4:23pm: The Rangers met with Lee in Arkansas yesterday, GM Jon Daniels confirmed to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Daniels declined to say whether the team has made Lee a formal offer.
10:39am: The Yankees haven’t made Lee an offer, a source tells Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com. In fact, agent Darek Braunecker isn’t looking for proposals just yet.
“He really doesn't want any offers until next week,” Matthews’ source said. “He wants to be the ringmaster at the winter meetings. I don't expect anything to get done until after that."
8:50am: The Rangers are on the verge of making Cliff Lee an official offer, according to George A. King III of the New York Post. A source tells King that the Rangers are prepared to offer a five-year deal and believe the Yankees have already offered a five or six-year deal. Though Lee’s agent wouldn’t confirm specifics, he did acknowledge that talks are progressing.
"We are starting to move stuff along," Darek Braunecker told the Post.
If the Rangers lose Lee to the Yankees, they will likely consider trading for Zack Greinke. The Royals like Rangers prospects Martin Perez and Tanner Scheppers, according to King.
Though Yahoo’s Jeff Passan reported that Greinke would not necessarily mind pitching in the Bronx, the Yankees aren’t so sure. They don’t believe that the right-hander wants to pitch for them, according to King.
With all the trades they made last season, I’m surprised they still have enough talent to deal off. Their farm system must’ve been stacked!
The system still is stacked. Holland, Perez, and Scheppers all have FOTR potential. They also have a lotta arms in The lower levels
What does FOTR stand for?
Josh Lueke is a good arm and can contribute to the Mariners pen as soon as next year, but is also a probable rapist, and there’s always the chance that Michael Main puts it together and becomes a solid pitcher in the big leagues, but he was probably not even in the Rangers top 20 at the time he was traded.
Otherwise, though, the only major pieces the Rangers gave up in their deals last season was Justin Smoak and obviously to a less extent, Blake Beavan in the Cliff Lee trade.
In the other trades they made, they dealt off org. filler.
We can trade off more top talent and still be stacked.
Lee to the Yanks today 6/ 132. Grienke goes to the Rangers for Scheppers, Ross, and Font.
LOL as a Rangers fan, you couldn’t get Grienke’s left testicle for that offer.
you might.
his left testicle has social anxiety disorder and would never succeed for a big market team
As a fan of neither team though I like them both, I think something like this would work:
Perez and Beltre as the meat of the package, Chris Davis as the change of scenery MLB ready piece and then a couple of low minors wild cards that the Royals scouting guys like.
With Hosmer and Moose coming up I think it would be good to include Butler into the deal for more prospect value so the Rangers get their good young right handed 1B and the Royals get even more talent to add to their insanely good next wave of talent.
Butler will be staying put…. He is too young, cheap, and controllable for the next couple of years….
The Rangers have said that Martin Perez is untouchable. Scheppers is more likey to be included in the deal, if it happens. With Beltre being the prize of the deal.
But you might be on something with Chris Davis…. He could play 1B (if he would ever hit), bring great defense to the position, and that would allow KC to play Butler at his natural position (DH). Giving Hosmer more time to hone his skills in the minors.
IMO, there is no “untouchable” prospect. If KC said Greinke for Perez and others, do the deal. He is a AA pitcher who has talent but still far away. There is no one untouchable.
Um, what we do not need is another 1B/DH type player like Chris Davis. I’d be surprised if the Royals are very interested in Jesus Montero, who projects at 1B, so why would they want Davis? He is worthless at the plate.
Hosmer isn’t more than a year away. He will probably be starting in 2012. The Royals do not need anymore 1B type players.
I would make that deal.
I would prefer the right testicle. Its the one that really affercts a pitchers delivery lol.
Why not just ask for the whole taint
Easy there hoss. You’re going to have to kick in more prospects for that.
because the left testicle has social anxiety disorder. What kind of reply is that what are ya nuts or something lol. chirp chirp boo!
As a Rangers fan I have to agree. It’s going to cost more, unfortunately.
Is it just me or does anyone else have a bad feeling that this is going to end badly? Regardless of what team wins I feel they will be the loser. While I am 100% confident Lee would be a great pitcher even into his later years like Andy Petite, I just don’t know how comfortable I feel about investing so much into this guy in terms of years and money. I feel a huge backfire coming on here…
I’d offer 6/125 for Lee with 10% equity in the franchise.
