According to Buster Olney that seems to be the case. http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/...egoryId=2521705 Personally I'd like to see a deal done but I wouldn't give up J.J. Hardy to get him especially with the way Hardy has been playing. However, Rickie Weeks or Bill Hall is fair game in my opinion. With C.C. Sabathia, Milwaukee might have a shot at the wild card.
They would likely catch the Cubs, barring injury....I think he ends up on the North side of Chicago myself, but the Brewers have more young players and finances prevent them from making long runs so perhaps taking a shot this year will come to fruition....
CC's signing is fascinating to me. From all reports, the Brewers have no hope of re-signing him (or Ben Sheets) after this year, so it's basically a "We need to win the whole thing right now...this year...for this trade to work." That said, if the Brewers don't re-sign either ace, they will secure 5 of the first 40 picks in next year's baseball draft.