You're my hero, C.C. Sabathia.

Not only did you put together one of the most improbable and incredible performances for a mid-season acquisition, not only did you help to put a strong rotation over the top, and help to drive the Crew to the playoffs, but you also took the Yankees to the cleaners!

7/$160 --  the fourth largest deal signed in the history of MLB.

You're my hero because you took a landscape in which two teams provided concrete, serious offers for you, with others possibly involved but failing to offer concrete figures, and you still managed to get the Yankees to outbid themselves for your services.

The Brewers apparently did not increase their offer; the Brewers' original offer was even $40 million off; and you received another year and $20 million more on top of that. Beautiful negotiation skills, big man!

I cannot say that I will be cheering for Sabathia in New York. I will be forever grateful for what he helped the Brewers accomplish in 2008, my first experience of playoff baseball in my lifetime. And I don't think there was any honest way the Brewers could maintain a salary at the level he was commanding for multiple years -- I know that contradicts my original sentiments about the trade, in which I held that Sabathia would need to be re-signed for the deal to be worthwhile, but my understanding of pitching contracts has changed.

With a 7-year deal, the Yankees are taking a very large gamble. A gamble of health and effectiveness, as the contract reaches well into Sabathia's 30s. Will he keep his fastball? Stay healthy? Continue to pitch 200 IP seasons? Continue to prevent runs at a high rate?

I am happy that it is the Yankees that need to deal with that gamble now, and not the Brewers. I am also happy that Sabathia received the 4th best contract ever -- he really took the Yankees to the cleaners.