Cliff Lee made his 2010 season debut last night, but at this point his agent appears to be looking ahead to the offseason. ESPN's Buster Olney spoke to Lee's agent Darek Braunecker, who indicated that his client is likely going to test the free agent waters after the season.
"We're five months away from free agency," said Braunecker, "so I think that's the most likely scenario at this point."
"We've not really had any significant discussions with Seattle. I wouldn't anticipate a deal [with the Mariners]."
With Josh Beckett signing an extension with the Red Sox, Lee is inarguably the top starter available on the free agent market next year. Back in March we heard that the lefty was likely to wait until after the season to discuss any kind of long-term deal with Seattle, so this latest news isn't really anything new.
If he repeats his 2008 and 2009 effort this season (2.89 ERA, 6.9 K/9, 1.5 BB/9), Lee would have a good chance of eclipsing the five year, $82.5MM contracts signed by A.J. Burnett and John Lackey in the last two offseasons, but it's unlikely he'll match CC Sabathia's seven year, $161MM pact.
he’s gonna get some big money. probably 6/115 or so.
Would love the Mets to trade for him this season and then use him to beat the hell out of the Phillies. That was the dumbest move of the offseason.
Completely disagree. They ditched a guy who was going to walk to the FA regardless, and then replaced him with Halladay who is crushing the NL and the amount and length of his contract are half of what Lee will try to command. They are only 1 year different in age. Smart move by the Phils at this point regarding the changing of pitchers and going with Halladay instead of Lee.
Who knows? Quite possibly if the Phillies starting lineup doesnt straighten out and the DL keeps posing a problem for the pitching, maybe they will offer a trade to Seattle and then offer Lee a contract that matches Halladays. Not too insulting to offer a contract to a guy who is considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. Not to mention the fact that the Phillies have a decent chance of repeating the penant.
How sick would the Sox rotation be if they signed cliff lee
Beckett-R
Lester-L
Lackey-R
Lee-L
Buchholz-R
Lee would be the ace, he is better then any of the Red Sox current SP
Yeah they’d be better off with something like:
Lee-L
Beckett-R
Lester-L
Lackey-R
Bucholz-R
You could arguably put Lester in at the 2, but I think the veteran Beckett would be slotted there.
Not a chance.
A man can dream, can’t he?
redsox fans aren’t men!!
If you say a man can dream, don’t get upset when yankee fans say they want to trade pujols carpenter wainwright for nick johnson and vazquez.
that is so lopsided. you gotta throw in matt holliday for marcus thames as well. DUH
you’re so right, my mistake, maybe a three way trade to get Lincecum too
Dice-K?
Is the reason the Sox won’t be in contention for Lee, plus the fact that they already have 2 already high paid pitchers under contract for the next 5 years.
How sick would the Sox be if the traded for Felix and Lincecum too?! Man…
I bet they could center a deal around Hermida to get Lincecum and a deal around Jed Lowrie to get Felix
Minnesota has always been an ace away from a championship. They have a new ballpark and a big new payroll. I could see them gunning for Lee
I doubt it. They just gave Mauer that huge deal I doubt they would want two like that.
if i were to make a guess as the team that will land him, its the mets.
Ah, pirates fans. Do you remember the trade Neil Huntington almost made in his first offseason? Pirates send Jason Bay and Ronny Paulino to Cleveland for Cliff Lee, Franklin Guitterez, and Kelly Shoppach. What could have been.
The Pirates need to sign him this offseason. He is perfect for PNC Park. He is connected to NH from their Cleveland days. The pirates need an ace more then any team in baseball. That will not happen though.
I think the Mets are the logical choice if they have the money, I don’t know who will be off the books for them next year though. It’s tough to predict where all the big free agents will go because the Yanks and Red Sox usually sign most of them and they’ve locked up so many guys already, it would just be overkill to sign a guy like Lee.
It would be nice to see the Twins or Rangers get him, Texas should have the money once Harden leaves and if their ownership is finally straightened out. They have so many talented young arms though, they may be better served spending money elsewhere.
What would be really funny would be if the Nats signed him. They are looking better and have been willing to spend money, can you imagine a rotation headlined by Strasburg and Lee for the next 5 years? Don’t count out the Mariners either if they like each other. They have money and plenty of rotation spots open behind King Felix.
I could actually see the yankees go after him, after this season, Pettite will most likely retire, then lets say don’t resign vazquez because at this point he’s obviously not impressing anyone. Then you have CC, Aj, and Hughes. I could deffinately see them going hard after Lee.
I agree, I bet Lee is their number one target on the FA market (not counting Jeter and Mo, because we all know those two will be resigned) because while LF might be an area they would like to upgrade and Crawford would look nice out there, they won’t hurt as bad if they have to go with their number 2 or 3 OF option (Werth or I personally wouldn’t mind keeping Gardner if he is productive and go after someone in the 2012 class) versus going with their number 2 option on SP which would be either huge injury risks (i.e. Webb, Sheets) or not as talented (De La Rosa, Lilly, Arroyo) and with Joba probably being in the rotation with Hughes in ’11 they’ll go after Lee harder than any OF.
