Yankees GM Brian Cashman acknowledges his ace, CC Sabathia, has shed a little of his 300-plus pound frame following off-season knee surgery. But 30 pounds? He'd swear on a stack of double bacon cheeseburgers that the widely-publicized number is a big, fat fabrication.
"I don't believe it,'' Cashman said. "I saw him (last week) at the B.A.T. dinner and he didn't look like he lost 30 pounds to me. Maybe half that amount. We haven't weighed him so I don't now where that number comes from.''
The 6-7 Sabathia's weight--currently listed as 309 -- has been an issue throughout his career. As they do every off-season, the Yankees "advised'' Sabathia to trim down, advice that took on added importance after Sabathia had arthroscopic surgery in October to repair a small meniscus tear in his right knee.
"He obviously has worked very hard to rehab his knee and he's lost some weight, but he's still around 300 pounds,'' Cashman said."Clearly, he's a tremendous athlete and he can handle it , but it has to be managed so it doesn't become a problem. I just think 30 pounds would have been a lot more noticeable.''
Sabathia, along with every Yankee reporting to camp on Monday, will be weighed in as part of a routine pre-season physical, and then periodically throughout training camp. "So we'll find out the truth on Monday,'' Cashman said.
'