What are pennant races like?

"We're going for it ... it was all about now." -- Milwaukee Brewers GM Doug Melvin.

Suddenly, by acquiring C.C. Sabathia from the Cleveland Indians, the Milwaukee Beermakers have become the team other NL teams don’t want to face in the playoffs. Ben Sheets-C.C.-Manny Parra sounds a heck of a lot better than Sheets-Parra-Suppan, Jeff.

What is becoming a bit humbling is the thought that the Brewers -- who haven't been to the playoffs since 1982 -- figure that their window of championship opportunity is so short, especially given all the young players on the roster. Sheets and Sabathia will leave in the offseason (and the Brewers aren’t even acquiring Sabathia with the hope of signing him after the season … though, I would imagine that if they like him that they’ll at least extend some sort of tender, heart-felt, token contract offer). It also doesn’t appear as if they will be able to keep Prince Fielder from going to the Yankees or some other evil money-hoarding team. Suddenly, that window for title contention appears to be … this year.


Is this the biggest trade in team history?

Right now, it has to rank relatively close to when the team pried Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, Pete Vukovich away from the Cardinals for Sixto Lezcano, Lary Sorenson, Dave LaPoint and David Green before the 1981 season? Fingers and Vukovich both won Cy Young awards. Simmons played in two All-Star Games while with the Brewers. All threw helped the Brewers reach the 1982 World Series. I don’t think dealing Matt LaPorta and three minor leaguers for Sabathia quite ranks with that deal. Though, if the Brewers go on to do great things this year …