2 days ago
Sabathia's son returns to Eastwood Field
NILES, Ohio (WKBN) — More than 25 years after CC Sabathia dominated on the mound for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, it was a Sabathia reunion of sorts out at Eastwood Field. This time, it's his son, Carsten, taking the field for the Trenton Thunder.
'He let me know as soon as he knew we were coming out here that he was the first one to get on that mound out here, so it's pretty special, man,' Carsten Sabathia III said.
After CC started for the Scrappers back in 1999 with a 1.83 earned run average in six starts, it now feels that in some ways, Carsten III is literally following in his dad's footsteps while playing at some of the same ballparks prior to his Major League career.
'Being able to play in Trenton, where he was able to make some rehab starts and playing out here and be in places that he was able to play is really cool for me and my family,' Sabathia III said. 'So it's truly a blessing. I've been enjoying it.'
Growing up around big league clubhouses with his Cy Young and World Series winning father gave him a front-row seat to the life of a ballplayer, even if he didn't fully grasp it at the time.
'I have a funny story. When I was young, I was in the back of the car and I asked him, you know, 'What do you do for a living?'' Sabathia III said. ''I know you play baseball sometimes, but now what do you do to make money?' And he was like, 'I play baseball' and I was like, that's pretty cool, I mean, it kind of blew my mind.'
Although this Sabathia isn't on the mound, the 6-foot-4 first baseman is still always learning from the former Cleveland and New York great.
'For me, it's always been dad, he tries to make sure of that. But being able to do what he does and kind of learn and take from his career has been super duper special,' Sabathia III said. 'You know, it's something that I'll always be grateful for.'
While most of that advice from dad is how pitchers will go after him in the box, CC still shows off those 3-career-home runs and where Carsten's sweet swing came from.
'He definitely makes sure to remind me that he can swing it, too,' Sabathia III said. 'Those videos are pulled up quite often.'
Carsten Sabathia III and the Thunder take on the Scrappers for game three of the series out at Eastwood Field on Thursday, June 12 at 7:05 p.m.
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