Sabathia and current Brewers ace Ben Sheets give Milwaukee an intimidating 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation. The Indians receive four prospects in the Sabathia trade, including power hitting prospect Matt LaPorta who slugged 20 homers and drove in 66 runs in 84 games for Double-A Huntsville. Milwaukee also parted with Triple-A left-hander Zach Jackson, Class A right-hander Rob Bryson and a player to be named later.
Sabathia to Brewers Trade Strengthens Milwaukee’s Playoff Hopes
Milwaukee’s general manager Doug Melvin spoke highly of Sabathia, his team’s big, new left-hander.
"His addition to the starting rotation will be a major key in helping the team reach its ultimate goal of going to the postseason and beyond," Melvin said in a July 7 press release.
The Brewers will contend with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Central title and NL Wild Card for the rest of the season, and this Indians trade makes them a favorite to finish in at least one of those spots and make the postseason for the first time since losing Game 7 of the 1982 World Series.
As expected, Milwaukee’s bats have come alive after a slow start. Until the Indians trade involving Sabathia, however, the Brewers had a questionable starting rotation due to the long-term injury of 2007-breakout right-hander Yovani Gallardo. Young left-hander Manny Parra stepped up nicely with an 8-2 record, but Sabathia gives the Brewers a legitimate double-ace starting rotation reminiscent of the Arizona Diamondbacks duo of righty Curt Schilling and big lefty Randy Johnson in their World Series winning year of 2001.
Did the Brewers Give Up Too Much in Prospect Matt LaPorta?
After this season, CC Sabathia will become a free agent and will likely be out of Milwaukee’s price range. Melvin and the Brewers decided to give up their most highly touted prospect , Matt LaPorta for what will probably turn out to be a rent-a-player. Melvin is well aware of the quality of player he sent to Cleveland. The Brewers named LaPorta their Minor League Player of the Month for June.
“We knew from Day 1 that it was going to cost us a premium player [for Sabathia],” Melvin said in a July 7 press release. "That's how I approached it.
The Brewers were in a position to give up a player of LaPorta’s quality because of the abundance of talent in their minor league system, especially Double-A Huntsville. LaPorta’s teammate, third baseman Mat Gamel, has arguably put up better numbers. As of the July 7 trade, Gamel had hit 15 homers of his own and was batting .374 to LaPorta’s .288. Gamel is also out-producing LaPorta in runs and RBI.
If the Brewers make the playoffs for the first time in 26 years, this trade will have been worth it.
“We're giving up a terrific young player and young man in Matt LaPorta,” Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio said in a July 7 press release, “in order to take a shot for this team and this city over the next 3-4 months.”
