A lot of people are missing the point on this move. Yes, the Cubs are still the favorites to win this divison. That doesn't mean the Brewers won't beat the Cubs in the playoffs.

Right now, the Brewers are tied for the wild card with the Cardinals. That's all they have to do. Win that Wild Card.

Then, come the playoffs, you have to face Sheets and Sabathia in a short series. Pretty damn good.

Who are the Brewers competing with for the Wild Card?

Nobody from the West. That leaves the Cardinals, Mets, Braves and Marlins. (I'm giving the Phillies the East.)

I think the Brewers are the favorites to win that wild card battle. Once they get in they are gonna be a tough beat.

You are also banking on Sheets staying healthy.

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Just like the Cubs are banking on Wood.

No doubt if healthy Sheets and CC will be a tough duo to deal with in the playoffs.

But another aspect of this deal that I dont think many are talking about is that there is realistically no way the Brewers resign CC, so he is a rent-a-pitcher for half a year. The Brewers gave up some good players to get him, so they better make it work this year, because they just got weaker overall as an organization for the future.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

but theyl get like 7 compensation picks so you figure 2 or 3 will turn out to be starters or good trade bait. the brewers will probably be the toughest playoff team in the nl assuming sheets stays healthy

The cubs are fooked.

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The Brewers know that. You think they don't? They're saying what the hell, we gotta go for it some year. It's a rent-a-player. Nothing wrong with that.

No sense of always building for the future when you don't know if kids will produce. Plus, when they are free agents you won't can't afford them anyway.

They signed Braun. Fielder has a couple year before he's a free agent. They know the risk. They want to take it.

So you would rather have 7 compensatory picks as compared to the top player in your organization who is considered a sure bet to be a top tier player soon?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Wasnt Hee Sop Choi considered a sure bet to be a top tier player? Beardown is right.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

They're trying to win a World Series this year. They went through a division race last year so their guys know what that's like.

Like I said, they know they are not signing Sabathia. They're gonna give it a shot this year. Sure it's a risk. They want to take it.

This has happened before. Astros traded for Randy Johnson in 1998. They didn't sign him. There have been other rent-a-player situations.

When did the rent-a-player idea work?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

It didnt bring them a WS but didnt Beltran work out pretty damn well with Houston that one year?

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Is it worth it to just make it to the WS?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe Sabathia resigns with them if they make it there and show they have a core group good enough to compete every year. The NL is terrible again this year. Make it to the playoffs and it wont exactly be a really tough road to the WS. As the Cards showed in '06, get to the WS and anything can happen.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

You have to play the games but it's worth the risk. Brewers haven't been in the playoffs since 1982. They could lose but what the hell? You gotta try some year. They have a good team. This makes them very scary if they can get in the playoffs. Just have to get the Wild Card at least. It's winnable. Once they're in I'll take my chances with those 2 studs.

With how weak the NL is I think its worth a shot. Its not like the Mets giving up Kazmir when there playoff hopes were not very good to begin with.

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The Indians were one win away from the WS last year and he got offered a whole boat load of money and he turned it down. You really think he would consider resigning with the Brewers even with their young core when there is no way they will be able to offer him the $$ he will want?

The Cards are an interesting example. They actually won the series without the big splash of a rent-a-player.

I am just not sold on this way of doing things at all. I cannot think of the last team to make a big splash at the trading deadline and that move was the major reason why the won the WS.

But it is an interesting discussion and will be fun to see what happens with him and the Brew Crew

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Not the same thing...Sheets is still a starter; Wood is a reliever. True, he is their closer, but they have other guys that have stepped into that role before. Starting pitching is more important. I don't think the Cubs are "banking on" Wood staying healthy at all, not anymore.

And don't forget--everybody thought Johan Santana coming to the Mets was gonna make them the ultimate team (including me)...has that worked out so far?

We'll see what happens but the Cubs definitely need to make a move.

Brewers are stronger now, but they still have bullpen issues to address unless Solomon Torres pulls a horseshoe out of his ass and becomes a quality major league closer.

What I find interesting about the Brewers is that if they don't get it this year - it's going to be a while....Sheets is a FA after the season and has all but said he's testing the market. He going to get at least Burnett money (5/$55) and he's probably trying for Zambrano money.

They need a successful farm system to have any type of success. With Milwaukee losing (most likely) their top 2 starters after this season, they will probably have to take a few steps back again so I wouldn't be surprised if they look to add another relief pitcher as well.

i give the brewers a lot of credit for making this move, and doing it this far in front of the trade deadline. if you are going to do it, give them what they want and get him as soon as you can and get as many starts as you can from him. even if it fails, if i were a brewer fan i would be pretty pleased that ownership is finally going for one, this may be the only shot they have for a long time. with the rays and the brewers looking like they are going to be hanging around this season, it is kind of interesting to see new teams in the mix.

the cubs shouldn't be too concerned about this move, but it is clear they need to add a starter, and they likely will. soriano coming back is going to get the lineup back into the same position it was during the hot streak they had, and the cubs should be ok. actually, as poorly as they have been playing the last 2 weeks, it is kind of amazing they still have a 3.5 game lead.

Its going to be an exciting race the rest of the year. It would be very cool, if the Cubs could meet the Brewers in the N.L.C.S. Then we could trek up to Milwaukee and back, for the games. That would be a blast! Its funny to see guys like FarveFag giving credit to the Brewers now. That moron scoffed earlier, when I had stated what a tough division this N.L. Central was, with the Cubs, Cards and Brewers. He replied the Brewers were a mediocre team and over-rated. What a moron! That team is stacked with good hitters and Sheets is a top pitcher. Thank God their bullpen is suspect and without a top closer. But it would be fun to see them make the playoffs via the wild card and then get them in the N.L.C.S. that would surely raise the rivalry to another level. I can't see it being quite what the Cubs/Cards rivalry is, but if they remain a top team as well as the Cubs, it's going to be a good one.

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Go Cubs!!!!

The Brewers are 3.5 back, added a top of the rotation starter and can hit the ball as well as the Cubs and will play a couple of more home games in the second half. Nothing to be concerned about?

Man, as a Cub fan, supposedly I'm not supposed to enjoy anything this year until we actually win a championship and now I'm supposed to be worried that we won't even make the post-season.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I think the Cubs will make the post-season. i think the Brewers just made things interesting and could realistically win the division now.

This trade will be worth it if they simply make it to the playoffs. They haven't been there since 1982. As good as LaPorta is, he won't be missed. The Brewrs are STACKED with young talent in the minor AND major league level. The Brewers are going for it and Doug Melvin isn't done. I look for him to address the bullpen situation pretty quickly.