MLB Playoffs 2011: Was Monday Night's Game CC Sabathia's Last as a Yankee?

Monday night brought panic to the New York Yankees faithful. The Yankees sent their best pitcher to the mound, CC Sabathia, only to come up empty handed in Detroit.

Now down 2-1 in the ALDS to the Tigers, the Yankees send A.J. Burnett to the hill tonight with their backs against the wall. Yankee Nation has to be a bit unsettled with the unstable Burnett guiding the ship in Detroit, to say the least.

The Yankees facing elimination brings many thoughts to mind, but mainly: was Monday night's game the last game for CC Sabathia in a Yankee uniform?

He is signed with the Yankees through 2015, but he can opt out after this season, which could end today.

Will Sabathia opt out? Well, after three years in the Bronx, he's 59-23 with a 3.18 ERA and a World Series ring in his time. Sabathia is also 5-1 in 10 playoff starts with the Yanks. He's done his part.

The problem is the Yankees don't have much in terms of a supporting cast for Sabathia. 

A.J. Burnett has been mediocre at best in New York, posting a 34-35 record with a 4.79 ERA in the same amount of time with the team as Sabathia. He was supposed to be Robin to Sabathia's Batman. So far it hasn't worked out, as Burnett is only 1-2 in six playoff starts for the Yankees.

As for the others—sure, Ivan Nova is a fantastic rookie, amassing 16 victories and winning Game 1 of this series, but one wonders if that success can be repeated next season.

After all, let's not forget the sudden success and failure of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Those guys were supposed to be the next big things for the Yankees. Instead, the Yankees got by on the likes of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia this season. 

The Yankees are an aging team with a payroll of $207 million this season. They've always been known to spend the most, but how much do they have left? Every year they don't win it all proves that money doesn't but happiness—or championships.

Sabathia has a tough decision to make this upcoming offseason. He's scheduled to make nearly $100 million over the next four seasons with the Yankees. He'll turn it all down if he feels that his chances of winning are greater elsewhere.