Teammates, fans and the pitcher himself excited about trade

By TOM HAUDRICOURT
thaudricourt@...
Posted: July 7, 2008

CC Sabathia expressed a somewhat unusual concern for a pitcher making
the switch from the American League to the National League.
98964Brewers/MLB

CC Sabathia will make his Brewers debut Tuesday night against the Rockies.


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"I'm more worried about my (batting) average going down," he said.

Yes, Milwaukee fans, the big left-hander can swing the bat a little,
sporting a career .300 batting average with two home runs and seven
runs batted in. But that's not why the Brewers acquired him in a
blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Indians.

The Brewers are counting on Sabathia's arm, not his bat, to lead them
to their first playoff berth since 1982. General manager Doug Melvin
offered a succinct reason Monday morning for his dogged pursuit of the
best pitcher available on the market.

"We're going for it," Melvin said.

Sabathia said he'd be more than happy to help the Brewers end that
drought, even if he bolts afterward for bigger dollars through free
agency. While expressing some sadness over leaving the Indians after
eight years with the club, the reigning American League Cy Young Award
winner said he was excited to join the surging Brewers.

"I know this is a good team," said Sabathia, who arrived in the late
afternoon and was introduced to local media before the Brewers' game
against Colorado at Miller Park. "And a good clubhouse, I hear."

Sabathia, 27, is expected to add to the team's chemistry,
well-documented as one of the best atmospheres in the majors. The
gentle giant - all 6 feet 7, 290 pounds of him - is beloved by
teammates, past and present.

"He gets along with everybody," said Brewers reliever David Riske, a
former teammate in Cleveland. "He'll fit in perfect. He has so much
respect for everyone, no matter who you are."

The Brewers' staff was impressed at how quickly Sabathia made his way
to Milwaukee after returning home from the Indians' weekend trip to
Minnesota. Sabathia said he wanted to join his new club as soon as
possible and will make his Milwaukee debut tonight against Colorado.

If the action at the Miller Park ticket offices meant anything, fans
overwhelmingly approve of the team's newest acquisition. The Brewers
sold more than 27,000 individual tickets Monday, nine times the usual
action , including 9,000 tickets for tonight's game.

When Sabathia was introduced to the crowd Monday night before the
bottom of the third inning, those in attendance rose for a prolonged,
standing ovation. He acknowledged the fans with a sheepish smile and wave.

With a near-sellout crowd expected tonight and expectations at an
all-time high for both the club and the pitcher, Sabathia was asked
how he'll keep himself grounded when he takes the mound wearing No. 52.

"I'm not going to say I'm not going to be excited, because I am," he
said. "But I know I have a job to do. Just go out and compete, stay
under control.

"I'm just coming in and trying to fit in and do my job. Baseball's
hard enough to play without added pressure. That's something that I
don't think about or worry about."

One of the first players Sabathia met in the clubhouse was first
baseman Prince Fielder, who at 5 feet 11 and 270 pounds is no longer
the biggest man on the roster.

"When I first walked in, he asked me if I needed to borrow some
(uniform) pants," Sabathia said. "He's probably the only guy with a
pair I'd fit in."

The primary reason Cleveland put Sabathia on the market was because he
turned down a four-year, $72 million offer for a contract extension
and said he didn't want to negotiate further. In baseball parlance, he
is considered a "rental," because he'll probably stay with the Brewers
only until the end of the season.

Asked where he stood on free agency after being traded, Sabathia said,
"Same place. It's hard enough to play this game as it is, let alone
any other distractions. I'll focus on that when it comes."

Sabathia said he expected to be traded, but he wasn't certain what his
new destination would be. When he learned the Brewers won the
sweepstakes with a package built around top prospect Matt LaPorta,
Sabathia said he smiled.

"When I found out Milwaukee had a chance to get me, I was excited
because I know some of the guys in the clubhouse and how good the team
is."

Melvin said several factors converged to prompt the pursuit of
Sabathia, who pushed the Brewers' payroll toward $90 million with the
remainder of his $11 million salary. The club's climb into playoff
contention convinced him that the addition of a premier arm could push
the team into post-season play.

"It encouraged me and gave me the confidence to make this deal,"
Melvin said. "A lot of times you're basing this stuff on instincts and
how your club is playing.

"We just felt that we needed to go for it. There's a lot of baseball
left, and we're playing well right now. We feel good about the team."

Owner Mark Attanasio said the money being put in the team this year
probably would result in the Brewers finishing in the red after
generating profits in 2007. But Attanasio said he felt committed to
make the best possible move for a supportive fan base expected to
reach the 3 million mark in attendance.

"I look at this at trying to do what's right for the team and not get
all caught up in renting a player or whatever. The fans put us in
position to do this as well. We're trying to give something back to
them as well."

The only controversy of the day involved the proper spelling of the
name of the Brewers' prized acquisition. Word came that no periods
were to be used with his initials.

Sabathia, whose given name is Carsten Charles, insisted he had no
preference, however. So, how does he spell his name?

"If I have to spell my name, actually, I use Carsten," he said. "Very
rarely do I write CC Sabathia."

That's OK. Manager Ned Yost will be happy to do so tonight when he
fills out the Brewers' lineup card.