Bob Melvin makes Dusty Baker look like a media guru:

According to media reports, the Yankees offered Sabathia approximately $140 million over six years. The Brewers, in contrast, have reportedly offered Sabathia $100 million over five seasons.

"It sounds like they're overbidding," (Brewer GM Bob) Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "If the speculation is true that we've offered CC $100 million, why would you offer $140 million? Why wouldn't you offer $110 million?"

Are the Brewers willing to compete with the Yankees' reported record offer?

"I don't want to respond to that," Melvin told the Journal Sentinel. "It's up to the player to go where the money is."

OK. So you will float out there the notion that the Yankees are overbidding. But you won't 'respond' to the notion that your own team will complete with that overbid? Hopefully, there were several loud guffs or laughs at his response when he said it.

What a bunch of bullshit. And people in professional sports wonder why the media isn't always so nice and friendly to them. Maybe it's because those same sports people are always trying to manipulate the media?

Dusty Baker was the very worst at trying to be a media guru. He was AWFUL at it. When he wanted to use the media to do his bidding, in response to a question he'd reply, 'I don't want to talk about it. But I will say this....'

What the fuck? That's how mediocre, hackneyed politicians deal with the media. Never answer a question, just move the conversation somewhere you want it to go.

I could never understand why any interviewer would tolerate that. If you aren't going to answer my question, fine. But don't move MY interview with you somewhere else like that. I ask questions, you can answer them or not. But you don't run the interview.