers felt about CC Sabathia signing with the Yankees prior to the new Yankee Stadium opening.

Sabathia had won the Cy Young Award as an Indian in 2007, and when he was traded to the Brewers in the middle of the 2008 season, he owned a 1.65 ERA, a major league best, and had SEVEN complete games. In four of those shutouts, he did not allow an earned run.

It was utter dominance. Sabathia was already a three-time All Star and a Cy Young Award winner, but that stretch earned him his seven-year, $161 million contract.

So obviously, Sabathia, and the Yankees, were under a ton of pressure.

After a 4.85 ERA in his first six starts, he turned it back around.

For the rest of the year, Sabathia had a 3.06 ERA, and he finished in fourth place in that season’s Cy Young Award voting.

The Yankees, of course, went on to win the World Series that year, with Sabathia dominating and being named the ALCS MVP.

In five postseason starts, he posted a 1.98 ERA (eight earned runs/36.1 innings) en route to his one and only ring.

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