MLB Thread

[sbk92]

Whoa.

It appears the Phitans are getting into this Lee affair....


Cliff Lee Rumors: Monday

By Tim Dierkes [December 13 at 9:48pm CST]

- Yesterday we learned that the Nationals are out of the Cliff Lee sweepstakes and that the Yankees will not increase their offer again. Multiple reporters have suggested Lee will decide this week. If you believe in the mystery team, the lefty may have three legitimate suitors. Otherwise, it's just the Yankees and Rangers. The top bullets have the latest:

- One member of the Phillies organization has said to Jack Curry of the YES Network that Lee isn't in the same class as C.C. Sabathia and Roy Halladay and would be a riskier signing.

- A decision is unlikely tonight, but could come tomorrow, according to Heyman.

- The Yankees are now "extremely negative" about landing Lee and they believe he is leaning toward the Phillies' offer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

- There is a belief Lee is heading to the Phillies, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Phils "look like a very strong candidate to win Lee's services".

- Lee moved closer to a decision tonight, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The Phillies entered the bidding for Lee after the winter meetings and have presented the lefty with “a spirited late bid,” Crasnick writes.

- The Phillies, Yankees and Rangers are finalists for Lee, who appears to be close to deciding on a team, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

- The Phillies are looking to unload Joe Blanton and the $17MM that remains on his contract through 2012, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com.

- The Phillies are still bidding on Lee, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. declined to comment, but a source told Rosenthal that the team is "not out."

 

[sbk92]

Holy friggin sheep shat, if we land Lee. He never should have gotten away in the first place.

Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels.

If you just hit a little bit, fuhgedaboutit.

 

[sbk92]

Jesus H. Christ.


Phillies Agree To Sign Cliff Lee

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [December 13 at 10:54pm CST]

The wait is over. Cliff Lee has agreed to sign with the Phillies, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The deal is worth about $100MM over five years, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

After months of rumors that suggested he'd sign with the highest bidder, Lee turned down tens of millions in guaranteed money to sign in Philadelphia. ESPN.com's Buster Olney hears the Yankees offered a deal that guaranteed Lee $138MM over six years, plus a $16MM player option for a seventh year.

Like Roy Halladay, who signed an extension that delayed his free agency, Lee opted to play for the Phillies instead of looking for the biggest contract possible. Almost exactly a year after they traded Lee for Halladay, he's back in Philadelphia, where the two Cy Young Award winners, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels should give the Phillies a historically good rotation.

 

[sbk92]

lol lol lol lol

This is one of the greatest sports moments of all time for me.

Not only do we get the gem we let get away, but we stole him from the Yankees. They were all out on Lee. Their entire offseason hinged on getting him. And he takes a discount to come back to Philly.

 

[Sheik]

I'm about to lock this thread. . . . .

 

[Cr122]

The Phillies just won the World Series again.

It's okay the Yanks will empty the rest of their farm team to get Greinke now.

I wanted Lee, but I am glad we aren't paying that kind of money they were reporting.

Money is not an option according to Lee.

 

[Bonecrusher#31]

I hate the Phillies as much as the Eagles.

I hope both(Lee,Halladay) need Tommy John surgery by May.

 

[Cr122]

I hate the Phillies as much as the Eagles.

I hope both(Lee,Halladay) need Tommy John surgery by May.

No shat.

I hate anything to do with the city of Philthadefia.

I went there one year for a game, and wanted to bitch slap everyone of those fans.

And they are the same in all sports. From the time they cheered when Michael got hurt from the time that loser puked on some guys daughter in the Phillies game.

And a buddy of mine went to a hockey game and had a bad experience with fans.

 

[sbk92]

At least there are real fans in Philly. Unlike the bandwagon jumping phony Yankees/Cowboys/Lakers/USC/Harlem Globetrotters/God fans.

This is one time where the wallet couldn't get the top talent. You get a small taste of what it's like to lose out on a player. Like the rest of the league experiences on a regular basis. Deal with it, Yankee pukes.

 

[Cr122]

At least there are real fans in Philly. Unlike the bandwagon jumping phony Yankees/Cowboys/Lakers/USC/Harlem Globetrotters/God fans.

This is one time where the wallet couldn't get the top talent. You get a small taste of what it's like to lose out on a player. Like the rest of the league experiences on a regular basis. Deal with it, Yankee pukes.

I'm a real fan so what's your point?

