Sabathia Passes Pedro for 3rd on Wins List

Springfield (AP) – Entering the 2002 NASBL free agent draft, the Springfield Isotopes were two years removed from NASBL’s first expansion draft, had yet to post a winning record in NASBL and had two picks in the 1st round. In this draft the Topes selected a pitcher who in Block 3 passed Pedro Martinez for third place on the all time wins list.

Holding the 2nd pick in the draft, Topes GM Doug Sherlag hoped that he was drafting his future ace in when he selected Barry Zito. It looked like this was the case, as Zito went an astounding 59-24 in his first three years with the Topes.

Little did Sherlag know that the Topes’ next first round selection would prove to be the long-term ace that the Topes were looking for. After the Springfield Isotopes selected C.C. Sabathia with its 2nd first round pick in the 2002 NASBL draft, Sabathia started his NASBL career rather inauspiciously posting a 10-7 record with a 4.95 ERA in his rookie campaign for the Topes. During his 2nd season for the Topes, Sabathia seemed on the verge of stardom, posting a strong 15-9 record with a 4.28 ERA. However, Sabathia took a significant step back during the 2004 campaign, posting a 9-11 record with a 6.04 ERA.

After the 2004 season, GM Doug Sherlag decided to deal one of his first round pitchers from the 2002 draft and anoint an ace. In a shocking move at the time, during the off-season the Topes dealt Barry Zito and handed the ball to Sabathia on Opening Day of the 2005 NASBL season. “People thought we were crazy, but our scouts thought that C.C. was special and that Zito was over performing. I put my faith in our scouts and made what ended up being a great deal for the Topes,” opines Sherlag.

Things looked dicey when C.C. went 10-10 with a 5.10 ERA in 2005, but after that season, Sabathia hasn’t looked back. Since 2005, Sabathia has gone 115-50 with a 3.88 ERA in 1421.7 innings for Springfield and won the 2007 Cy Young Award. If C.C. can keep up his recent pace, he projects to pass up Randy Johnson for the all time leader in career wins in three-four more years, which should guarantee C.C. a plaque in the NASBL Hall of Fame.

“I couldn’t be prouder of C.C. and I can tell you this…he’s not going anywhere. It is our goal to have C.C. retire as a Tope” said Sherlag.