CC Sabathia, a recent inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame, expressed his thrill at welcoming former New York Yankees teammates Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltrán to Cooperstown. Jones and Beltrán are among the three newest members being inducted on Sunday, joining Jeff Kent.
Sabathia, who played with Jones in 2011 and 2012 and with Beltrán from 2014 to 2016, described them as "Hall of Fame-caliber players." He highlighted Jones's early career impact, noting that watching him in the 1996 World Series as a teenager was a significant inspiration.
"Andruw is someone, I always tell the story, he was an inspiration to me," Sabathia said at a Hall of Fame signing event. "Having a chance to watch him in the ’96 World Series, I was 16 years old. He was 18, and in my mind, I’m thinking I’m going to be in the big leagues as a teenager, just watching him. So that inspiration I got from him was great, and I’m just excited that he’s here."
Of Beltrán, Sabathia recalled him as "probably one of the smartest baseball players I ever played with. Great teammate, very thoughtful." He added that both players "definitely deserve" their place in Cooperstown.
Sabathia, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame a year ago, also spoke about the sense of brotherhood among Hall of Famers, mentioning advice he received from Reggie Jackson. He described the induction weekend as a "great" and "exciting" experience.
Later this season, Sabathia will be honored by the Yankees when his number 52 is retired and a plaque is dedicated to him at Monument Park. "We’re excited to be part of the Yankee family forever," Sabathia said. "Having a chance to go to Monument Park is beyond humbling, so just excited to have a chance to, every time I go to the stadium, see my number up there."
Baseball continues to be a family affair for Sabathia, as his son Carsten was recently drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers and signed with the team on Tuesday, a welcome birthday gift for his father.