Texas Rangers Take Lead In Cliff Lee Race

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hacheman@therx.com
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<TABLE width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=vaLabel vAlign=top rowSpan=5 width=100 align=middle> </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=subHead vAlign=top colSpan=3>Report: Rangers take lead in Lee sweepstakes </TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD class=vaLabel colSpan=3>Cliff Lee - S - SEA - Jul. 8 </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3>One rival general manager tells Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com that the Rangers have become the favorite to land Cliff Lee.
According to the report, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik covets rookie first baseman Justin Smoak. However, the Rangers' reluctance to include Smoak in an offer for Lee is one of the biggest hurdles in the way of a deal. There's also the issue of the approximately $4 million remaining on Lee's contract for this season, a figure that is too expensive for the Rangers to afford. It's possible the Mariners could cover the cost of Lee's salary should the team be willing to trade better players or prospects. It's unlikely, but Smoak would certainly fit that description.
Source: FOXSports.com
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I'd really, really hate to see them lose Smoak, and I honestly don't think they'd deal him.
 

Bulldog Mentality
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Lee will just go there and wilt like just about every other pitcher Texas brings in.
 

"i had a hundy but i bet a grand"
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The Knicks didn’t get LeBron James, but the Yankees were on the brink of obtaining Cliff Lee late last night for a package that would include top prospect Jesus Montero, the Post has learned.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik have been in constant contact over the last week, but it was only last night that the Seattle GM told Yankee officials he wanted to move quickly, possibly before the All-Star break.
The Yanks were not assured of obtaining Lee since other clubs such as the Mets, Twins and Rangers were in talks. But the Yanks were definitely making the strongest move last night, coming from seeming disinterest into the clear front-runner and last night it seemed they were all but certain to obtain the 31-year-old lefty.



In an odd twist, Lee is scheduled to pitch against the Yankees tonight in Seattle. Lee is 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA and an amazing 89 strikeouts to just six walks. He beat the Yankees twice in the World Series last year, the only two games the Yankees lost in the Fall Classic.
In the offseason, the Yanks tried to make a deal with Philadelphia and offered Montero as the key piece. But the Phillies decided to take the Mariner offer instead.
However, Seattle’s contention plans fizzled and Lee was put up for auction by the frustrated Mariners. The Mets were perceived to be more interested in the ace than the Yankees. But the Yankees adore Lee as a pitcher and had been planning to make a big push for him as a free agent anyway.
So they decided to stay engage on this matter even as the perception in the sport grew that the Twins were the frontrunners with perhaps the Rangers close behind.
Yankee management looked at its rotation and had some pause. CC Sabathia was again an ace and Andy Pettitte is pitching as well now as ever. But A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez are not fully trustworthy, especially for the playoffs, and Phil Hughes has an innings limit of about 175, and might not be available to start.
Cashman might now be in position to either put Hughes in the bullpen to bolster that shaky area or trade a starter, possibly Vazquez, for a few prospects. It was possible that injured Double-A second baseman David Adams also was part of the deal to Seattle since he is a player the Mariners like a great deal.
The Yanks also were obviously worried about being in a highly competitive division with the Red Sox and Rays, and Lee is the kind of player who can separate them. Having Sabathia and Lee – one-time Indians teammates – as a 1-2 punch atop the rotation turn the Yanks into even stronger favorites to repeat as champions.
The Yanks like Montero a great deal, but they were willing to use him as bait for both Lee and Roy Halladay in the offseason. They are deep in catching prospects and could never be sure that Montero could actually make it as a catcher in the majors since that is the suspect area of the game. He is considered one of the elite hitting prospects in the minors, though he was hitting just .253 with six homers and 34 RBIs this season at Triple-A.


 

Bulldog Mentality
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wow, so so long ago.

the pitching has been much better with Nolan around....

It has only really been Nolan's team since he became part-owner after 2009 season, and that may change with the bankruptcy. It will be interesting to see how the pitching holds up in the dog days.

Lately they have not been able to afford much of anything since the A-Rod deal then Millwood. In fact, they still owe on both contracts. They have a farm system rich in prospects and that's what they have to offer along with Smoak. Not sure MLB will allow them to take on additional salary obligations.

Also pitchers who have it in their contract that they have a say in where they will go, generally do not want to go to Texas, because the heat and humidity is conducive to HRs and hitting not pitching.

Bottom line is that they need a dome period. Pitching wins championships and the Rangers can not even hardly win a playoff game.
 

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