C.C. Sabathia News

The decline of the Cleveland Indians over the past two years, from playoff contender in 2007, to league average in 2008, to cellar dweller in 2009, has been perhaps the most dramatic in the major leagues.

Let's start with the crater in the middle of the Indians' starting rotation. After trading CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee in consecutive years, it resembles the kind of indentation that astronomers study on the far side of the moon.

News, notes and quotes from the General Managers meetings at the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport Hotel.

The Indians jumped into the free agent market early last winter. They signed closer Kerry Wood in December at the winter meetings in Las Vegas to a two-year, $20.5 million deal.

The Phillies have picked up Cliff Lee's $9 million option for 2010. The team announced the expected move on Friday, two days after losing the World Series to the New York Yankees.

's $9 million option for 2010. The team announced the expected move on Friday, two days after losing the World Series to the New York Yankees .

How many World Series titles does a manager have to win to be considered extraordinary? It's not a requirement None.

There's nothing particularly unique or shameful about losing a World Series to the New York Yankees.

Indians manager Manny Acta will conduct interviews for coaches while serving as an analyst for Fox Sports' World Series coverage.

As we await the first pitch of the 2009 World Series, you will forgive us Cleveland fans if we're not quite sure how we feel about this Game 1 matchup.

Evelyn Kornegay hasn't missed a minute of the 2009 World Series between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.

If Indians fans were wondering what might have been when Cliff Lee squared off with CC Sabathia, Paul Hoynes certainly understood.

YOU can understand why many precincts in Queens will ignore a World Series between the Phillies and Yankees, and why a sizeable amount of Indians fans might not want to indulge in a Game 1 featuring their last two aces, Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia.

Wednesday night marked the beginning of a 40th World Series for the New York Yankees, but the first played at the sprawling, sparkling new ballpark in the Bronx, next door to where it seems the Fall Classic was born and raised.

JOE Girardi has so many mov ing parts with his rotation in this World Series. He has to decide whether Chad Gaudin, a $100,000 August pickup, was worthy of starting a Fall Classic game for the $200 million Yankees.

For Cleveland Indians fans, the story was what could have been. For the rest of the country, it was Cliff Lee pitching great and CC Sabathia pitching great - except against Chase Utley - in the first game of the World Series.

Lee baffled the Yankees with an assortment of fastballs, change-ups and breaking balls, limiting them to six hits, striking out 10 without a walk and inducing a string of weak swings and easy outs.

Back in 1977, when the New York Yankees won their first World Championship in 15 years, they had a team filled with ex-Cleveland Indians.

Even before the first pitch, this World Series seems souped up. New York Yankees' Eric Hinske, left, and CC Sabathia walk past a logo on the field at Yankee Stadium... New York Yankees' Eric Hinske, left, and CC Sabathia walk past a logo on the field at Yankee Stadium during a practice session for the Major League Baseball World Series Tuesday, ...

Care packages rarely arrive this highly anticipated. Homemade cookies and a new T-shirt inside the box, sure.