Milwaukee has won the C.C. Sabathia sweepstakes.  The Indians and Brewers have agreed to a trade will send the big lefty from the A.L. Central to the N.L. Central in exchange for prospects Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Zach Jackson, and a player to be named.  Sabathia is on a tremendous run recently after a bumpy start to the season and instantly becomes one of the best players in the Senior circuit.  He has 109 strikeouts (against just 20 walks) in 104 innings with a 2.16 ERA over his last 14 starts.  He will provide a huge upgrade over Seth McClung who he will replace in therotation, and could start on Tuesday.  The Brewers are only  3.5 games behind the Cubs, and are clearly going for it this season as Sabathia is unlikely to resign with the team in the off-season.

Cleveland begins selling in what is a lost year.  In the preseason, the team looked poised to contend once again for a World Series after reaching the ALCS last season.  Instead, the Indians are wallowing in last place are rebuilding for the future.  LaPorta is a slugger in every sense of the word having hit .288/.402/.576 at Double-A this season with 20 home runs.  He was blocked in the corner outfield spots in Milwaukee by Corey Hart and Ryan Braun, and at first by Prince Fielder.  There are no such issues in Cleveland.  He should begin the 2009 season as the starting first baseman, left fielder, or DH.  Bryson and Jackson are farther away, but are two pitchers with potential.  LaPorta would hold value in fantasy this season if he were called up to the majors instead of Triple-A Buffalo.  He is a three-outcome player in the mold of an Adam Dunn: he'll either walk, strike out, or hit a home run.

Sabathia will join the Central pennant race in the NL not the AL.