Joe Girardi Needs to Let CC Sabathia Be CC Sabathia and Let Him Pitch

Joe Girardi made several mistakes during last Sunday’s game against the Florida Marlins.   First, with $161 million ace CC Sabathia  telling him a half dozen times that he was fine, Girardi pulls CC after 1.2 innings due to some biceps fatigue. This was later diagnosed as biceps tendonitis, something that Sabathia said he has experienced during a bullpen session, but never during a game.   Girardi was likely thinking back to 2006 when, as manager of those same Marlins, he allowed Josh Johnson to continue pitching after an 82 minute rain delay *. Johnson ended up having Tommy John surgery in August 2007, and Girardi was blamed by many for that injury.   He was also blamed for the subsequent injury to Anibal Sanchez  (labrum) plus overusing the other rookie starters on that squad— Ricky Nolasco and Scott Olsen. Dontrelle Willis hasn't been exactly the same after that season, either.   * I never understood the removal of pitchers when a rain ... (link)