A trade that would send Mariners left-hander Cliff Lee to the Yankees was "just about done" on Friday morning, according to an executive involved in the trade talks.
The Mariners have been pushing hard to complete the trade, but as of Friday morning there was no agreement in place, sources said, and it was possible another team could have stepped in to make a more aggressive bid.
The Mariners had also been talking with the Rays, Twins, Rangers, Reds and other teams, and news that the Yankees were on the verge of getting Lee -- first reported by the New York Post -- could have spurred one of the other teams to strengthen their offer.
But all along, the Yankees have believed no other team matches up better than they would with Seattle in a Lee deal because they are offering prospect Jesus Montero, who figures to have a long and productive career as a hitter regardless of whether he plays catcher or first base.
And the rich get richer again.
Should they even bother with the second half of the season? Just give the damn championship to the Yankees already.
MD: You have to win, no matter what. SC: Why didn't you try that this year?
YES!!! There is no need to play the Yankees when teams like the Mariners and Pirates just give away people like this. The Yankees would be stupid not to take the trade as would any other team.
"Give away" = Yankees top prospect + probably two lesser ones, for a guy who already said he won't sign an extension and will go to free agency, for a team miles out of it already.
This is not the Yankees outspending for a player, this a team more wiling to sacrifice it's farm system for a guy who can help them. There are other teams with other top prospects who aren't willing to take the risk.
It had been rumoured that the Yankees were just going to bid on Lee when he did hit free agency, rather than give up prospects now, so I wonder what changed their stance? Did they just want to get him locked up in pinstripes ASAP?
Originally posted by Big BadIt had been rumoured that the Yankees were just going to bid on Lee when he did hit free agency, rather than give up prospects now, so I wonder what changed their stance? Did they just want to get him locked up in pinstripes ASAP?
I'd take it to mean they want to win now *and* later.
I am so happy to hear this! It's a shame they have to give up a top prospect for what amounts to the possibility of only getting 16 starts out of the guy (not counting post season).
Originally posted by lotjxYES!!! There is no need to play the Yankees when teams like the Mariners and Pirates just give away people like this. The Yankees would be stupid not to take the trade as would any other team.
Mariners and Phils gave nothing up for Lee. Yankees gave up more than those two teams by trading a top prospect for a free agent to be. I bet he'll stay though.
Originally posted by graves9Mariners and Phils gave nothing up for Lee.
Mariners gave up one of their top pitching prospects and two other prospects for Lee. They are basically getting back the same value as they gave up - prospects who may or may not be good major leaguers.
Holy fuck shit motherfucker shit. Read comics. Fuck shit shit fuck shit I sold out when I did my job. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck. Sorry had to do it....
*snip*
Revenge of the Sith = one thumb up from me. Fuck shit. I want to tittie fuck your ass. -- The Guinness. to Cerebus
Originally posted by graves9Mariners and Phils gave nothing up for Lee.
Mariners gave up one of their top pitching prospects and two other prospects for Lee. They are basically getting back the same value as they gave up - prospects who may or may not be good major leaguers.
Aumount was already a fading prospect. He has a 10 E.r.a and was moved all the way to Single A this year. Gillies is putting up awful numbers in the minors. Phils gave up Donald(who is brutal) and a backup catcher in Marson for Lee. If they kept Lee in addition to Halladay they'd be running away with the division.
Joel Sherman(who broke the story) says the deal is falling apart http://twitter.com/​Joelsherman1To repeat the #Yankees aren't getting Cliff Lee, #Mariners concerned about David Adams ankle plus apparently another team has jumped in hard
Originally posted by lotjxYES!!! There is no need to play the Yankees when teams like the Mariners and Pirates just give away people like this. The Yankees would be stupid not to take the trade as would any other team.
No that's not fair or right at all. The Mariners have a competitive payroll, I'm almost positive it is in the top ten, it just didn't work out this year. The Mariners acquired Lee this year to give the pitching and defense strategy a try unfortunately the bullpen faltered and the hitting was even worse than it looked on paper going into the year.
I still think Plan B was that if they were out of it they were going to trade Lee with the plan of restocking their farm system that was left bare bones by Bill Bavasi and his reckless trades.
The Mariners just have too many holes and trading Lee and maybe even Aardsma and a few others is the first step in plugging some of those.
Originally posted by graves9If they kept Lee in addition to Halladay they'd be running away with the division.
Uh, no. That is, unless Lee was batting and driving in 4-5 runs every day.
As frustrated as I and others are about the Phils' horrible offense the past two months, I cannot imagine how I would feel in a similar situation with both Lee and Halladay in the rotation. For that reason alone, I'm (retroactively) glad they traded Lee. I mean, we're wasting quality starts from Jamie Moyer and Kyle freakin' Kendrick.
Originally posted by graves9 Aumount was already a fading prospect.
Nice revisionist history. Aumont was moved to the bullpen in 2009 with the idea that he MIGHT make the M's *2010* roster. That he has flamed out in the Philly system doesn't change the fact that he was THE guy the Phillies wanted in the Lee deal.
EDIT: Aumont was ranked #93 in all of baseball by Baseball America in 2009, and #3 in the Mariners organization. Not "fading".
Right now it looks like Lee is going to Texas, anyway, with Mark Lowe for Justin Smoak and three others.
(edited by JayJayDean on 9.7.10 1410) Holy fuck shit motherfucker shit. Read comics. Fuck shit shit fuck shit I sold out when I did my job. Fuck fuck fuck shit fuck. Sorry had to do it....
*snip*
Revenge of the Sith = one thumb up from me. Fuck shit. I want to tittie fuck your ass. -- The Guinness. to Cerebus
TEX gets: SP Cliff Lee, RP Mark Lowe, a strong chance of making the playoffs, $2.5 mil towards the $4mil left to pay Lee this year SEA gets: 1B Justin Smoak, RHP Blake Beaven, RHP Josh Lueke, 2B Matt Lawson
The story goes, the Mariners got the Yankees offer, the Yankees thought the deal was agreed on, the M's went to the Rangers (and maybe other teams?) asking if they could top it, and the Rangers could. Yankees are strongly unhappy.
Aw crap! He got traded within the division? I take it all back! Send him to the Bronx! Put him in pinstripes, but DON'T put him on the surging Rangers!
It's a bleak day in Anaheim.
MD: You have to win, no matter what. SC: Why didn't you try that this year?
And of course, he's not the only second-generation superstar on the Brew Crew...thanks to Prince Fielder, product of the Tigers great Cecil. But after giving up that game-winning hit yesterday vs.