Lee is going to the Yankees unfortunately.
I’m guessing they offer 5/125M and say take it or leave it. The when the Yankees wipe their backsides with that offer sheet and give him 6/140M+, the Rangers can finally focus on getting Grienke out of KC.
I feel Grienke is the better option in the long run. Def, even if we make that offer and the Yankees counter it with that, you still have to take the tax into consideration which lessens the Yankees offer. I don’t feel comfortable paying Lee near 25 mill a year…yeah he is great, but no pitcher is worth 25 mill, not when there is a guy that is almost as good for half the price, and is younger. We’ll soon see what happens.
While I disagree that Grienke is a better option, I do agree that Lee isn’t worth $25 mil. Sure he’s pitched like an ace at times, but he’s also had injuries and is getting older. I don’t see why anyone would offer him $25 a year for 6 years or anything similar…But hey, it’s the Yankees, there’s no such thing as offering too much.
Why would Lee take less to play for the Yankees (by your estimation)? He made it deeper into the playoffs with the Rangers and you’re saying the Yankees will offer him 1 extra year with less money and he’ll jump at that?
$140M isn’t less than $125M. Per year, yes, so I get your point. But he is saying the Yankees would guarantee him more money but over 6 years rather than 5. More likely they would just add another year at the same yearly rate is probably your point.
Yeah I think the Yankees would have no problem at 6/150.
i would really like to see Lee sign with the Rangers. That would be good for baseball.
What would be good for baseball would be for Lee to sign with the Yankees for 6/150 and then blow his arm out in spring training. Maybe if things like that happened occasionally it would slow things down a bit in NY
i’d prefer having the yankees not being able to buy whichever player they want
isnt that the point of Free Agency?
yes, of course… the yankees are the ONLY team that free agency is designed for…
Stop acting like the Yanks have signed every major free agent for the last 10 years please. We weren’t the ones that signed Arod for 10/$250 and rasied the bar to an astronomical level. But right after Arod signed the price for Jeter’s deal raised from what was on the table to what he eventually signed for. Thanks Hicks.
Too bad the current A rod deal signed by the Yankees is a far bigger atrocity, both in terms of length relative to age, and the premium they would have paid over the next highest bidder. It rivals the Barry Zito deal as the most spineless giving-in to Boras’ demands.
probably not the best idea to wish injuries upon a player just because you hate the yankees.
I prefer the more ambiguous “I hope he doesn’t work out for them”.
Yeah Karma is a son of a gun
Gee Whiz… seek therapy my son.
What would be good for baseball is a revised or hard salary cap.
While this a great idea, it will never happen… or won’t happen anytime soon.
And a salary floor.
hard salary caps means, no dynastys, very few trades, and boatload of mediocre teams. .. Something needs to be done, but not that. anything but that
Speaking of a cap, it’s pretty funny how the NFL has no cap this year but one of the worst teams in the NFL happens to be one that’s owned by the richest owner in the league?
Salary cap certainly did not change the NBA.
NBA doesn’t have a hard cap..The Salary Cap has completely ruined the NHL. so many bad and mediocre teams. Chicago wins the Stanley Cup then has to trade 25% of their forwards because they cant afford them anymore..Having the Marlins and Yankees spend the same amount in a season wouldn’t be good for baseball..Only way a Hard Cap would work is if you draft a player, they don’t get put towards the cap, that way its only a ‘free agent’ cap.
Finally some action. I could totally see texas getting greinke with the system they have. Hopefully they’ll have to do that.
I love for the Rangers to get Lee, but a 6 year deal for a pitcher is just stupid. Look at Zito for example. Bet the Giants would do that over for sure. And it was just two years ago that Lee was a bit shaky. Unless your the the Yankees and spend twice what just about every other team does, it just doesn’t make sense financially. My prediction is the Rangers will get Grienke or move Feliz into the rotation.
I agree that 6 years is a stupid thing to give a pitcher, but if you want a true ace off the free agent market you almost have to do it. It just becomes a gamble and the willingness to accept that you may have an albatross around your neck in a couple of years (a la Zito).
Cliff Lee won the Cy Young award 2 years ago, he wasn’t shaky… lol
I really hope as a Roayls fan that neither the Yanks or the Rangers end up with Greinke…If I had to pick a team I guess it would be the Yanks… a deal that starts with Gardner, Montero and Betances sounds better than what the Rangers have to offer…Where are the Redsox? I thought they would also try to make a move for Greinke…
Red Sox have Lester, Buchholz, Becket, Lackey, and Dice-K. No need for Greinke.
