Cleveland agrees to deal starter C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee for prospects

[Auggie]

ESPN: The Brewers, who are seeking their first playoff appearance since 1982, and the last-place Cleveland Indians agreed in principle to a deal for the reigning AL Cy Young on Sunday, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. The deal is contingent on paperwork being finished.

Cleveland would get highly touted outfield prospect Matt LaPorta, who is hitting .288 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 84 games for Double-A Huntsville, and others. The other players do not include top prospects Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel, according to the Journal Sentinel.

A source told ESPN Insider Keith Law the deal does include pitcher Rob Bryson, who is 3-2 with 4.25 ERA this season with low-A affiliate West Virginia. Pitcher Zach Jackson, from Triple-A affiliate Nashville, and a fourth player to be named later round out the package, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Sabathia went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA to win the AL Cy Young last season and would give the Brewers another power pitcher to pair with Ben Sheets as Milwaukee, which is second in National League standings behind the Chicago Cubs, tries to make the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3475667

Sabathia is a potent hitter too. Enjoy, Brewers fans, while you got him.

Question is, did Cleveland get enough in return?

[hughee99]

1. Assuming Cleveland was not going to be able to (or willing to) resign him...

I think they did pretty well. Given all the injuries they had, I think they're out of it this season. If they wait a few weeks, they may get a better offer, but the number of bidders may also go down. As I understand it, LaPorta is one of the top prospects in all of baseball, so to get him instead of a potential compensation pick (I think it's a "sandwich" pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds) for losing C.C. to free agency is probably a pretty good deal.

[Auggie]

2. LaPorta is in Double A

Might have been nice to bring up someone a month from now and see what they have. LaPorta can't help them until next year. But with the injuries... well, I guess I just argued your point.

I'm not complaining -- this anemic team needs power in the corners something bad. I hope it works out.

[hughee99]

3. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw him before the end of the year.

If they fall far enough out, I can see them bringing him up in August to get him started for next year. Cleveland's had a shitty run of injuries with Hafner, Martinez, Westbrook and Carmona that has effectively killed their season. Good bounce-back year for Cliff Lee, though.

[many a good man]

4. CC choked against the Sox last year

He had a really nice year last year but if the post season counted he never would've made Cy Young. He lost two games in the ALCS, which should have humbled him some. Instead, he turns down $18M a year. Cleveland has been very good to him.

Hopefully this will wind up as well as the Bartolo Colon deal did for Shapiro (Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, and Brandon Phillips). Time will tell.

The bigger question is where will CC play next year? It's possible he'll be back in Cleveland. I think the winning bidder needs to give up four draft picks. I'm happy for Milwaukee.