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Investigation: Is CC Sabathia's children's story more of a baseball book or a Christmas book?

Is 'CC Claus' a baseball book or a Christmas book?

Earlier this year, Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia co-wrote a children's picture book with Ray Negron and with illustrations by Laura Seeley titled "CC Claus: A Baseball Christmas Story." It's a delightful story about Sabathia, his son and a handful of famous friends filling in for an under-the-weather Santa Claus.

But the subtitle -- "A Baseball Christmas Story" -- has us wondering: Is Sabathia's tome more of a baseball book or a Christmas book? And if you ask, "Why must we choose?" the answer is because life is full of difficult choices.

To find an answer, we're going to evaluate the story plot point by plot point, evaluating each on a scale from baseball to Christmas.

While sorting fan mail on Christmas Eve, Sabathia discovers a letter addressed to Santa Claus that was delivered, we hope accidently, to the Yankees pitcher.

This one is all Christmas: There are stockings hung, a decorated Christmas tree and, of course, that letter to Santa. The closest we come to baseball is Sabathia reading fan mail and CC's son Carsten sitting near him going through baseball cards.

Score: Christmas 1 Baseball 0

The letter is from a young girl named Anabel, asking Santa to deliver baseballs and gloves to her brothers, because their toys were lost in a flood. CC and Carsten decide to drive up to the North Pole to hand-deliver the letter to Santa.

Again, Christmas. It's a bit more baseball-y, with the balls and gloves request, but the decision to drive to the North Pole is straight out of a '90s Christmas movie.

Score: Christmas 2 Baseball 0

The Sabathias find Santa, but it's too late and he's too sick to help.

Three in a row: Christmas is on fire. (Also in trouble, because Santa is sick on Christmas Eve.)

Score: Christmas 3 Baseball 0

Sabathia calls for help using his "special cell phone." George Steinbrenner appears.

Baseball gets on the board, finally. The "special cell phone" has a Santa's workshop vibe to it, but calling "The Boss" and Steinbrenner showing up is 100 percent ballpark.

Score: Christmas 3 Baseball 1

steinbrenner.jpg

Steinbrenner has Sabathia call a who's-who of baseball legends -- including Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig and Phil Rizzuto -- and they all show up and set to work making presents.

Thurman Munson builds train sets, Catfish Hunter makes dolls and Willie Stargell assembles toy trucks -- it's a baseball miracle!

Score: Christmas 3 Baseball 2

ccclaus.jpg

Santa is still sick -- too sick to make Christmas Eve deliveries. Who goes in his place? CC, of course.

Filling in for Santa on Christmas Eve is like pinch-hitting with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth of Game 7 of the World Series, so having a baseball player drive the sleigh could go either way. But Santa's suit ends up being too small for CC (he's too tall, you see), so he wears Babe Ruth's (?) instead. Advantage: baseball.

Score: Christmas 3 Baseball 3

This book is a game of streaks, apparently.

CC and Carsten finish all the deliveries just before dawn and make it home in time so that the rest of the Sabathia family is none the wiser.

 "Daddy! Santa was here!" one of Sabathia's children yells on Christmas morning. CC gives his son a knowing wink.

Score: Christmas 4 Baseball 3

That's the ballgame. It was a nail-biter, but the holiday pulled it out in the end. You can pack in all the George Steinbrenners and Roberto Clementes you want, but if you have a story about driving to the North Pole and filling in for Santa on Christmas Eve, you got yourself a Christmas story with strong baseball themes. 

Read More: New York YankeesCC Sabathia