The CC Sabathia Trade: 10 Years Later

[Invader3K]

Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the blockbuster trade that brought CC Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers. Post your thoughts and memories of the trade here.

 

Personally, I wouldn't trade those 2008 memories for anything.

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2018/07/06/13-things-you-forgot-brewers-acquisition-cc-sabathia/759090002/

[TURBO]

It was 100% joyful to watch how that season played out. After so many seasons of not sniffing the post season, it was an absolute thrill to feel that feeling again.

 

CC will always be one of my favorite Brewers, FOR-EV-ER!

[AKCheesehead]

I knew it wasn’t going to happen, but I would have loved to pick CC up on a 1 year deal this past winter. On topic, I wish Yost had been more savvy in 08. Staff was already running on fumes when Sveum took over and it didn’t have to be that way.

[obobo55new]

That trade was made early on. At the point the trade was made, Sheets was dominating. My thought was that with those 2 aces, you could easily expect 3 wins in 4 playoff starts. Then you only needed 1 more win to advance.

 

Then Sheets had his injury and all real hope for a postseason run was gone. CC made the run to get in fun, but I think most everyone knew that the inevitable was upon us.

 

Great move. Unfortunate timing of Sheets injury.

[brooks_quichenick]

I got home from work late last night, cracked a beer, and watched every youtube video I could find of CC Sabathia 2008 Brewers highlights, CC interviews about his start in MKE back in 2014, etc. At the exact same time (around 1am), every single one of my neighbors seemed to be cutting large quantities of onions, it was the wildest thing!

 

 

2008 was magical and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. Healthy Sheets + Gallardo down the stretch and who knows? Just finally reaching the postseason was euphoric, game 162 was still the most special ballgame I've attended.

[MoreTrife]

That trade was made early on. At the point the trade was made, Sheets was dominating. My thought was that with those 2 aces, you could easily expect 3 wins in 4 playoff starts. Then you only needed 1 more win to advance.

 

Then Sheets had his injury and all real hope for a postseason run was gone. CC made the run to get in fun, but I think most everyone knew that the inevitable was upon us.

 

Great move. Unfortunate timing of Sheets injury.

 

Which injury did sheets have? I can't keep them all straight. Torn shoulder? Vertigo?

[istanbultaye]

2008 is when his elbow finally gave out.

[jerichoholicninja]

Michael Brantley was the only player we traded that became anything. And even if he had became the same player in Milwaukee he was in Cleveland he would have been blocked by Braun, Hart, Cameron, and Cain. His constant injuries the last few years would have made for us having 2/3 of our outfield injured most of the time with Braun and the pitching still would have sucked. You can look and say it hurt to trade a future all star but really I don't see how having Brantley on the Brewers the last 10 years would have made any difference to the franchise's success.

[folly412]

Remember the no hitter that wasn't?

[John Jahahaha]

I combed over so many old threads here that I remember lurking on back then, what a magical time

[Paul77]

So. Much. Fun. I took the entire family to Miller Park for his first start. People already wearing the 52 t-shirts. The chants of CC. As said in the opening of this thread - I wouldn't trade those memories for anything!

 

I remember taking my son to the Marcus Majestic in Brookfield to watch Sunday games on the big (BIG) screen of the Bistroplex. What a season.

[Ennder]

Sheets wasnt' the only injury. The offense got banged up and collapsed which is why CC had to pitch every other day ot will us into the playoffs. That season easily could have gone very differently for us. On top of that it looked like we were going to get 2 top draft picks as compensation the next season. CC ended up being valued behind Teix which means we missed out on Mike Trout and Sheets never got healthy so never got anything for him.

[ecjimg]

Game 2 NLDS - Bottom of the 2nd, two outs....He walked the pitcher and then gave up a grand slam to Shane Victorino.

Other than that it was a great run!

[mattsr0625]

I just watched the youtube highlights from his first start. I have the bat that he used to hit that homerun. I need to find a clearer video so I can get a photomatch. Its an Adam Dunn Bat that CC used, with the MLB hologram.

[hawing]

Game 2 NLDS - Bottom of the 2nd, two outs....He walked the pitcher and then gave up a grand slam to Shane Victorino.

Other than that it was a great run!

In my mind, Shane Victorino will always be Shane F. Victorino. I have no idea what his middle name is, but I think you get the picture.

[fondybrewfan]

Pursuing Machado this year is giving me a similar vibe to CC. A couple month rental we had no illusions of signing long term. Hopefully what we could potentially give up will be similar to CC. However in 2008 I don't think anyone had any illusions of actually making the WS, but this year would be quite different.

 

I have never seen and might never see again a 15-20 start stretch of performance from a Brewers starting pitcher like CC had on short rest most of the time. I loved that fat man. To bad that he simply ran out of gas.

 

As time goes by its amazing to think what could have been if Sheets had stayed healthy and we had both of those guys in the playoffs as well as a more rested CC since he wouldn't have needed to pitch every 4 days.

[gregmag]

I saw him mow down the Cardinals, my first game at Busch after moving to StL. One of my happiest baseball memories.

[MoreTrife]

I remember being In Seattle on vacation but following it very closely and tearing up a bit when they clinched the last weekend in September. Did a Mets game have something to do with us clinching? Either the Mets losing or beating someone else?

[pacopete4]

King Kong on the mound.

[brooks_quichenick]

I remember being In Seattle on vacation but following it very closely and tearing up a bit when they clinched the last weekend in September. Did a Mets game have something to do with us clinching? Either the Mets losing or beating someone else?

 

The Mets needed to lose to the Marlins after we won in order for the Brewers to win the Wild Card without going to a one-game playoff IIRC. Wes Helms ended up driving in the winning run vs the Mets as we watched on the video board at Miller Park.

[istanbultaye]

That was the most cheers Wes Helms ever received in Miller park.

[torts]

Remember the no hitter that wasn't?

 

I was at that no-hit game! great memory!

[reillymcshane]

I was at the game on September 28, 2008, when Braun hit the 2-run HR to put us on top. Then CC finished it out. I'll never forget it. Great stuff. We then sat and watched the Mets-Marlins game to see us clinch it. I can still pull up the highlights and watch them and it gives me chills.

[Baldkin]

I was at the game on September 28, 2008, when Braun hit the 2-run HR to put us on top. Then CC finished it out. I'll never forget it. Great stuff. We then sat and watched the Mets-Marlins game to see us clinch it. I can still pull up the highlights and watch them and it gives me chills.

 

The sound the entire crowd made when Ryan Church lifted that fly ball to right field was something I'll never forget.

 

The gasp, silence and utter fear.

 

Then they showed Maybin (I think) camped under the ball waiting and making the last out and the entire place erupted.

 

Side note: That was also the last out ever at Shea Stadium

[djoctagone]

The Mets needed to lose to the Marlins after we won in order for the Brewers to win the Wild Card without going to a one-game playoff IIRC. Wes Helms ended up driving in the winning run vs the Mets as we watched on the video board at Miller Park.

it shouldn't have happened that way, as the game at shea stadium (the last game ever there, mind you) started an hour earlier than the brewers-cubs game. but they had a rain delay, and the brewers finished their game ahead of the mets.

 

all the brewers knew when cc finished that game was that they had at least forced a game 163 at shea.