Maybe Milwaukee Brewers management really believed it could re-sign pitcher CC Sabathia after acquiring him during the summer.

Maybe Brewers general manager Doug Melvin really IS surprised that the New York Yankees would make an over-the-top offer for the free-agent pitcher.

Maybe folks in Wisconsin forgot how the system in really works.

Whatever the case, Melvin expressed surprise that Hank Steinbrenner would trump his $100 million offer by a whopping $40 million.

“It sounds like they’re overbidding,” 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?”

Well, because they are Yankees. Steinbrenner sent a clear message that his team would spend whatever it took, and then some, to secure top-flight pitching.

The Yankees are also interested in free agents A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe, which is very good news for those hurlers. The team is also interested in dealing for Jake Peavy, if there is a deal there to satisfy the San Diego Padres.

Hank, like a lot of spoiled rich kids, can buy whatever he wants — even in tough economic times.

“They have been pretty adamant about bidding on everybody,” Melvin said. “That doesn’t mean that’s what the market is. That’s just one team’s offer. Until all the bids are on the table, I don’t know what the market is.”

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE

Questions to ponder while wondering how the Blues will generate offense without Andy McDonald:

• Will Albert Pujols finally get what is due him – or will the baseball writers stiff him again?
• What, exactly, was the Rams linebacker corps doing Sunday in San Francisco? Were they ever in the right spot to defend a play?
• So how did Steve Spurrier enjoy that 56-6 beating in The Swamp Saturday? How does he like life on the other side?
• Why in the world would Jim Fassel volunteer to coach the Raiders next season? Couldn’t he work in a food pantry or mentor disadvantaged kids instead?

CATCH OF THE WEEK

This kid gets paved . . . and then ends up with TD catch on second effort. Amazing.

QUIPS ‘R US

Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:

Dan Daly, Washington Times: “Can’t believe CC Sabathia hasn’t jumped all over this Yankees offer. I mean, he’s spent his entire career trying to avoid pitching against them. Just sign on the dotted line, CC, and you’ll never have to again.”

Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “In a flurry the Marlins have traded Mike Jacobs, Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham and now Kevin Gregg – all designed to save money. You know the lady in the supermarket riffling through a thick book of coupons at the register in order to save 28 cents? That’s the Marlins.”

Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle: “Lane Kiffin gets fired, then phones JaMarcus Russell with advice and counsel. Mike Nolan gets fired, then phones Mike Martz with a rationale of the Snafu at the Two. What is this, a football season or a seance?”

Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press: “What do Lions fans have to look forward to this month? For one thing, a marquee Thanksgiving matchup between the Lions and the Tennessee Titans, who very well could be 0-11 and 11-0, respectively. Stay the course, pilgrims.”

Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com: “This is a franchise that has won exactly one playoff game in the past 50 years. It’s had 23 head coaches since 1930 — five of them since 2000. It had Matt Millen as team president, which is like asking Britney Spears to babysit your kids. Millen’s first-round draft picks in 2002 (quarterback Joey Harrington), 2003 (wide receiver Charles Rogers), 2004 (running back Kevin Jones and wide receiver Roy Williams) and 2005 (wide receiver Mike Williams) are no longer with the Lions or out of football altogether — much like Millen, who was canned by owner William Clay Ford in September. Not only can’t the Lions win games, but they can barely win coin tosses. They’re 3-for-9 this season in that category.”

Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: “Was anybody else taken aback that the (Florida State) players got into this brawl with some frat boys at an on-campus flea market? OK, I can understand getting into a drunken bar-room brawl at 2 in the morning, but a noontime melee at a flea market? What happened? Did things get out of hand while they were haggling over the price of a Velvet Elvis?”

MEGAPHONE

“A loss is a loss, whether it’s by one point or 50 points. Sometimes getting your butt beat real good is better than a one-pointer or two-pointer.”

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, after a 56-6 loss at Florida.