Looks like the Yankees won Lee

[ajk23az]

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Rangers and Yankees aren't expecting a decision from Cliff Lee for another few days.

Both teams have apparently issued a "menu of offers," with the Yanks' best proposal checking in at seven years and around $161 million. Rangers officials flew down to Lee's Arkansas home on Thursday and made their own pitch, but it's not yet known if they have topped the Yankees from a dollars and cents standpoint. Lee is likely to decide between the two this weekend. Dec. 10 - 12:03 pm et

Source: Bob Nightengale on Twitter

 

[Stautner]

Well, they would almost have to go after him. I'd say that if they don't get Lee, it's about 100%. they are forced to give up prospects in exchange for Greinke.

They will be forced to do that if if they feel its essential to have one of the front line starters in baseball. They could always opt for stickign with their young, developing arms. I have to wonder if the Rangers feel they have a window of a couple of years to win it all and that's what they are gearing toward.

My question is this. They made several offers and gave them all to him. What the hell does that mean?

Maybe they offered him 5, 6, and 7 year deals, but the value per year drops. $20M @ 7 year = $140, $22M @ 6 = $132M, $25M @ 5 years $125M. That seems the most logical, but it appears that did something more dramatic.

Maybe they could have offered him a 5 or 6 year deal, with a team AND player option. The 6th or 7th year could have buyout clauses of maybe $5M or $7M per year. A 5 year deal @ $25M with two option years at $7M buyout, that would make the deal worth a minimum of $134M for just five, but possibly could be worth far more if Lee went the full 7 years. If Lee felt he could make more money going back on the market, he could opt out and hit free agency after five or six years and resign at the going rate.

Hmm, that would be the type of deal I would throw at Cliff.

The problem with this deal is that Lee will be in another 5-7 years Lee will be 37-39 years old, and it would be a big gamble for him to bank on a top contract at that age.

 

[YosemiteSam]

They will be forced to do that if if they feel its essential to have one of the front line starters in baseball. They could always opt for stickign with their young, developing arms. I have to wonder if the Rangers feel they have a window of a couple of years to win it all and that's what they are gearing toward.



The problem with this deal is that Lee will be in another 5-7 years Lee will be 37-39 years old, and it would be a big gamble for him to bank on a top contract at that age.

Not a top contract, but if he is still pitching well he could land a big 2-3 year deal. heh in five years, the Yankees will probably pay him $50M a year. :laugh2:

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

They will be forced to do that if if they feel its essential to have one of the front line starters in baseball. They could always opt for stickign with their young, developing arms. I have to wonder if the Rangers feel they have a window of a couple of years to win it all and that's what they are gearing toward.

That's true. They could do that. They are in a division where they might just be able to do that. I don't know the quality of their young arms. I know that they have some interesting position players that are coming up but I'm not all that familiar with their young arms.

The problem with this deal is that Lee will be in another 5-7 years Lee will be 37-39 years old, and it would be a big gamble for him to bank on a top contract at that age.

Both teams are taking this risk. I'm sure that each of them would rather offer more money per season with fewer seasons but that doesn't seem to be Lee's preference, which worries me. It would seem as if he would rather do that so that he could be in line for another Big contract in a few years. The fact that he doesn't is a bit troublesome.

 

[tko112204]

What do you think gets Greinke if the Royals know Texas is desperate for him?

Perez (for sure)
Holland
Olt
and
??

It would have to be a haul.

 

[WDN]

What do you think gets Greinke if the Royals know Texas is desperate for him?

Perez (for sure)
Holland
Olt
and
??

It would have to be a haul.

I think you are looking at Perez, Profar, Beltre, and possible either Holland or Scheppers. They are asking for the moon right now.

 

[tko112204]

I think you are looking at Perez, Profar, Beltre, and possible either Holland or Scheppers. They are asking for the moon right now.

Scheppers is a bullpen only guy at this point. I mean, a very good bullpen guy, but they still don't yield that much on the trade market.

You're right about them asking for the moon though.

Perez, Profar, Beltre and Holland is maybe even short, just because Profar is so far away. Olt in his place gets it done, but I don't think I'd do that.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I wouldn't trade Holland. I think within two years, he is going to be a real stud. Left handed, power arm, and generally very accurate and extremely smart. The one thing he has been know for coming up through the minors is throwing strikes. He had a few control problems this year, but when he is on, he is dominate.