Maybe….but I could hypothetically see them offering Ellsbury as part of a deal for Greinke. Greinke wouldn’t keep them from the outfield bat they desire.
So all of those guys are better than Greinke? Red Sox would love to have Greinke just not at the price of DM is asking…
Lester is, Buchholz had 1 good season so I’d like to see him pitch multiple seasons before they can compare, Lackey is about even, Dice-K and Beckett aren’t better.
Lackey is definitely not equal to Greinke.
So who’s better than? It’s definitely debatable. You shouldn’t use 1 season to judge who is better. Maybe I’d take Greinke because he’s younger, but you can’t say Lackey is worse.
Sure I can. And I’m not using one season. Last four years: Grienke: 22 WAR, Lackey: 15.5 WAR. Not really even close. And in those four years, only one year (2007) has Lackey put up more WAR than Grienke, and that was in Grienke’s age 23 season.
Yes, you can. John Lackey is a worse pitcher than Zack Greinke in just about every way that matters.
Maybe in recent years, but both have their good/bad years.
If I wanted 1 of the 2, I’d take Greinke, but don’t say he is far and away better than Lackey, because he isn’t far and away better.
ERA+
Lackey 114
Greinke 116
ERA
Lackey 3.89
Greinke 3.82
WHIP
Grenke 1.26
Lackey 1.31
Better? I guess. But not lights year ahead of him.
You obviously aren’t very familiar with our farm system.
yes I am… I just would rather have an OF like Gardner who would be our lead off hitter for years to come…a guy like Montero we could either move or give a shot a catcher… and one very good SP in Betances… The Royals have a ton of young starters so I just want guys who can hit…is that okay? I didnt say your FS sucks I just perfer these 3 guys…What I would really perfer is that they sign Greinke past 2012…
I can respect that reasoning. Don’t sleep on Beltre though, he’s young and still a little way away from the big leagues, but he’s going to be a good OF.Anyway, I doubt Greinke would accept a trade to New York. With his anxiety issues I would think Yankee Stadium and New York would be kind of a tough place for him to play.As far as wanting to keep him, I don’t blame you one bit for that. I don’t think it’s going to happen though, and as much as I know you guys love him getting rid of him while his value is extremely high might be the best thing for your team overall. For one thing, if you guys don’t get more competitive by the time his contract is up he’s just going to leave. Trading him now would allow you to really stock up that already good farm system and in 3-4 years you guys will be a good young team that’s poised to do good things for a while. It works, trust me (see the Teixeira trade, heh). But it’s definitely a catch 22 situation and a tough spot to be in as a fan. I’ve been there before so I know what you mean.
Beltre is not going to be a lead off hitter is he? Thats why I like Gardner…Our FS has no lead off type hitters…
Our owner should be ran out of town by now with all the players we have had to give up so that his pockets can get bigger and bigger…
Look I have seen one of the best OF’s in baseball be moved for what a bunch of crap prospects… I tired of tradding away all of our talent for guys who might be good some day…
Sorry had to vent!
I understand, believe me. Tom Hicks owned my team for the last decade.
Beltre very well could be a lead off hitter. He’s definitely got the makeup for it. He lacks power right now, but he’s got some pop in his bat. He’s only 20 or 21. I figure he’ll fill out a little as he gets older and his power will probably increase. He gets on base, he’s fast, hits for decent average, and he’s a very good defender. He’s a legit CF prospect.
I can respect that reasoning. Don’t sleep on Beltre though, he’s young and still a little way away from the big leagues, but he’s going to be a good OF.Anyway, I doubt Greinke would accept a trade to New York. With his anxiety issues I would think Yankee Stadium and New York would be kind of a tough place for him to play.As far as wanting to keep him, I don’t blame you one bit for that. I don’t think it’s going to happen though, and as much as I know you guys love him getting rid of him while his value is extremely high might be the best thing for your team overall. For one thing, if you guys don’t get more competitive by the time his contract is up he’s just going to leave. Trading him now would allow you to really stock up that already good farm system and in 3-4 years you guys will be a good young team that’s poised to do good things for a while. It works, trust me (see the Teixeira trade, heh). But it’s definitely a catch 22 situation and a tough spot to be in as a fan. I’ve been there before so I know what you mean.
i doubt the yankees( or any team) offer that much talent. Gardner, Montero, and Betances? maybe after 2009.
