Why the Indians Should Trade C.C. Sabathia

Contract talks between the Indians and 2007 Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia had been tabled until after the season at the request of Sabathia and his team of agents.

I doubt I have to explain the announcement may as well have said Sabathia will be going elsewhere after this season.

Realistically, the Tribe would probably have to fork over about $130 million on a six-year contract. Surely, you must be kidding. If you think Larry Dolan is going to cough up that kind of cash, I've got some land I want to sell you.

There was talk of a potential "hometown discount,” but I don't think Sabathia is that loyal. He always claimed to be his team's biggest fan, and indeed for a time it appeared he was. In his endearing crooked cap, he was the first to shout encouragement to his teammates from the dugout steps, and the last to sit down and accept defeat.

But a Cy Young can do funny things to a pitcher. Tabling trade talks for the season like he did is a pretty good indicator that whatever loyalty he had is now for sale. To borrow a sentiment from Dwight from The Office, C.C. is "going wherever they value loyalty the most."

Not to mention, what's the hometown discount on $130 million anyway? We can have him for $119 million? Hey, maybe we can use the leftover $11 million to buy Manny's option from the Red Sox for 2009. Perhaps a "former hometown discount" on the $20 million price of the option?

I'll be the first to admit whether Sabathia is being greedy and showing he has no allegiance to the Indians or not, if we had the cash, I would want to keep him. But we don't. And if we don't trade him before the season ends, we'll get nothing for him.

The Tribe has watched countless talented players walk since 1995 when they failed to trade them before they became eligible for free agency. In most cases, this was the right choice. However, in the present case of Cy Cy Sabathia, a different course of action must be taken.

I know the argument, and have struggled with it: If we trade him, will it impact our playoff run? Yes, it could hurt us down the stretch, but I think that's a chance we'll have to take. Carmona can step up and be the ace and I think our other starters, bolstered by productive offense, can pick up the slack after the trade deadline.

Sabathia was useless in the playoffs last year, so I'm comfortable saying that his presence in this year's playoffs won't be relevant.

Of course it all will depend somewhat on how the AL Central race shapes up. If we're way ahead or way behind, making the trade is a no-brainer. If we're in a tight race, as I suspect we will be, things are much stickier.

If we trade him and take the Central, it’s a shrewd move. If we don't win the division, regardless of whether it really was because we traded Sabathia, it will be a PR disaster.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and hell hath no fury like Cleveland fans looking for a scapegoat. Mark Shapiro will need bars on his windows and a really, really big bodyguard.

Trading Sabathia might be a terrible mistake, but we have to take the chance. You have to assume there is no way we'll resign him after the season.

I don't think Sabathia has proven he is worth the money anyway.

First, I'm of the opinion that giving any pitcher a six-year contract is absurdly stupid. Especially a pitcher who is clearly not in peak physical condition. Second, I don't think he's a good enough investment anyway. Yes, he won the Cy Young. But he was abysmal in the playoffs. And until this season, he was inconsistent and unreliable, at times brilliant and at other times embarrassingly inept.

He had control problems, was easily rattled, and had appeared at times to be tipping his pitches. The control problems and nerves came back in the playoffs. There is no denying he's a great pitcher, but I wouldn't throw that kind of money at a guy who has exactly one season of excellence under his belt.

Some theories suggest that the Santana contract set the bar and sealed our fate, but I don't think Sabathia is on Santana's level, and I wouldn't have given Santana the deal he got either. My money says in three years, the Mets will be paying him to sit on an exercise bike with his elbow in an ice bucket. Further, I don't think Santana's contract was any sort of shocker that changed the complexion of the market for starting left-handed pitchers. It was pretty much what was expected.

There was no mystery involved. Surely the Tribe front office, Sabathia, and his agents were well aware of what Santana would likely get, just like they were well aware of what Sabathia would command. I don't think the terms of the contract changed after Santana signed one iota.

Bottom line: Sabathia is a great pitcher with a lot of good years left and I'd love to see him remain an Indian. I just don't think this is possible.

For once, let's not stick our heads in the sand and pray Sabathia will call and say he wants to play for free.

So dry the tears, find a fifth starter, and make the trade. Trust me, if it somehow ends up costing us a World Series, those who don't agree with me can find solace in the fact that I'll be the first one to throw myself off a bridge.