Brewers look for big payoff

Sabathia makes Milwaukee a heavyweight contender

MILWAUKEE - With one XXL-sized move, the Milwaukee Brewers hope to transform themselves from scrappy underdogs to a big, bad pitching powerhouse intent on chasing down the Chicago Cubs and making the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

The Brewers obtained AL Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia in a trade with the Cleveland Indians yesterday, giving up four prospects in a gamble that favors the present over the future.

"I'd say we're going for it," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. "That's the way I look at it."

The deal stacks the Brewers' deck with a pair of aces, Sabathia and Ben Sheets - but only for a few months. Barring blockbuster contract offers from a small-market team that already is stretching this year's payroll into the $90 million range, both players will become free agents after the season.

But Sabathia - 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA, although Cleveland scored two runs or fewer in 11 of his 18 starts - said that's a concern for the offseason. Right now, he's just trying to blend in and get back to having fun on the mound, something he didn't do in the postseason last year.

"If anybody's ever seen me pitch, I'm out there laughing and having fun," said the 6-foot-7-inch, 290-pound Sabathia, who went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA last season but lost two games to Boston in the ALCS. "That's just me, and that's something that I didn't do last year. When we get to the playoffs, I'll definitely be doing that."

Still, the deal hardly assures the Brewers an easy road to the postseason. Milwaukee is a half-game behind St. Louis, which has the second-best record in the NL. Both teams are chasing the Chicago Cubs, who are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.

For Cleveland, it's a sign of surrender hardly anyone would have imagined going into the season. Indians GM Mark Shapiro said the team's string of injuries and disappointing performances made it hard to imagine a significant second-half rally.

Sabathia arrived in Milwaukee before last night's game against Colorado and is scheduled to pitch against the Rockies tonight. He also is expected to pitch against Cincinnati Sunday, giving him a pair of starts for his new team at home leading into the All-Star break.

Milwaukee sent Cleveland outfielder Matt LaPorta, pitchers Rob Bryson and Zach Jackson, and a player to be named. The Indians, who fell one win shy of getting to the World Series last year, are in need of power-hitting corner outfielders and LaPorta could help there. He hit .288 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 84 games for Double A Huntsville.