"Today I am checking myself into an alcohol rehabilitation center to receive the professional care and assistance needed to treat my disease," Sabathia said in a statement. "I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series. It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player."

The Yankees host the Houston Astros in the AL wild-card game on Tuesday night.

"As difficult as this decision is to share publicly, I don't want to run and hide," Sabathia said. "But for now please respect my family's need for privacy as we work through this challenge together."

Doc Ellis!!!!

This guy must have messed up cuz its a hell of a time to go to rehab! Jeeze, either something embarrassing or maybe team was not going to roster him for playoffs and the embarrassment would have taken him over the edge.

These contracts are messing these guys up. Why not just retire, get sober and not deal with the mindphuch of living up to the contract anymore? Dude got old, body broke down and now its time to take kids to school, buy a car dealership and have some fun. Dude had a great career and if NOW drinking is a problem then change ones life. Seems like he gonna sober up, lose weight, maybe not be a drunk dick to his family and make that comeback and FINISH THE CONTRACT!!! Hey, its a lot of scratch but if going to work is making you a drunk, then its time to move on!!!!

GustavBahler wrote:Much respect to Sabathia for not waiting until his problem got so out of contol that it made the headlines by itself.

Good point. At the same time...OMFG re: timing.

But one man's life crisis = another man's golden opportunity. I vote for Luis to take that spot in the rotation, and would like to suggest that he earned it.