5 Greatest Cleveland Indians Since 1990
5- SP C.C. Sabathia
Time in Cleveland- (2001-2008)
The Indians drafted C.C. Sabathia 20th overall in the 1998 MLB Draft, and they didn’t regret it.
In eight seasons with the club Sabathia, won 106 games with an earned run average of 3.83. The lefty hurler ranks fifth in strikeouts in team history (1,265). He was named to three All-Star teams and won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award, leading the league in wins and games started in the process.
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Sabathia was the definition of an ace for the Tribe. The exhilarating run to the American League Championship Series in 2007 remains the bright spot for the organization in the past decade. Despite his lackluster performance in the postseason, Sabathia was vital to the team’s regular season success.
Even though the organization as a whole didn’t enjoy 90s-like success during Sabathia’s tenure, he remains the team’s best pitcher since 1990.
Midway through the 2008 season he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Matt LaPorta (flop) and Michael Brantley.
We can thank Sabathia for Brantley.
Next: 4- OF Albert Belle