I dont care if they dont offer that… I said thats where DM might starts the talks with…DM said he wants at least one ML ready player and two top prospects…Gardner is the only player the Royals would want and could afford so I went with him…
I know he might not get this kind of talent but he will ask for it…
I dont care if they dont offer that… I said thats where DM might starts the talks with…DM said he wants at least one ML ready player and two top prospects…Gardner is the only player the Royals would want and could afford so I went with him…
I know he might not get this kind of talent but he will ask for it…
i doubt the yankees( or any team) offer that much talent. Gardner, Montero, and Betances? maybe after 2009.
Texas has the best farm in the game
Probably not anymore. We’re still way up there though.
Texas has the best farm in the game
I mean no disrespect to your hypothetical proposal, however, if I was the Yankees I would NEVER make that deal. While it may far-fetched to say this now, those three names that you stated as a “starting point” for the deal for Greinke have the chance of being the future faces of this organization. Gardner, in my opinion, has already proven to me that he can be the future of the Yankees and stay up at the Major League level. Montero is considered the future of the Yankees looking at the backstop position and DH and Betances is a 6’8 top notch pitching prospect. While I realize the last two named can flop once they get to the major leagues and Gardner only has about two years experience under his belt, it is of course my hope as a Yankees fan that they do not. I really do not want to see any of the three players you named there used as trading chips for a single big name pitcher. I realize and acknowledge the fact that Greinke has a lot of talent for a very young arm and I wish him the best of luck wherever he ends up, I just hope it isn’t the Yankees if it is struck for that deal. Montero is expected to be our catcher for the future, and you’re not going to find too many left-fielders with more speed and a developed eye at the plate for the price tag that Gardner comes as. I think the Yankees should just leave this one alone, go after Lee, if that falls through then give Nova a chance at the 5th spot given the fact Pettite comes back.
par·a·graph (pr-grf)n.1. A distinct division of written or printed matter that begins on a new, usually indented line, consists of one or more sentences, and typically deals with a single thought or topic or quotes one speaker’s continuous words.2. A mark ( ¶ ) used to indicate where a new paragraph should begin or to serve as a reference mark.3. A brief article, notice, or announcement, as in a newspaper.
sar·casm
[sahr-kaz-uhm]
–noun
1.
harsh or bitter derision or irony.
2.
a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark: a review full of sarcasms
I am saying that where they start the talks…
Yes, I realize that. And I am saying I hope that does not happen.
Me too… I want him stay past 2012… but of the two teams this is who I would go after thats all I am saying…
I really want Cano since he is my favorite player in the MLB but I know that would never happen…Man I hate having my favorite player on the Yanks but what can I say the guy is a stud…
We’re certainly lucky to have Cano in our organization. He’s a nice young player whose comments never hurt the organization and he always seems to be having fun. Granted I would too if I put up the numbers he did last year.
No rule saying you can’t root for the Yankees too ;). I usually refer to the Rangers being my second favorite team due to their style of play and clubhouse mentality. It made for an interesting ALCS.
You’re dang right you’re lucky lol. We’re so stupid for taking Arias in the A Rod deal. We should have picked Cano. We could have had an infield of Elvis, Kinsler, Cano, and Young with an OF of Hamilton, Cruz, and Murphy/Borbon. Imagine if we would have kept Adrian Gonzalez.*beats head against wall*
I was born and raised in Kansas City no way I would ever root for the Yanks or the Cards… Oh hell who am I kidding; I would never root for any other team in baseball…
Funny to think Cano was offered to the Royals years ago but they turned it down… Cant think of who the Yanks wanted…
completely agree. I don’t really prefer Montero or anyone in the Tex system. Maybe a team like the Jays will come from nowhere, or perhaps Bos finds a 3rd team to add to the deal to make it happen.
espn just refuted this report. lee isn’t taking any offers till next week
Doesn’t surprise me. The Rangers are very tight lipped about their business. You won’t hear the truth until right before we do something, if JD even lets it get out at all. Nothing will happen until the Winter Meetings, that’s usually JD’s M.O.
