Some things to read while acknowledging that these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies may be the greatest ever.

Today's collection of links is actually the largest since the end of the season, so let's get right to it.

If you've been reading the site over the weekend you likely know all of this news, but in case you've been away all weekend, here's what you missed:

• Dale Sveum will be back for 2009 after all, as hitting coach. (as noted in this FanShot)
• Craig Counsell's option for 2009 was declined. He could still return as a free agent, of course.
• Mike Maddux won't be back either, after being "overwhelmed by a huge deal" to take over as pitching coach in Texas. The Brewers reportedly offered him a multi-year deal. (Noted in this FanShot) The Newberg Report has a story from the Rangers' side.
• Joe Dillon also won't be back. The A's claimed him off waivers after the Brewers DFA'd him last week.
• Ken Rosenthal is reporting the Brewers' offer to CC Sabathia was in fact for $100 million, but the contract was for five years, not four. For me, this removes any possibility Sabathia will return. (noted in this FanShot)
• The Brewers have until tomorrow to decide if Mike Cameron will return in 2009.

Now, other stuff. The Fall GM meetings begin today, giving Doug Melvin the first chance to sit across the table from new Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik. Murray Chass seems to think hiring Zduriencik was the wrong decision, mainly because he had a profile of Kim Ng all ready to go. Of course, everyone expects most of the conversation at the meetings to be about Jake Peavy, but it sounds like Hank Blalock's name will come up as well.

One would assume Doug Melvin is at least listening to offers for J.J. Hardy. The Junkball Blues, meanwhile, crunched the numbers to figure out what kind of production would be needed from Hardy and Alcides Escobar to justify moving Hardy to third and Bill Hall out of the lineup.

Planning on making a trip to Vegas? Current odds have the Brewers at 15-to-1 to win the 2009 World Series. The odds would have to get a lot better before I'd be interested. Right now, 15-to-1 is a better shot than 19 other teams have, and tied with the Dodgers and Twins. (h/t Redleg Nation)

Tim Kurkijian says the Sabathia Sweepstakes is the third most interesting story of the offseason. With Sabathia the Brewers had the sixth best starting rotation in all of baseball, according to Beyond the Box Score.

Sabathia, Ray Durham and Russell Branyan all filed for free agency over the weekend, joining these players:

Angels Darren Oliver, Juan Rivera
Athletic Alan Embree
Cub Kerry Wood and also Henry Blanco,
Mariners Raul Ibanez, Willie Bloomquist, Miguel Cairo
Marlins Mark Hendrickson, Arthur Rhodes
Mets Pedro Martinez, Luis Ayala, Tony Armas, Moises Alou, Ricardo Rincon, Ramon Martinez and also Orlando Hernandez
Phillies So Taguchi, Tom Gordon
Pirates Doug Mientkiewicz, Chris Gomez, Jason Michaels, Luis Rivas
Rockies Brian Fuentes, Matt Herges, Livan Hernandez, Adam Melhuse, Scott Podsednik

At this point I feel obligated to remind you that Orlando Hernandez is free to throw the banana for other teams.

FanGraphs has built the All Free Agent Bargain Team. There are some decent players on there, but that team would lose most of the time.

As we look into the future, few things are abolutely certain, but we can say this: despite boatloads of other teams making the exodus from spring training sites in Florida to Arizona, the Red Sox are committed to training in Florida through 2038.

It's a good thing we'll probably have some time to learn to say his name: The Pirates have signed an 18-year-old shortstop from South Africa named Mpho Ngoepe. There has never been a South African player in the major leagues. Have there been any from anywhere in Africa? I do not know.

Indians minor leaguer Randy Newsom's blogs from Venezuela are really making me want to go see a game there.

Finally, let's say you're the Washington Nationals. You lost 102 games in 2008, the franchise's first 100 loss season since 1976. You set a modern era single season record for lowest attendance in a new ballpark. You could count the number of fans listening to your games on the radio or watching them on TV on your fingers and toes. Do you honestly believe people are going to come out in hordes to buy your new jerseys? You're invited to join them at the unveiling Thursday. Bring a friend, otherwise you might be there all alone.

Drink up.

This morning, Rotoworld passes on two names that the Brewers have been linked with in this last week before the deadline:

• Arthur Rhodes, 38-year-old Mariners LOOGY
• Brian Giles, Padres outfielder

Uh...what?  Let's start with Giles.  I just...don't...get it.  Giles would cost a few million for the rest of the season, and there's a $3MM buyout on his '09 option.  Would we seriously spend that money for a platoon partner for Corey?  Giles has played some center in his career, but I strongly doubt the offensive improvement would outweigh the loss of Cameron's glove.

Someone, please explain this to me.  Maybe it's a miscommunication, the Brewers are looking at a reliever or two, or the Padres are just blatantly trying to drive up the price and hope nobody notices.

Rhodes makes more sense, but only a bit.  He's having a good year, though he's been far from consistent the last few seasons.  Since 2002, his ERA+'s by season have been 182, 103, 89, 202, 88, 150.  Once upon a time, he was a dominant reliever (think Damaso Marte, or even a lefty version of Salomon Torres), but now he's limited to situational duties.  He's averaging less than 2/3 of an inning per appearance.  Oddly, his splits against righties have been excellent the last few years, but that might just be a function of managers only letting him pitch against the weaker ones.

If the club picks up Rhodes--who wouldn't be very expensive in money or prospects--the logical roster moves would be to dump Mota or demote Villanueva.  (I suppose we could demote Bush and keep McClung in the rotation, but we couldn't do the reverse, as Bigseth is out of options.)  I'm sure Ned would love having a second veteran lefty, but I'm not convinced any of those scenarios is an improvement. 

I suspect all of this news is just a reflection of the Brewers doing due diligence on everybody out there, and the new prominence the Crew has in the national media.  I suppose Yankees and Mets fans are used to this stuff--if somebody's out there, the rumors start flowing.