\n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","thumbnail_url":null,"type":"oembed","width":550,"contentType":"rich"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"In the years that followed, Sabathia remained a reliable option for New York, even as he battled chronic knee problems and alcoholism. The left-hander reinvented himself late in his career, and earlier this season, he became the [17th member of the 3,000-strikeout club](https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/cc-sabathia-records-3-000th-strikeout).\n\nGirardi managed Sabathia with the Yankees until 2017. The 55-year-old has spent the past two years as an analyst for MLB Network and FOX Sports, but he is a candidate for a number of [managerial vacancies](https://www.mlb.com/news/manager-rumors-and-candidates).","type":"text"}],"relativeSiteUrl":"/news/joe-girardi-pays-emotional-tribute-to-cc-sabathia","contentType":"news","subHeadline":null,"summary":"Former Yankees manager Joe Girardi was overcome with emotion in an appearance on MLB Network on Thursday night as he expressed his appreciation for retiring left-hander CC Sabathia, who was forced from his appearance in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Astros with a left shoulder","tagline({\"formatString\":\"none\"})":null,"tags":[{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"season-2019","title":"Season 2019","type":"season"},{"__typename":"InternalTag","slug":"storytype-article","title":"Article","type":"article"},{"__typename":"TeamTag","slug":"teamid-147","title":"New York Yankees","team":{"__ref":"Team:147"},"type":"team"},{"__typename":"ContributorTag","slug":"thomas-harrigan","title":"Thomas Harrigan","type":"contributor"},{"__typename":"GameTag","slug":"gamepk-599361","title":"2019/10/18 hou@nyy","type":"game"},{"__typename":"TaxonomyTag","slug":"alcs","title":"ALCS","type":"taxonomy"},{"__typename":"PersonTag","slug":"playerid-282332","title":"CC Sabathia","person":{"__ref":"Person:282332"},"type":"player"}],"type":"story","thumbnail":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/mlb/wgfsyt9z6fnq6apx0vuc","title":"Joe Girardi pays emotional tribute to CC Sabathia"}},"Team:147":{"__typename":"Team","id":147},"Person:282332":{"__typename":"Person","id":282332}}}
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Former Yankees manager Joe Girardi was overcome with emotion in an appearance on MLB Network on Thursday night as he expressed his appreciation for retiring left-hander CC Sabathia, who was forced from his appearance in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Astros with a left shoulder injury that will effectively end his career.
"That was not the way I wanted to see it end for him," Girardi said. "CC, you're a Hall of Fame pitcher that was as tough as any man I was ever around, what you went through on a daily basis just to be able to get on the mound. You were a great husband; you were a great father. You were probably the greatest teammate I've ever been around because of your ability to pull all 25 -- and sometimes all 50 -- people together in a clubhouse.
"You were the guy that I always wanted on the mound when we needed a win," Girardi added, pausing as he fought back tears. "It was a privilege for me to manage you for nine years. I love you, man."
With Girardi at the helm, the Yanks won the franchise's 27th World Series title in 2009, Sabathia's first season with the team. Sabathia was a true ace for New York, tossing 230 innings with a 3.37 ERA in the regular season before firing another 36 1/3 frames with a 1.98 ERA in the postseason, earning ALCS Most Valuable Player Award honors along the way.
In the years that followed, Sabathia remained a reliable option for New York, even as he battled chronic knee problems and alcoholism. The left-hander reinvented himself late in his career, and earlier this season, he became the 17th member of the 3,000-strikeout club.
Girardi managed Sabathia with the Yankees until 2017. The 55-year-old has spent the past two years as an analyst for MLB Network and FOX Sports, but he is a candidate for a number of managerial vacancies.