Mariners Trade P Cliff Lee To The Rangers

Cliff Lee was going to a contender no matter what. Turns out it was the Texas Rangers, not the New York Yankees.

"Just heard from [Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik]," Lee texted to ESPN The Magazine's Amy K. Nelson. "It's official. From last [place] to first."

After talks between the Seattle Mariners and Yanks fell apart Friday afternoon, the Rangers jumped in and reached agreement on a trade for the left-hander.

The M's sent Lee and reliever Mark Lowe to Texas for first baseman Justin Smoak and minor leaguers Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke and Matthew Lawson.

The Mariners will also send $2.5 million to the Rangers to subsidize the $4 million still owed to Lee.

ESPN Dallas

 

What killed the deal between the Mariners and the Yankees, I'm hearing, is that the Mariners had concerns over the health of Yankees prospect David Adams. When the Mariners inquired about other prospects, the Yankees said no, and backed out of the deal.

 

^Yeah. But we had our eyes on Smoak the entire time. Texas got scared when we heated up talks with the Yankees and threw him in the deal and it was too good to say no. Hate losing Lee. He is a hell of a pitcher, but he wasn't going to resign with us so glad we got some solid prospects out of the deal.

 

yea I was really hoping the Yankees would of got him. I hope the Yanks land someone big before the deadline

 

The Yankees will probably get Lee next year. I don't think the Rangers will be able to afford him then.

 

I would like to know the name of his moving company....dude can never seem to find a home in the last couple years despite his talents. Cleveland, Philadelphia, Seattle and now Texas. And he could be on the move again next season with the Rangers' current financial woes.

 

Thrilled that the Yanks didn't get Lee! Hopefully they won't get him next yr either!

 

I knew the Upton rumor was to good to be true...

 

Maddon is stuck with him. No one wants his nonsense.

 

Not working out so well for the Rangers...

 

LOL I just heard that too. And apparently he doesn't do so well at Arlington Stadium.

 

I think Lee's highest ERA's have come in the games he plays in Arlington...

 

Dude the guys a gamer. He needs the NL to be that DOMINANT guy again. I see him in a Met's uni next season. That might be wishful thinking, but honest thinking none the less. I think if the yank's sign him Buddy Poo needs to step in and say enough is enough. The Yankees are the reason baseball's ratings consistently get lower. They are taking the competitive spirit out of the game all together.

 

I know he's a gamer...I was upset the Phillies traded him away.

I was cracking a joke.

 

True. I think his ERA in Arlington is 7.33.

 

did you miss the fact that he won the AL cy young award in 2008 and was leading just about every pitching stat in the AL this season ?

all this guy needs to be dominant is a pitching mound.

oh and he'll be a yankee next year no doubt and the yanks won't have to give up their best prospect to get him.

 

If the Yankees want to sign Lee to a long-term contract, they're going to have to open up their wallets nice and wide. On the Norm Hitzges show earlier this week, he had on as a guest T. R. Sullivan from MLB.com. They said that a contract for six years and $100 million dollars probably would not get the job done.

 

then the yanks will offer 6 for $110mil. either way they will sign lee in the off-season.

 

6 yrs for Lee? He'll be 37 then...and we are debating signing Oswalt who'll be 34 at the end of his contract if he signed with us. Amaro is an idiot.

 

agree 100% - amaro is an idiot. not so much for trading lee because that was decided for him but the fact that he onnly spoke to seattle and got dogcrap for him.