Top it off with the fact that he is 24, has about 200 innings experience in the majors and playoff experience, and he has a minimum of at least four more years before he can hit free agency. I think at some point he will be Texas ace. He is like CJ Wilson, but he has a naturally calm demeanor.

If you look, most of the best starting pitches in baseball have naturally calm demeanors. Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Jered Weaver, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Andy Petettie, Mariano Riviera, etc. You can go on and on. Most of the time it's the excitable guys who end up with control problems. Holland isn't really like that.

 

[tko112204]

I wouldn't trade Holland. I think within two years, he is going to be a real stud. Left handed, power arm, and generally very accurate and extremely smart. The one thing he has been know for coming up through the minors is throwing strikes. He had a few control problems this year, but when he is on, he is dominate.

Top it off with the fact that he is 24, has about 200 innings experience in the majors and playoff experience, and he has a minimum of at least four more years before he can hit free agency. I think at some point he will be Texas ace. He is like CJ Wilson, but he has a naturally calm demeanor.

If you look, most of the best starting pitches in baseball have naturally calm demeanors. Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Jered Weaver, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Andy Petettie, Mariano Riviera, etc. You can go on and on. Most of the time it's the excitable guys who end up with control problems. Holland isn't really like that.

Have to hope he doesn't have lingering effects from his WS meltdown.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Have to hope he doesn't have lingering effects from his WS meltdown.

lol. That is an absolutely asinine statement!

 

[tko112204]

lol. That is an absolutely asinine statement!

I know, and I would hope that with all my other posts on baseball that you wouldn't really think I would believe that.

You're really easy, nyc.

 

[Garland powerplay]

The Yankees failed this time

 

[bmzt31]

It makes me so happy wen the Yanks spend all this $ and they dont get into the playoffs

 

[StylisticS]

Jack Curry of Yes Network is concerned.
http://www.faketeams.com/2010/12/12/1870527/mlb-trade-rumors-cliff-lee-to-the-rangers

Buster Olney also weighed in on this.

The Yankees think it's far from a slam dunk that they'll sign Cliff Lee. One of their executives told a general manager from another team that he figures their chances stand at 50-50 -- and if they lose out, they'll probably pursue bullpen and bench help.

Interesting

 

[BlueBandit]

Either way the Yanks win here - if they get him, great, he's awesome for 3-4 years and the rest of the contract , they can deal with -why? because they're the Yankees and the YES NET prints money - if they lose him to Texas , Texas is DONE, absolutely DONE - they won't be able to sign Hamilton and they won't be able to make ANY moves, Lee's annual $23M hit is a crushing to a franchise like Texas, that'll put them some $25.5 M over their normal budget payroll.
The YAnks alredy forced Boston to overpay for Carl Crawford by taking him to dinner. $142 M for CCrawford? wow.

 

[Alumni2k11]

A lot of money and years for a 32 year old pitcher that's had back problems. I can't imagine Cliff being close to effective as he is now by the end of the new contract. But I could be wrong. With that being said, I'm 50/50 if I want NY to sign him or not. I can't help to not be reminded of the Kevin Brown and Jason Schmidt contracts.

 

[YosemiteSam]

A lot of money and years for a 32 year old pitcher that's had back problems. I can't imagine Cliff being close to effective as he is now by the end of the new contract. But I could be wrong. With that being said, I'm 50/50 if I want NY to sign him or not. I can't help to not be reminded of the Kevin Brown and Jason Schmidt contracts.

The back problems were muscular in nature. That makes it very unlikely that it would be a reoccurring problem.

That said, I'm 50/50 on signing him too. Seven years $20M+ for someone who is on the wrong side of 30 makes me uncomfortable too.

 

[Stautner]

The back problems were muscular in nature. That makes it very unlikely that it would be a reoccurring problem.

That said, I'm 50/50 on signing him too. Seven years $20M+ for someone who is on the wrong side of 30 makes me uncomfortable too.

I agree. I thought the Rangers would be competative on a per year basis, but I didn't think they would talk about a deal of that length.

 

[Alumni2k11]

Some rumblings on Twitter (Heyman and others) are saying a 3rd team made an offer, somewhere that Lee apparently loves. Wouldn't it be comical if after all the NY vs TEX bidding war talk, he ends up elsewhere?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Some rumblings on Twitter (Heyman and others) are saying a 3rd team made an offer, somewhere that Lee apparently loves. Wouldn't it be comical if after all the NY vs TEX bidding war talk, he ends up elsewhere?

Sounds to me like his agent might be trying to drive up the price. Hard to tell.