Well, C.C. Sabathia is Milwaukee-bound. Everyone and their uncle was reporting Sunday night that the Indians and Brewers had agreed on the trade, and it would see big-hitting outfielder Matt LaPorta come to Cleveland. The other two names are not known, but if one is Taylor Green it's a good thing. These two guys are highly regarded prospects in the Brewers organization. And we all know how Milwaukee spews out the stars. I opined on this for Monday's Beacon Journal, and I'll be at today's news conference (assuming there is one) but here's some quick thoughts:

—The Indians had no choice but to trade Sabathia. Cleveland has seen enough free agents leave for the highest dollar, with the Indians left with nothing but future draft picks in return. Those are nice, but in this case they would have been in the June 2009 draft, and who knows how long it would take the drafed players to produce. LaPorta could/should be ready next year.
—Sabathia may profess to love Cleveland and say he wanted to stay, but he was determined to test the free agent market. Letting him go that way was too high a risk.
—The guys acquired had best be able to play. A team does not trade a reigning Cy Young winner without getting legitimate talent in return. None of this "we think he can play" stuff. The Indians need the players acquired to be able to play, period. The last thing we need is another deal for Charlie Spikes.
—If Sabathia gives it the "I really loved Cleveland" line I may barf. Just be honest and say, "Hey, it was a nice place to play but this is my chance to make big-time money and I'm going to see what I can get."
—I'm sure Sabathia has already made arrangements to have his Jhonny Peralta Bobblehead shipped to Milwaukee after the Indians give them away in August. If not, it's got to be high on his list.
—Sabathia's case is unprecedented. He weighs 290 pounds, and will be 28 later this month. Pitchers enter their prime at 27. It stands to figure he should command a huge deal, but in five or six years he'll be 33 or 34 … and he won't get smaller. The team that signs him will take a risk.
—This is why the Indians offered a four-year extension. It's just too large a risk to give a pitcher those long-term deals. See Barry Zito. Sabathia is a fine pitcher, but he is also a risk.
—Good thing the Indians did not have to throw David Dellucci in the deal. There is a limit to what a team gives up after all.
—What in the world will the Indians rotation look like next season? Sabathia is gone (presumably). Jake Westbrook is out. Jeremy Sowers is struggling. Fausto Carmona is hurt. Wow.
—If Green is included in the deal, the Indians may have their third baseman of the future. That's a need that needs to be filled.
—A 2009 outfield of LaPorta, Grady Sizemore and Ben Francisco does not sound too bad. The Indians have to hope, though, that Francisco does not do a Franklin Gutierrez next season and drop off the planet.
–Has any other team lost a Cy Young winner like this? Once, when Frank Viola was traded from Minnesota to New York in 1989.
—Folks must be camping out to get ducats for that first start by Jeff Weaver.
—What a turn south this season has taken. Amazing.

Looking for information on LaPorta? Here's some of what I wrote for tomorrow's Beacon Journal:

"LaPorta clearly is the key – a bat for a lineup that needs one. He’s 23, plays at Class AA Huntsville and is hitting .288 and has 20 home runs and 66 RBI in 82 games.

"On July 3, he was named to the Baseball America midseason Minor League All-Star team. In February the publication called him the 23rd-best prospect in baseball and called his arrival date 2009. Which would be next year.

“'LaPorta may not be smooth in the outfield, but he more than makes up for it with his bat,' Baseball America wrote in its midseason assessment. 'He leads all Double-A batters in home runs, and ranks fifth in slugging, fourth in RBIs and second in extra-base hits (44).'

"SI.com ranked him 31st and wrote: 'The best college hitter in last year's draft, the Brewers are taking a risk by trying to teach him how to play left field, but all he needs to do is become adequate there, because at the plate, he's a monster.'”

And here are some links to information about him. I take no credit for finding them, though. Indians fans who participate on the forums at the scout.com Indians site found them. They get all the credit. Here are some stats, including his outstanding college stats at Florida. This is an online scouting report. And another online report.

The pros and cons will be discussed the next few days. Me, I'm going to ponder how a team can be within one game of the World Series one year, then the next cut their closer, trade their Cy Young winner and drop to last place.

Does this stuff happen in any other sports town in America? How about in the world? Does it happen to … say .. Real Madrid or Manchester United?

Before we get too depressed, let's remember nature can be beautiful. The Yellowstone sky produced some of the more amazing colors and rainbows I've seen.

Wonder if C.C. will find his personal pot of gold at the end of that rainbow?