Sabathia says he's ready to keep opening-day job

If it happens, this will be his fourth year to open the season.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) -- A bruised C.C. Sabathia, after tossing 50 pitches in a bullpen session Friday, said he's ready to keep his opening day starting assignment Monday for the Cleveland Indians against the White Sox in Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field.
The left-hander was hit on the left forearm Wednesday by a drive off the bat of the Toronto Blue Jays' Reed Johnson. Sabathia was taken to a hospital for examination, but no break was found. He still had a bruise just above his left wrist Friday.
"Once you get it in your head that it's not broken, you feel better about it," he said.
Sabathia was able to play catch as well as complete his normal bullpen session.
He will be limited to 110 pitches in Chicago. He was 12-11 with a 3.22 ERA last season, the third best ERA in the American League. He is 81-56 over five seasons with Cleveland.
If Sabathia were not able to pitch Monday, the assignment would have gone to Jake Westbrook, slated as Cleveland's No. 2 starter.
Sabathia strained a muscle in his ribcage before his first spring-training game in 2005 and wasn't activated until April 17. Last year, Sabathia strained a muscle in his ribcage during the third inning on opening day and didn't return until May 2.
Given those experiences the last two springs, Sabathia said he is happy the situation this time wasn't worse.
"It was just a normal bullpen," Sabathia said. "Especially given my history down here the last couple years, I dodged a bullet. I'm just anxious to get the season going."
It will be his fourth opening day assignment for the Indians.
Contract talks
Discussions of a possible contract extension for Sabathia, who will be a free agent after the 2008 World Series, will have to wait until the end of the season, general manager Mark Shapiro said Friday.
He said the Indians could not reach agreement with Sabathia's agents on his value.
The team will continue to negotiate with Jake Westbrook and Travis Hafner.
Shapiro also said he'll wait until the end of the year to discuss a deal with manager Eric Wedge, who is in the final year of his contract.
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