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Even great MLB pitchers rarely make it past 15 seasons, especially in the modern era. CC Sabathia, however, slung it for 19 electric seasons, becoming one of the most dominant and durable lefties of his generation. But even Sabathia couldn\u2019t outrun Father Time forever, and in 2019, it was time to hang up his cleats<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, as they celebrate the Yankees retiring CC\u2019s iconic No. 52, Sabathia and his wife, Amber, are reflecting on life after MLB<\/a> and how they\u2019re giving back to their community through the PitCCh In Foundation.<\/p>\n The Sabathias started PitCCh In in 2008, during a major period of transition for the family. CC was in the middle of a major free agency decision and didn\u2019t know which city he would call home next. What he did know was that he wanted to start giving back.<\/p>\n \u201cCC had already donated monetarily to our hometown of Vallejo, but we wanted to make sure the money we were donating was going to the right places and making true change,\u201d Amber Sabathia tells Entrepreneur<\/em>. \u201cStarting the foundation seemed the only way to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Having grown up in a Boys & Girls Club, CC has always had a special place in his heart for organizations that help kids through sports<\/a> and education. That experience helped shape PitCCh In\u2019s mission: enriching the lives of youth through educational and athletic activities.<\/p>\n Despite the demands of his playing career, CC says he was always heavily involved with PitCCh In, even jokingly referring to the foundation as his \u201cfifth child.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always just kind of been a part of our family,\u201d the Hall of Famer says to Entrepreneur<\/em>. \u201cSo it was easy to kind of just integrate that part of our lives, have more time, you know, in retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n For Amber, the foundation was never a side project or a sudden idea. Giving back had been part of their conversations for years, with a focus on making a tangible impact<\/a> rather than simply writing checks.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was not a sudden idea,\u201d Amber says. \u201cGiving back was something we had talked about for years. The conversations were about what kind of impact we wanted to have: not just writing checks, but really showing up for kids and their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n Today, PitCCh In has three signature programs designed to equip young people with the tools they need to succeed both in school and on the field: the All-Star Baseball Clinic, Youth Backpack Program and Field Renovations. The foundation also hosts charitable events, including the Sabathia Shootout, which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary.<\/p>\n The Golf Classic has become one of PitCCh In\u2019s signature fundraisers, bringing together many of the relationships CC has built throughout his career across sports and entertainment. This year\u2019s participants included Michael Strahan, Angie Martinez, J.R. Smith, Gary Sheffield, Ja Rule, Matt Barnes, Dellin Betances and more. According to CC, Matt Barnes put together a strong showing on the course.<\/p>\n But while the celebrity golf event helps raise money<\/a> and brings together some of CC\u2019s famous friends, he\u2019s most proud of the relationships he\u2019s built with the kids and communities PitCCh In serves.<\/p>\n \u201cThe time that we\u2019re able to spend with the kids, seeing the kids every single year from different Boys & Girls Clubs, from our Christmas caravans to our field renovations,\u201d CC says. \u201cWe have a lot of different volunteers with the Bronx Knights and different things, and just seeing the kids grow over the years has been the coolest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n While CC may no longer be on the mound, Amber has kept the family close to the game. In 2021, two years after CC\u2019s retirement, she became a baseball agent with CAA Sports, bringing a unique perspective to the business.<\/p>\n \u201cLiving through CC\u2019s career taught me the human side of the business: what a trade feels like for a family, what free agency does to a household, how much trust matters between a player and the people advising him,\u201d Amber explains. \u201cI lived every high and low alongside him, so I understand what players and their families are going through in a way you cannot learn from a book.\u201d<\/p>\n That experience gave her a head start, but it didn\u2019t mean she could simply step into the role. Amber still had to learn the technical side of the business, from contract structures and the CBA to the mechanics of negotiation. More importantly, she quickly learned that being an agent requires just as much listening as negotiating.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a player\u2019s wife, I thought I understood the job, but being the advisor is different,\u201d Amber shares. \u201cYou\u2019re helping someone make decisions that affect their family, their future, and their legacy. The trust players place in you is humbling, and I don\u2019t take it lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n For Amber, that trust goes both ways. Loyalty has become a major part of how she approaches her relationships with clients.<\/p>\n \u201cMy clients are loyal to me, and for that respect, I go hard for them each day,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m excited for the future of my clients and the careers they have ahead. Being a part of that is an honor.\u201d<\/p>\n With Sabathia\u2019s jersey retirement by the Yankees on September 26, PitCCh In is likely to get an added dose of attention. But even with the spotlight on CC, he\u2019s quick to put the foundation\u2019s mission ahead of his own accomplishments.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t plan stuff around, you know, getting accolades,\u201d CC says. \u201cIt\u2019s just whatever\u2019s best for the kids, whatever can work for their schedule and our schedule, and whatever works best for PitCCh In. A lot of stuff that\u2019s been coinciding, which has been great. But it\u2019s not anything we consciously do.\u201d<\/p>\n Sabathia may have had a legendary playing career<\/a>, but he\u2019s clearly comfortable with whatever comes next.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAll of this stuff has just kind of been coming, you know. It kind of is what it is,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a blessing to have this stuff come. In retirement<\/a>, you play a long time, and you would hope people will recognize your career. So it\u2019s been a lot of fun to have this stuff. I know my kids are tired of celebrations, but it\u2019s been a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Even great MLB pitchers rarely make it past 15 seasons, especially in the modern era. CC Sabathia, however, slung it for 19 electric seasons, becoming one of the most dominant and durable lefties of his generation. But even Sabathia couldn\u2019t outrun Father Time forever, and in 2019, it was time to hang up his cleats<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now, as they celebrate the Yankees retiring CC\u2019s iconic No. 52, Sabathia and his wife, Amber, are reflecting on life after MLB<\/a> and how they\u2019re giving back to their community through the PitCCh In Foundation.<\/p>\n The Sabathias started PitCCh In in 2008, during a major period of transition for the family. CC was in the middle of a major free agency decision and didn\u2019t know which city he would call home next. What he did know was that he wanted to start giving back.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nFrom pitching for the Yankees to swinging for charity\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Turning experience into expertise<\/h2>\n
The next chapter\u00a0<\/h2>\n