Its official, the Brewers are now “big time”. At first, when I heard that the Brewers were going to have to give up Matt LaPorta AND Alcides Escobar to get C.C. Sabathia, I was a bit leery. The fact that the Brewers only had to give up LaPorta, Zack Jackson and a couple of other minor leaguers, and NOT another one of their top 5 prospects, PLUS get Sabathia NOW, that’s a tribute to Doug Melvin.

Here are the benefits;

* Sabathia will get 2 starts, as a Brewer, BEFORE the All-Star break.

* You now have a legitimate stopper in your rotation IF Ben Sheets goes down, as history would dictate.

* If and when you get to the post-season, it’s usually predicated upon a 3 – 4 man rotation. With Parra pitching well, Suppan a veteran in the post-season, add in Sheets and Sabathia, you’re now loaded when it comes to post-season play.

* The Brewers have just added to their options of whom they can talk to NOW about re-signing at the end of the season. You certainly don’t want to lose both Sheets AND Sabathia but the odds of keeping one or the other has just gone up. We know that Sabathia’s agent is “heck-bent” on taking C.C. to the free agent market, but at least Doug Melvin and Mark Attanasio get a shot at him before the end of the season.

Now, for this to be truly successful, you have to win and get to the post-season. Go Brewers!