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A dirty secret: The Yankees unveiled their pitching stimulus package Thursday in New York, where CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett pulled on pinstripe jerseys, answered a few questions, checked out the new clubhouse in the team's new ballpark and became the latest symbols for the Bronx Bombers' excessive fortunes.

Over the next seven years or so, these two pitchers will earn salaries nearly equivalent to the value of the Brewers' franchise.

Three months after guiding the Brewers to their first playoff berth since 1982, Sabathia chatted with reporters about his landmark seven-year, $160 million deal and three things became instantly clear about the highest level of the free agent process.

1. It really is about the money.
2. It's always about the money.
3. Most fans, including many who root for the Brewers, have no idea about the secondary issues athletes consider when choosing teams.

When free agency began, reports from several sources indicated that Sabathia had received two formal offers -- five years and $100 million from Milwaukee; and, six years and $140 million from the Yankees.

Though the choice was clear from the outset (even before the Yankees upped their offer), many Brewers fans hoped for a Christmas miracle.

"I think he really liked it here in Milwaukee," they said. "Maybe he'll choose the low-pressure environment of a small-market team rather than subjecting himself to the 'fishbowl' existence that comes with playing in New York."

That's a quaint and popular notion, but it just doesn't hold true. Check out this quote from Sabathia's press conference:

"In Milwaukee, they would have been looking at me to win every single game," he said. "Of course, I expect to win, and I know that's going to be here (in New York), too. But, I think it would have been even more immense pressure there, because they wouldn't have been able to put the pieces around to actually help me win. I think I can get that here."

That's how athletes look at the world, folks.

Pressure is a part of the fabric of life in the major leagues. Some players are worried about their next contract. Some are worried about justifying their previous contract. They all feel pressure. Sabathia will be under immense pressure to perform in New York. He would have felt pressure in Milwaukee, too.

The difference is that if Sabathia has a rotten season in the Bronx, he can look around the clubhouse at guys like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Burnett, Johnny Damon and others to bail him out.

The Yankees have made pitching mistakes via trades and free agency through the years -- Ed Whitson, Pascual Perez, Randy Johnson, Hideki Irabu, Steve Karsay, Jaret Wright, Jeff Weaver, Jose Contreras, Esteban Loaiza, Kyle Farnsworth, Carl Pavano are a few names that come to mind -- but the machine kept rolling along.

The Brewers ran into bad luck on Teddy Higuera and fans still talk about it nearly two decades later. Eric Gagne underperformed for $10 million this season and became a whipping boy for fans. Imagine that price times 16.

The bottom line is simple: If you make a big mistake in New York, you can bury it. If you make a similar mistake in Milwaukee, it can cripple the franchise.

Sabathia knows that.

He also knows it will be difficult -- if not impossible -- to duplicate the magical second half performance he produced last season. In 17 regular-season starts, the last three marked by short rest and intense postseason pressure he went 11-2 with a 1.65 earned run average and three shutouts.

He said as much at the press conference: "If I had went somewhere else, they would have expected me to do what I did the last second half in Milwaukee and you know that's kinda unrealistic."

More important, he knows that Sabathia knew that a team whose payroll ceiling peaked at around $100 million wouldn't be able to maneuver with one player eating up more than one-fifth of that.

The Brewers claim they didn't get a chance to lay out their blueprint for Sabathia and his agents, but it didn't really matter. The Yankees offered more money, more years and a seemingly stronger chance to compete for a championship.

Oh, and then they added a year to their offer and tossed on another $20 million.

Larry King Lounge: Sabathia will get $6 million in bonuses before throwing a single pitch for New York. ... Brewers leftfielder Ryan Braun announced Friday that he will play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Fans in Milwaukee may feel torn about this development. On one hand, they'll be excited that one of the hometown heroes is playing on a big stage. On the other hand, they'll worry about injury... Brett Favre's selection to the Pro Bowl seemed a little like the Irving G.Thalberg award they give out at the Academy Awards for lifetime achievement. ... Chris Otule and Joe Fulce looked rusty in a victory over Western Carolina, but Marquette needs the big bodies to play Monday night at North Carolina State. ... Look for an interesting night at the Bradley Center, where Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson and Clippers guard Eric Gordon can chat about Gordon's recent comments that several Indiana players used drugs under Sampson's watch. ... I'm not digging the Bucks' red uniforms. ... Dominic James didn't look happy when Buzz Williams took him out late Friday night. Williams tried to talk to James, who kept on going to the bench. ... We have more, but it's time to gas up the snowblower.