CC Sabathia earned first-ballot election to the Baseball Hall of Fame this past winter, an honor that seemed to be tearing at the seams midway through his Yankees career. The Sabathia of 2013, '14, and '15 posted ERAs above 4.70 each season, and he hadn't just approached a career crossroads at the age of 34, but seemed to have already chosen the wrong direction. He was in need of restorative guidance. A teacher the whole way, he required mentorship himself. He was humbled, and missed the 2015 postseason to address his looming personal demons.
When he emerged, he was regenerated, adding three more legacy seasons and the 3,000th strikeout of his career onto his portfolio.