You people are counting out the Mariners too fast. “Heading to free agency” doesn’t mean that the Mariners still can’t negotiate. In fact, they have exclusive negotiating rights right now before the other 29 teams.
On top of that, we still have to see how the season plays out. I doubt he even breaks 100M in his next shiny contract. He’s on the wrong side of 30 to justify 100M.
The Mariners still have a legitimate chance at resigning him to a Lackey-esque deal.
i don’t see any team other team than the mets. They might be the only team that can afford him unless the yankees get involve
Really? I suppose all your ex-girlfriends gave up sex, too. Who else could compare?
Harsh, but the Like button was completely appropriate
Cliff Lee has to prove himself worthy of the money so he’d better perform well for Seattle. Considering he’s only had two solid years in his entire career, less than 100 wins by age 32, and was injured for the first month of the season, I’d say his value isn’t as high as he thinks. But some idiot like the Red Sox or Yankees will be tempted to overpay him just so they can say they did something. Unless he lights it up in Seattle this year, I’d say he could just as easily look more like Mark Mulder than Steve Carlton!
do the dodgers have a chance to trade for lee kind of as a rental player at the deadline he would make us a very scary team. since we are lacking pitching!
I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Yanks lock him up for $150M
Anyone else wonder why both the Indians and Phillies sold so low on this guy?
For instance, the Phillies gave up a guy currently hitting .081 as a starting MLB catcher, a former top pitching prospect who has a career ERA over 8 in the Majors with time not on his side, an infielder who projects as a fourth infielder who has not had an at bat in the MLB who is on the wrong side of the age clock, and a guy who is 19 and had surgery to remove “loose bodies” in his throwing shoulder two weeks after being traded. The Phillies got Lee and Francisco, who is a very nice bench piece and could start for a few teams.
They got a decent regular season and a very good post season out of him and traded him for a former first round pick that the Mariners weren’t high on, a speedy outfielder with little pop, and a pitcher that scouts are completely torn on. On top of that, they got to keep Francisco, too.
What’s the rap on this guy? I understand that, at age 32, he’s actually kind of an unknown commodity. His disastrous 2007, which culminated in him being left off of the playoff roster on a very good Indians team, was followed up by a stellar 2008. His 2009 was also very good, but his track record seems to be a mystery, even as a veteran. He provided a few incredible starts with some downright stinkers for the Phils, including a game where he was pulled very early for giving up 6 to the Nats. But was nearly un-hittable the first time around against the WS champs.
Is he a good “club-house” guy? Do his teammates like him? One thing that rubs me raw is that he seems to have an overinflated value of himself. He wants “C.C. money”, but he’s had a really inconsistent career, with last season being a microcosm of just that. But something has to be “up”, right? Teams were able to trade “meh” packages to pick him up twice in the span of 6 months or so. What’s the deal?
Nice Comment.
I’ve been wondering many things about Lee as well.
I’ve got a feeling it might be a club house issue due to his seemingly inflated ego, well inflated compared to other sports stars. Your mention of him wanting C.C money is certainly telling of his inflated self worth. I personally see him as being worth Lackey or Beckett money, he is certainly getting on in years so that reduces his value in my eyes, he’s made some phenomenal starts yet also been atrocious at times like you said. At the money and years he’s looking for, I certainly wouldn’t want my team picking him up.
Yeah they’d be better off with something like:
Lee-L
Beckett-R
Lester-L%0
How come everyone is thinking he’ll be a Met? I’m a Met fan but I don’t see any evidence pointing towards us signing him. I’d love him (as long as we don’t overpay in terms of years) but still, we don’t have any big contracts coming off, the Wilpons are cheap terrible owners and will not increase the payroll. I don’t see it. Unless Beltran comes back after the ASB, does well and in the offseason the Mets trade him for nothing as long as the other team picks up his final year and $17M owed to him, I can’t see it. But oh man would that look great…
Santana
Lee
Pelfrey
Maine
Niese
(Perez mop up man/situational lefty)
If the Phillies don’t sign Werth, they may still go after Lee or try and trade Hamels for some more picks and sign Lee….It’s a long shot, but he did love Philly.
And was also pissed at the fact Philly traded him. He loved it cause they were winning. He’d love any contender, as would any big leaguer.
Also, you cant trade Hamels for draft picks, I’m assuming you mean prospects.
yes, you are correct, by picks I did mean prospects…
He used to be an excellent defender, but isn’t anymore. At least according to UZR, but you probably have your gripes with that too. But there isn’t another decent stat to use for fielding anyway, as fielding percentage isn’t at all helpful. His lack of speed (base clogging, and lack of worrying by pitchers about him stealing), probably negates his pitch seeing. The gamer thing is in your point of view. I’d have to admit his clubhouse influences seems like it’s better than Vazquez’s, but no one can know for sure. Vazquez clearly must have played through quite a few injuries and fatigue to start over 30 games so many years in a row. That’s gotta be worth something. (from above)