Arizona Police, K-9 Escorted out of Yankees Clubhouse After Autograph Request
May 2, 2019
It's not every day someone has the chance to get an autograph from one of only 17 pitchers in Major League Baseball history to reach 3,000 strikeouts, and one sheriff deputy of a K-9 unit in Arizona was reportedly reprimanded for capitalizing on his chance.
According to Randy Miller of NJ.com, the sheriff approached New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia in the Bronx Bombers' visiting clubhouse at Chase Field on Wednesday morning after the southpaw recorded the 3,000th strikeout of his career during Tuesday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He asked for an autograph for his son and did the same to shortstop Gleyber Torres.
While Sabathia signed for him, Yankees official Mark Kafalas eventually escorted the two deputies and their K-9 German Shepard from the clubhouse.
"It's taboo for working clubhouse visitors to ask for autographs," Miller explained even though the sheriff who asked said his boss told him it was fine if he was "discreet."
Sabathia made history as just the third left-handed pitcher and 17th pitcher in MLB history with 3,000 strikeouts when he struck out catcher John Ryan Murphy in Tuesday's contest.
The likely future Hall of Famer now has a Cy Young, World Series title, six All-Star Game appearances and two officers removed from the clubhouse on his resume.