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Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Wednesday, September 03, 2008

We Say: Bob Lamb, Tribune outdoors editor/ golf writer, about Milwaukee Brewers’ pitcher CC Sabathia.

CC Sabathia is not only an outstanding pitcher, but an outstanding gentleman, too.

All one has to do is look at the one-hit, 7-0 victory he tossed for the Milwaukee Brewers against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Partisan Pirates fans, baseball writers, commentators in addition to millions of TV viewers, believe it was a “no-brainer.” Sabathia pitched a no-hitter. However, official scorer Bob Webb ruled otherwise.

The key play came in the fifth inning when Pirates’ Andy LaRoche’s slow grounder rolled about 45 feet between the plate and the mound before Sabathia picked it up barehanded, only to drop it. LaRoche, not the quickest player, crossed first base safely.

Webb explained that definition for an error requires standard effort and that it would have taken more than an ordinary effort for Sabathia to throw out LaRoche. Thus, it stands as the only hit in the game.

While fans, media, Brewers’ manager Ned Yost and his players disagreed with Webb’s decision, Sabathia accepted it with a smile in a post-game interview.

“The ball was still rolling and I probably should have picked it up with my glove. We probably wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Sabathia said. “It is what it is.”

What a tasteful way to soften the pain of Webb’s ruling.

Sabathia quickly changed the subject, saying he was just happy the Brewers won the game and got the sweep.

Now that’s class.