CC Sabathia says he’ll wear Yankees hat on Baseball Hall of Fame plaque: ‘I found a home in the Bronx’

CC Sabathia will go into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a New York Yankees hat on his plaque. Sabathia learned of his election on Tuesday and soon after confirmed his intentions to go into Cooperstown this summer as a Yankee. 

Here’s Sabathia explaining his choice: 

As Sabathia notes, he spent time with two other organizations – Cleveland, which first drafted him as a first-rounder back in 1998, and the Brewers, with whom he spent part of the 2008 season after a deadline trade brought him to Milwaukee. However, he spent more time with the Yankees (11 seasons) than he did in Cleveland and Milwaukee combined (7.5 seasons with the now-Guardians and that half season with the Brewers). As well, Sabathia put up a WAR of 29.4 with the Yankees versus 27.5 with Cleveland and 4.5 with the Brewers. Of his 251 career wins, 134 came with New York. His 2009 World Series ring also came as a member of the Yankees. 

While all of that makes sense, the choice isn’t ultimately up to Sabathia. Our resident Hall of Fame maven Matt Snyder recently explored this very issue. Here’s what Jon Shestakofsky, Baseball Hall of Fame vice president of communications and content, told CBS Sports about the issue of deciding which team is represented on a Hall of Famer’s plaque: 

“The Hall of Fame provides guidance to each new inductee as to which logo, if any, may be represented on the cap of his plaque. While the Hall of Fame has the final say as to which logo is depicted, we work with the electee to reach an appropriate conclusion that accurately reflects the new electee’s career in the game. All teams, however, are listed in the text of the plaque.” “The Hall of Fame provides guidance to each new inductee as to which logo, if any, may be represented on the cap of his plaque,” Jon Shestakofsky, Baseball Hall of Fame vice president of communications and content, told CBS Sports. “While the Hall of Fame has the final say as to which logo is depicted, we work with the electee to reach an appropriate conclusion that accurately reflects the new electee’s career in the game. All teams, however, are listed in the text of the plaque.” 

Duly noted. Sabathia’s preferences are clear, though, and it’s hardly an illogical stance on his part. In other words, expect the Yankees to be represented on Sabathia’s plaque once it’s unveiled at his induction this summer.