Choke Choke Sabathia

So CC Sabathia certainly started his Yankee career with a bang... as in "I dropped the soap in the Em City shower and Chris Merloni banged me in the ---." I cant' really say I'm surprised by his 4.1 inning, 6 earned run, 5 walk and 0 strikeout performance. The guy has never been a big game pitcher, as evidenced by his career 7.92 ERA in the post-season and 13.50 ERA in the All Star Game.

During the regular season with the under-the-radar Indians Sabathia was Cy-Young incredible. During the last half of the 2008 regular season last year with the even lower-key Brewers Sabathia was the best pitcher on the planet. That's all well and good, except that the team that forked over $161 million to make Sabathia their new ace is the most over-the-radar (?) team ever. Every game the Yankees play is a huge, post-season caliber affair. They pack stadiums wherever they go, and those road fans are gonna be hurling boos at Sabathia like the Toronto fans hurl baseballs at Curtis Granderson. The Yankees fans are loud too, and they're only gonna cheer for CC for about as long as it takes for him to not strike out the side in the first inning against Cleveland on April 16th - the day the Bronx opens it's purty new Yankees Stadium. As if that's not going to be a big game atmosphere. The Yankees might as well throw Sabathia to the dogs (and Brian Cashman, while they're at it).

Sabathia's horrendous performances under big game pressure has me thinking about some other famous choke artists.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: It take so long for the players to utter the name of their team to Boston sportswriters, they're simply out of breath by the time they are asked to actually play the Red Sox in the Division Series.

Rocky Balboa: So they made a movie about this supposedly talented boxer and they give him an unbelievable chance at the heavyweight title...and he goes and loses?! Damn you Stallone, you've foiled me again!

A-Rod: Too easy...

Tony Romo: Yea there was that fumbled snap back in January '07, and yea he hasn't brought the 'Boys to a conference championship game, but his worst offense: of all the women he had his choice of he goes and picks the one famous beauty who was destined to become just another stupid fat chick.

Kelly Wiglesworth: You just had to abandon the Tagis didn't you. You were the most physically dominant contestant in the first season of Survivor and you still couldn't save the world from making an old naked fat man famous. Thanks.

The Southern United States: I mean, come on. Slavery, the Civil War, pork rinds... you guys have dropped the ball just a few too many times. Worst offense? Helping make a world destroyer president...again...after seeing the economy of our nation already begin to collapse underneath us.

Image courtesy of NY Times