CC Ya Next Year

Sabathia had many Yankee fans worried the top
of their rotation would be headed by someone
other than the 290-pounder in 2012.

Just hours before the deadline to opt-out of his current contract, CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees came to an agreement on a contract extension that keeps the husky left-handed in pinstripes through 2016 and possibly 2017.

With four years and $92 million remaining on Sabathia's seven-year $161 million deal he signed prior to the 2009 season, New York has added an extra year to the contract worth $25 million, including a vesting option worth the same mount in '17 with a $5 million buyout.

The extension now brings the 31-year-old's deal to five-years $122 million, still the highest paid pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Sabathia, who reportedly lost 25 pounds last offseason after cutting his beloved Cap' n Crunch out of his diet, is coming off another All-Star year in the Bronx, going 19-8 with a 3.00 earned run average in 237.1 innings. Although, the 2007 Cy Young Award winner struggled in the season's final two months with a 3-3 recorded, 4.30 ERA and opponents hit at a .314 clip against him. That continued in the postseason as Sabathia allowed 6 earned runs in his 8.2 innings, accumulating to a 6.30 ERA.

Despite that, the California native has enjoyed three fantastic seasons under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium that includes being named the '09 ALCS MVP and his first World Series title.

Last season Sabathia became a 20-game winner for the first time in his career, winning 21 games in an American League leading 34 starts. His 59 wins since becoming a Yankee are the second only the Detroit Justin Verlander's 61 in that three-year span.

Sabathia recently built a home in Alpine, New Jersey and has said numerous times he loves pitching in New York, a love that ultimately meant him dawning the pinstripes for the long haul.

It's a decision that the organization and fans alike have been waiting for all season long. With their already thin starting rotation, New York could ill afford to lose an ace and workhorse like Sabathia, who has tossed plus innings each of the last five seasons.

With this deal, left-hander C.J. Wilson is thought to be the best free-agent starting pitcher on the market this winter, along with Mark Buehrle, Roy Oswalt and Japanese import Yu Darvish.

All whom could slide right into the No. 2 slot in the rotation behind Sabathia.

The five-time All-Star will be 36 when his contract expires and has an outside chance of becoming one of the next or the final 300-game winner in baseball. Sabathia currently ranks fourth on the active wins list with 176, but is the youngest of the bunch as the top three are all 34 or older.

Now, with Sabathia looking to continue etching his name in Yankee lore, their unsigned general manager can look to get his ace some help

Beckett Returning to Form

Beckett's competitive fire is what has made
him an ace over his career.

Boston Red Sox right-hander Josh Beckett is starting to look like his old self, coming off the worst year of his 11-year career in 2010.

The hard-throwing right-hander was one of many Red Sox hampered by injuries a year ago and only made 21 starts, compiling 127.1 innings during that time. To go along with those numbers, Beckett was 6-6 with a 5.78 earned run average and a horrific 1.54 WHIP.

Beckett has been one of the more consist parts of the 2011 Red Sox team after they have gotten out of gate rather slow, starting the year 12-15, last in the American League East.

Beckett started the season with a rocky start in Cleveland only going five innings, allowing four earned runs, while striking out and walking four a piece and was saddled with the loss.

Since that time, Beckett has started four other games, going 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA. He has held opponents to a .169 average and struck out 32 batters compared to just nine walks. The turn around came in his second start of the year on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball against the hated rival New York Yankees. Beckett's career numbers against New York were anything, but good heading into the start. He was 10-7 with a 6.26 ERA in 22 career starts.

The fact that the Red Sox have averaged 6.0 runs per game in those starts has help translate to a winning record.

Last season, Beckett was even worse against the Yankees, posting a 1-2 record with a 10.04 ERA. He also allowed nine of the 20 home runs he gave up in '10 to the Bronx Bombers and surrendered a .339 average.

His first start against them this season was much different.

Beckett tossed eight scoreless innings, allowing only two hits, while striking out 10 New York hitters. In his next two starts since then, Beckett went at least seven-plus innings and allowed two or fewer runs in both, striking out 14. In his most recent outing against the division rival Baltimore Orioles, he went six strong innings, but gave up four runs.

Only one conclusion can be drawn to Beckett's turn around and it belongs to team captain and longtime catcher Jason Varitek. Varitek is no longer the starting catcher in Boston and hasn't been the last two seasons, but is still one of the best game callers in Major League Baseball.

He might be the main reason why the Red Sox have seen this turn around with Beckett.

Varitek has caught Beckett four of his first five starts this season, posting a 2.17 ERA in those starts. The only start Varitek did not catch just so happens to be his only loss and worst start of the year against the Indians.

The veteran backstop is only batting .111 on the year, but his value to the Sox is so much more than offensive numbers and that is apparent with those statistics. Varitek is also the only catcher in Major League Baseball history to be behind the plate for four no-hitters and for that is highly regarded by his piers.

Beckett has put together a quite an impressive resume over his career and his ability to bounce back does not come as a surprise. The 6-foot-5 Texan was drafted first-round of the 1999 amateur draft by the Florida Marlins. Moving quickly through the system, Beckett was named America's Minor League Player of the Year back in 2001.

Shortly there after, he would go on and help the Marlins win their second World Series title in franchise history and would named the Most Valuable Player of the series, tossing a complete game shutout in the series-clinching Game 6 at Yankee Stadium back in 2003.

2007 was Beckett's best season statistically, winning a Major League-best 20 games and posting a 3.27 ERA. He would finish second in the AL Cy Young voting, losing out to Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia.

Although, Beckett would get the best of Sabathia that year in the postseason. With the Indians leading three games to one in the ALCS, the Sox would rally to win three straight to win the series, shocking Sabathia and Co.. It was that much sweeter for Beckett as the Red Sox beat Sabathia in the series' decisive seventh game.

Beckett would go on to help Boston sweep the Colorado Rockies in the World Series for their second championship in four years.

'Tek' as his teammates call him,
may be the secret behind
Beckett's resurgence.

The two-time All-Star would have a string of two consecutive Opening Day starts snapped earlier this season after manager Terry Francona decided to give left-hander Jon Lester the nod in Arlington to start the year.

Beckett has responded to the criticism with results and vengeance.

Since 2009, Beckett has struggled in the month of April, accumulating a 7.22 ERA. It was important for the Red Sox to see him to get off to a fast start and if he hadn't nobody knows where this team would be. Still only 30, Beckett is signed through the 2014 season after signing a contract extension prior to the of last season.

The Red Sox will need Beckett along with veteran John Lackey if they want to reach expectations they have set for themselves.

Once known as just a thrower, the Red Sox right-hander looks to have developed into a complete pitcher.

Beckett's next start is scheduled for Tuesday in Fenway Park against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a team he dominated April 21.

Watch out baseball, the hard throwing Texan looks to have returned, if he was ever gone.