I've been a Yankees fan for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Westchester County, New York, just 45 minutes north of "The House That Ruth Built," I've been privileged to witness more on-field success in my 22 years than most fans witness in an entire lifetime.
A high point of my fandom came in 2009, when the Bronx Bombers christened the new Yankee Stadium with their 27th World Series title. An integral part of that championship team was ace pitcher CC Sabathia, who, fresh off a seven-year, $182 million deal, won 19 games during the regular season, and three of his four playoff starts.
Sabathia became a fan favorite, anchoring a pitching staff that seemed in perpetual flux, with young pitchers and veteran free agents filling countless rotation spots. Sabathia remained the lone constant, and if there's one thing fans appreciate, it's durability, consistency, and loyalty to one's club. Sabathia exhibited those qualities along with a fierce competitive nature that made him the personification of "Pinstripe Pride."
That pride was tested when news broke on Monday that Sabathia had checked himself into an alcohol rehab facility, and would miss the Yankees' entire postseason run.
"It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right," Sabathia said in a statement. "I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player."
I was shocked to learn of Sabathia's substance abuse struggles. I'm also saddened that he has to leave his teammates just when they should be coming together for a playoff run. However, I realize that alcoholism is a disease that is bigger than the game of baseball. As much as I would love to see Sabathia pitch this year, I applaud him for taking this issue head on, putting the health and well-being of himself and his family above all else.
Yet, despite the outpouring of support for Sabathia on social media, there was a fair amount of backlash to the announcement, which ranged from crude jokes to all out vitriol.
From this guy, who puts a game above an individual's health:
To this troll, who believes alcohol was the culprit for Sabathia's on-field woes:
And who can forget this genius, who apparently thinks one can control when their addiction manifests?
I frankly couldn't understand the hate for Sabathia on social media. Sure, knee injuries have plagued the left-hander for the better part of two seasons, and fans may see this news as an outlet for their frustrations. However, those injuries pale in comparison to the devastation that alcohol abuse wrecks on one's physical and mental psyche.
Against my better judgment, I wanted to see how widespread this contempt had spread. I scrolled through a bit of Facebook reactions when I heard the news. I came across some snarky, insensitive comments like, "So, should we called him AA Sabathia?" (swapping the "CC" for the "AA" of Alcoholics Anonymous) or "The Yankees' play would make me drink too." It's the cringe worthy comments like "we should send him to fat camp," or "good, probably why he sucked on the mound all season" that were truly reprehensible.
I couldn't fathom how people could sink so low. Here was a man, at arguably the lowest point in his career, if not his life, and people still find ways to cut him down further. When you attack the man himself, it's not simply a matter of venting frustration, or belittling his fans. When you belittle Sabathia himself, safe in the anonymity that the Internet provides, you are truly exposing yourself as a disrespectful coward, hating on someone in the midst of making the toughest decision of their life.
As Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman eloquently stated, "What he's dealing with, it's a life issue. It's bigger than the game we're playing tomorrow."
Perhaps these hate-spewing "fans" should take Cashman's statement to heart. Sabathia is trying to improve his life. Perhaps you stop ridiculing him for dealing his life issues, and start dealing with your own.