How a Fully Healthy CC Sabathia Affects the Yankees in the Second Half

In first three seasons as a New York Yankee, CC Sabathia has gone 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA—giving the "Bombers" exactly what they had hoped for when they signed him in 2008.

The first half of 2012 had been much more of the same for the workhorse as he went 9-3 with a 3.45 ERA.  He accomplished that in spite of missing his last two starts before the All-Star break with a strained left groin.

On Tuesday, his first start back from the DL, Sabathia showed exactly how he will contribute to the Yankees run in the second half of the season.  With six strong innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, the ace exhibited brilliant control as well as strong velocity while striking out six batters and yielding no runs.

Going forward, manager Joe Girardi will stretch his valuable southpaw's outings, gradually letting Sabathia get back to his 100-pitch, eight-plus inning games. As he does so, there are a few ways the big lefty will affect the club going forward.

Rest for the Bullpen

While Tuesday's game isn't representative of it (Girardi is easing his "ace" back into his normal workload), once at full strength there are few starting pitchers in the major leagues capable of going as deep into games as Sabathia.  In his previous five seasons, Sabathia has thrown for at least 230 innings and has averaged 7.1 IP per game.

Having a starter on the mound that will take you into the eighth inning every fifth day ensures that the Yankee manager can rest his bullpen favorites like Boone Logan, Cody Eppley, and Clay Rapada.

Since none of the other starters is averaging more than a little over six innings pitched per game (with Hughes and Garcia averaging less than six), the three middle inning relievers have seen more than their share of work.

CC gives the bullpen a very welcome breather.

Stability

In addition to his ability to go deep into games, Sabathia provides the Yankees with a stabilizing force in the rotation.

Over the three and a half years he has been in pinstripes, Sabathia holds a 69-26 record.  Only Whitey Ford had a better stretch for the Bombers. 

His success all but ensures that the team will never experience a long losing streak.  To that point, four of CC's 10 wins this season have followed a Yankee loss, and another four extended win streaks of three or more games.

The big left-handed innings-eater will continue to provide New York with their "rock in the rotation" in the second half of the season.

Legitimate "Ace"

When Andy Pettitte went down with a broken ankle on the day that Sabathia was put on the disabled list, the New York Yankees not only lost their two most consistent pitchers, but they also lost their most experienced ones.  The two hurlers combined for 29 years of MLB experience.

Now that Sabathia is back, so too is the valuable veteran leadership that had been missing for two weeks.  Other than Pettitte, only Freddy Garcia has more major league experience than the Yankees' number one starter in the rotation.  Garcia, however is only being used as a stop-gap starter until Pettitte's return and certainly can't be counted upon like Sabathia.

In the postseason, Sabathia ranks second on the team (to Pettitte of course) in both games started and wins.

For a second half run to a division title, and to October playoff series, the Yankees need a legitimate "ace" leading the way.

As a perennial All-Star and former Cy Young award winner, Sabathia holds all the criteria necessary to be just that.

Given the way the second half of 2012 has begun for the boys from the Bronx, it would appear that CC Sabathia has already raised his game to carry the team forward.  That is something that a team's "ace" does best.