CC Sabathia’s job description in his new role with MLB includes many bullet points, from key DEI responsibilities to efforts to increase youth participation in baseball. But in the aftermath of the offseason work stoppage, Sabathia’s background as a 19-year big leaguer -- and an outspoken one at that -- is especially critical as he begins in his role as assistant to Commissioner Rob Manfred. Sabathia’s role is a new one that was developed specifically for him.
“It’s always been fine,” Sabathia told SBJ on Thursday of his relationship with Manfred. “It’s always been cordial and great. But then the last couple of months, it’s gotten a lot better. I’ve had a chance to talk to him and that’s something that I’ve been talking to the players about since I’ve had the chance to sit down with him, is you’ve got to sit down with him and have a conversation.”
The 41-year-old Sabathia will work from MLB HQ in N.Y. and said he intends to act as a bridge between the players and commissioner’s office. “Having that relationship with those players and being able to talk to them, and then maybe bring some of those ideas here, is the goal,” Sabathia said.
Shortly after the league’s owners and its players reached a new collective bargaining agreement that ended MLB’s 99-day lockout in March, Manfred admitted that he had been unsuccessful in maintaining a good relationship with the players. Sabathia said, “I’ve been wanting our league to run like the NBA and how close Adam Silver is with the players and how big the players’ opinion matters in the game. You see the changes that the (NBA) makes all the time and the players are on board with it. I’ve been the biggest advocate for this type of situation. So it was either put up or shut up.”
