Good deals, bad news and crooked refs

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, even in sports: Action: C.C. Sabathia is 4-0 with the Brewers with three complete games. Reaction: With Sabathia, Ben Sheets, David Bush and Jeff Suppan to augment an offense that seems to be awakening, the Brewers can be National League champions. Then Sabathia and Sheets can become free agents. Milwaukee gave up power prospect Matt LaPorta to get Sabathia from Cleveland, and if he leaves, the Brewers will be accused of renting him. So what? If they offer him arbitration they get high draft picks in return, and that’s preferable to signing a pitcher to a Barry Zito-level of exorbitance. Houston did the same thing with Randy Johnson in 1998 but unwisely gave Seattle some real players --- Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen and John Halama. A: Arizona gets reliever Jon Rauch... [read full story]