So C.C. Sabathia or his agent or great-aunt twice removed has made the decision to cut off contract negotiations with the Indians until the 2008 season ends.

And the Indians say this does not mean that he will head to greener financial pastures after the season.

Right.

It's probably best for all to enjoy the sight of Sabathia pitching for the Indians this season.

Because there are very few signs to indicate that he's going to stay past this season.

When Johan Santana agreed to a contract extension with the New York Mets, everyone thought it was significant because it gave Santana more than $20
million a year. And that was significant.

But what it also did was make Sabathia the prize jewel of the post-2008 free-agent class.

Which means when the season ends someone in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago or, perhaps, San Francisco will pile up the money to entice him to leave Cleveland. And the Indians, the cash-strapped, small-market Indians, will not be able to match the offer.

Why would Sabathia turn down the chance for what could be?

Better yet, why would his agents?

Because it sure seems like this whole thing is being agent-driven. Unless Sabathia is not being candid when he says he wants to re-sign with the Indians.

Sabathia or someone writing for Sabathia, wrote on his Web site: ''There will be time after the season for the Indians and my representatives to discuss my contract status. I remain hopeful that these discussions will result in a contract extension that will keep me with the franchise for many years to come.''

Seems like that chance was on the table this offseason.

Unless you consider an offer for a contract extension worth $17 million per year an inadequate offer.

Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro made a point to say the team wants Sabathia back and Sabathia wants to be back. It's just a matter of finding a business deal that makes sense, Shapiro said. And has said over and over and over again.

Barring an influx of money from owner Larry Dolan, it's hard to figure there's much more Shapiro can do to put together a deal that makes more sense.

He made an offer.

Sabathia, or his agents, didn't consider the offer enough.

Well, if he really wants to be in Cleveland, and he can get $17 million to $18 million per year, it seems like he'd just sign the stinking extension.

Shapiro's father, Ron, was an agent who first asked players where they wanted to be and then got them the best deal possible in that city. Radical thinking to consider where a player felt best about playing, but that's what it was. Modern agents seem to look for the best deal, no matter where it is.

So Sabathia has gone to the ''no distraction'' well.

This just shows the reality of a modern-day athlete is not the same as yours and mine.

Perhaps it's out of line, but it hardly seems distracting to be offered $17 million (never mind per year).

In fact, the last thing it would seem to be is distracting.

Energizing and exciting, maybe, but surely not distracting.

What in the world would be distracting?

Shapiro had said last week that, at some point of spring training, public discussion about Sabathia's contract would end. Sabathia moved that timetable up a bit, prompting Shapiro to say it's ''highly unlikely'' the Indians and Sabathia would talk contract during the season.

''I don't think we disagree with C.C. as far as the status of the negotiations at this point,'' Shapiro said. ''There's not a lot of common ground.''

Yikes.

It just all seems simple.

Sabathia understands the Cleveland market. If he wanted to stay in Cleveland, he'd just sign the stinking contract.

He didn't.

Then he said he wouldn't talk contract during the season.

For whatever it's worth, 16 pitchers worked out Thursday morning in Winter Haven, Fla.

Sabathia was not among them.

It's hard not to see that as a precursor to one year from now.