One more reason to believe that Ramirez could be headed back to the American League: One executive says that Ramirez, according to his team's advanced defensive measures, "clearly undermines his offense with his defense at this point — clearly." Ramirez, who turns 36 on May 30, would make more sense as a designated hitter, the exec says.

The Marlins continue to shop first baseman Mike Jacobs, knowing they could replace him with Jorge Cantu or Gaby Sanchez, who had a .917 OPS last season at Class AA. Either would be a defensive upgrade over Jacobs and maybe not much worse offensively. Jacobs hit 32 homers last season, but had only a .299 on-base percentage.

Such a proposal certainly would get Sabathia's attention as he prepares for free agency, but he surely would command a more lucrative deal on the open market.

The Yankees, Angels and Dodgers are among Sabathia's leading possibilities, and each could give him more than four years and $25 million per season.

Sabathia's preference is to play on the west coast, sources say. He might also prefer to remain in the National League, making him an obvious fit for the Dodgers.

However, the Dodgers' intentions are an open question.

The team is facing the losses of several major free agents — left fielder Manny Ramirez, right-hander Derek Lowe, shortstop Rafael Furcal and third baseman Casey Blake.

The Brewers, meanwhile, would demonstrate to their fans that they indeed were serious about keeping Sabathia if they offered him $100 million for four years.

In fact, such a proposal would be stunning from a team in a mid-sized market, a team that opened last season with an $81 million payroll.

The Brewers, facing a number of pressing issues, likely will want an answer on Sabathia quickly, giving them a chance to explore other options, if necessary.