CC Sabathia: Yankees' Ace Proves He Can Carry New York to Promised Land

CC Sabathia was a man on a mission Friday night in New York while dealing a four-hitter to push the New York Yankees past a scrappy Baltimore Orioles bunch. 

With all the hitting New York has to offer, last night's showing reminded us all that pitching wins championships. But more importantly, it reminded us that Sabathia can still carry New York to the Promised Land.

It almost seemed like Sabathia's ability and talents were forgotten. Maybe we took it for granted, or maybe we forgot because of the consistency he shows on a game-by-game basis or maybe we remembered what he has done in the past two postseasons posting a 6.23 and 5.63 ERA.

Nevertheless, his domination in the Orioles series puts a stone in our mind that says he is still capable of leading the Yankees to a World Series victory. 

Because he's still that guy. He's still that franchise ace who you can give the ball to in Game 7 of the World Series with extreme confidence despite some struggles in postseason play. 

Sabathia pitched 17.2 innings in the ALDS, allowing three runs on 12 hits. Both were victories. With all the hitting New York carries and the attention Alex Rodriguez is receiving, people forget that Sabathia will have quite possibly the biggest impact of them all.

Starting pitching is magnified in postseason play because one bad start could end the season, but one great start could get you one step closer to the Promised Land.

Sabathia struggled in 2010 and 2011 and the Yankees were bounced from postseason play. However, in 2009, when the Yankees won the World Series, Sabathia returned to that ace form going 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA.

That's the guy New York needs to win a World Series. That's the guy we have seen through two games this postseason.

That's the guy we are going to see moving forward.