Hello Tribe fans everywhere!

He's only 26, but it feels as if C.C. Sabathia has been a fixture in the Indians' starting rotation since Birdie Tebbetts was manager. Some will say the young southpaw, who owns 81 wins in his first six seasons, is too much like a promising lefthander of another era -- Sudden Sam McDowell.

Both pitchers were blessed great stuff, that's for sure. But McDowell was troubled by inner demons that eventually drove him from the game at age 32. Sabathia looks as if he's just coming into his own. At spring training this year, he's been talking like a veteran and providing leadership in the clubhouse.

No, more than McDowell, Sabathia reminds me of Manny Ramirez, although Manny never provided any leadership on the Indians. He did put up awesome numbers, however, and was still a young player when he bolted from Cleveland for all those millions offered by the Red Sox. Now, Manny is headed for the Hall of Fame.

The reason Sabathia reminds me of Ramirez is that I think he, too, will leave Cleveland when his contract expires at the end of the 2008 season. He's already mentioned a couple of times that "It might be nice to pitcher closer to home." Tribe fans wish Sabathia was from Painesville, but he's not; he's a Californian, through and through, which makes his comments alarming.

It doesn't mean Cleveland couldn't put on a drive to keep him. Why bother to make a pitch to sign a free agent when you've already got one of the game's best young lefthanders? This is the part that makes no sense to me.

If the Dolan family, which owns the Indians, is not short of cash, why wouldn't they make a preemptive move to keep Sabathia? His price will only go up between now and the end of 2008. It feels as if they won't, because they just don't have the will to do what it takes to keep Jake Westbrook, Travis Hafner and Sabathia.

Of the three, I'd go for C.C. If they can't re-sign him, then I'd go for the C.C. and water.

Sabathia looks as if he's on the verge of a big year -- 20 wins, 250 strikeouts, and possibly even a Cy Young Award. As a longtime Tribe fan, I'm tired of losing players just as they're ready to enter their prime. I'm also tired of bad decisions that lead to the loss of future hall of famers such as Omar Vizquel.

There's a player who really wanted to finish his career in Cleveland, and who would have signed at far below his market value. The Tribe management misjudged his ability and durability, and now, the San Franciso Giants are in the process of signing Vizquel to a contract extension.

When will they learn? Unfortunately, I think it will be too late to keep Sabathia in Cleveland.

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The answer to the last quickie quiz: Jason Davis won 8 games as a Tribe starting pitcher in 2003.

Today's quiz: Name the two former Indians who are battling it out for the starting third baseman's job in San Diego.

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-- Kevin Cuneo