And the latest addition to this post confirms my above sentiments. We won’t find out about Texas’ offer until it is made, and we still might not hear about it. Our FO likes to keep its cards close to its vest. Basically, if somebody writes that Texas has made an offer but doesn’t provide the dollar amount of the offer, there’s a 99% chance the report is BS. Even if they do provide a dollar amount there’s still a good chance it’s BS. From what I’ve seen of how JD operates, all the real news comes out from Rangers sources minutes before the official announcement from the team is made. So if it comes from a NY writer it might not be true (shocking). The Winter Meetings is when this will go down.
I wonder how Mr. King introduces himself at parties…
“hello, I’m George. George A (emphasis on A) King….THE THIRD. Yes, you may kiss my ring”.
lol I thought similar things when I saw his name
That guy pretty much has to wear a monocle and top hat wherever he goes, just to not disappoint people
My guess is the initial offer is 5 yrs/23 mil per. I doubt the Rangers would go 6 years or over 25 mil per. If the Yankees offered the same amount or more, I could see Lee going to NY just because I have a feeling that he wants to play with his pals there and likes the Yankee mystique more than worrying that fans are up in the stands spitting on his wife everytime he walks a batter during a game. I’m beginning to not care if Lee does leave. I am tired of waiting on this game of his. Reminds me too much of what Carlos Beltran did to the Astros when he used to them to squeeze a better deal out of the Mets back when. I think the Rangers need to learn from that and from the Nim-rod fiasco and tell Lee, “here is the offer…take it now…or it’s off the table in 30 seconds and won’t be repeated.”
Honestly I think he had his mind made up he was going to the Yankees this off season when Seattle screwed them in the negotiations before the trade deadline. I really think the Texas Rangers are doing all this to woo Cliff Lee for nothing.
Seattle didn’t screw them. They were holding out for Justin Smoak, and got him. It was a smart move.
Wow – I can’t believe all the hype over Greinke. The dude had ONE good year – which has proven to be an outlier. I wouldn’t give you Scheppers or Perez one::one for him.
i think any pitcher would look bad having the MLB worst defense playing behind them as well as one of the worst save percentages(even with soria) and basically being uninterested from knowing he won’t be in the playoffs. At least in 2009 he started out hot and he new there was some hardware at the end of the tunnel to play for.
fail
Definitley agree, Greinke is overhyped.He had one great season
you’re a close second
lmao you are the dumbest man alive
I completely agree, his numbers outside of 2009 are nothing to give your farm for.
Cliff Lee to the Yanks. 6/150 will be the final #s. *That’s your cue, haters*
Lee wants Sabathia money and he will get it from the NYY.To be honest I wouldnt sign Lee for anymore more then a 3-5 year deal.He will become yet another Yankee veteran they don’t need and will be injury prone after a couple of years.For all of you yankee haters they don’t go out an sign every big free agent.The Mets signed Beltran Bay and Krod ll to big contracts and the Cardnials also were the players who signed Holliday.The Yankees will probably sign Lee, and if they don’t they will trade for greinke if the price isnt too high and will go after crawford.Although it wouldnt surprise me to see Boston get involved with Lee just to try and raise the price on him.not that they would be serious.
Except Boston literally has 0 room for Lee. To get involved to just drive up the price requires at least an open rotation spot to do so. The Red Sox have 5 starters under contract for next year. They wouldn’t be taken seriously.
As long as the yankees don’t get Greinke, i’ll be very happy. Seriously if you have to hypothetically give up a young future Centerfield and leadoff hitter. A future star C/1B/DH that projects to be a player similar to Piazza and Miguel Cabrera. And then a pitcher who is going to be a future 2, why would you want that? (Bentances/Banuelos)
Why is the price for a pitcher with one great year and two good years so big?
As long as the yankees don’t get Greinke, i’ll be very happy. Seriously if you have to hypothetically give up a young future Centerfield and leadoff hitter. A future star C/1B/DH that projects to be a player similar to Piazza and Miguel Cabrera. And then a pitcher who is going to be a future 2, why would you want that? (Bentances/Banuelos)
Why is the price for a pitcher with one great year and two good years so big?
LOL @ Zack has had one good season. In 2008 he was 13-10 for this team with an ear under 3.50.
And I laugh at the kid who thinks Texas farm sytem is better than the Royals. You could wipe away our top 3 prospects (Moose, Hos and Myers) and we still have the best farm.