I don't give a shit what someone thinks about me liking other teams in other cities. WGAS!

 

[sbk92]

:naughty

 

[Cr122]

:naughty

 

[Cr122]

Sources: Zack Greinke dealt to Brewers

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5935586

 

[sbk92]

Yankees Agree To Sign Rafael Soriano

By Mike Axisa [January 13 at 7:50pm CST]

The Yankees have agreed to terms with Rafael Soriano, reports SI.com's Jon Heyman (all Twitter links). The deal is believed to be worth $35MM over three years, and will allow the player to opt out after either of the first two years. Soriano is represented by Scott Boras, and the contract is pending a physical.

The deal comes just days after GM Brian Cashman said that he would not surrender his first round pick to sign a free agent. The Rays will receive New York's first round pick (31st overall) as well as a supplemental first round pick as compensation for their loss.

The 31-year-old Soriano was the top closer on the market, but he's going to have to serve as Mariano Rivera's setup man with the Yankees. He pitched to a 1.73 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and just 2.0 BB/9 in 62.1 innings last year, the second straight season he's avoided the disabled list. He's battled elbow trouble in the past, including Tommy John surgery back in 2004.

Heyman adds that the Yankees still have about $20MM to spend before they hit their 2011 payroll limit (Twitter link). That's plenty for a right-handed outfield bat and a starting pitching, even if they wait for a salary dump situation to arise during the season.

 

[dbair1967]

Good move by the Yanks

 

[Cr122]

Yankees Agree To Sign Rafael Soriano

By Mike Axisa [January 13 at 7:50pm CST]

The Yankees have agreed to terms with Rafael Soriano, reports SI.com's Jon Heyman (all Twitter links). The deal is believed to be worth $35MM over three years, and will allow the player to opt out after either of the first two years. Soriano is represented by Scott Boras, and the contract is pending a physical.

The deal comes just days after GM Brian Cashman said that he would not surrender his first round pick to sign a free agent. The Rays will receive New York's first round pick (31st overall) as well as a supplemental first round pick as compensation for their loss.

The 31-year-old Soriano was the top closer on the market, but he's going to have to serve as Mariano Rivera's setup man with the Yankees. He pitched to a 1.73 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and just 2.0 BB/9 in 62.1 innings last year, the second straight season he's avoided the disabled list. He's battled elbow trouble in the past, including Tommy John surgery back in 2004.

Heyman adds that the Yankees still have about $20MM to spend before they hit their 2011 payroll limit (Twitter link). That's plenty for a right-handed outfield bat and a starting pitching, even if they wait for a salary dump situation to arise during the season.

Holy shit, I missed this.

It'll help Rivera and our middle relief.

 

[sbk92]

Cashman vetoed on Soriano deal

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was adamant as late as last week that he would not surrender a first-round draft choice as compensation for signing anyone left on the free agent market.

It then came as a surprise Thursday night when Rafael Soriano agreed to a three-year, $35 million deal to serve as the setup man to Mariano Rivera. Soriano reportedly can opt out of the contract after each of the first two years.

Now it appears that Cashman did not have a change of heart, but was overruled by owners Hank and Hal Steinbrenner. According to a report in Saturday's New York Daily News, the Steinbrenners were bothered by Cashman's blueprint and gave the cash to Soriano.

The Steinbrenners were particularly concerned with Cashman's plan to use the inconsistent Joba Chamberlain as the primary setup man.

As Bill Madden points out, the Yankees have had a checkered past with high profile set-up man. Steve Karsay and Kyle Farnsworth are among those who never reached their full potential in the Bronx, although Kerry Wood excelled in the role last season.

- Doug Mittler


Yankees' front office split

".The split in the Yankees' front office over Soriano was pronounced; this was a deal driven more by ownership than by the folks in baseball operations, who at one point explored a possible sign-and-trade for Grant Balfour, as an alternative to a possible Soriano signing." - Buster Olney

 

[Cr122]

Cashman didn't want to give up the first round pick, so the Steinbrenners step in and deliver the deal.

Cashman is the fricking GM.

This looks like something Jerry would do to his coaches. T.O. ring a bell?

 

[Cr122]

Updated: January 20, 2011, 6:03 PM ET
Sources: Yankees, Andruw Jones agree


By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com



Fifteen years after he put on an eye-popping October show in the first game he ever played in Yankee Stadium, outfielder Andruw Jones agreed to a one-year, $2-million contract with the Yankees on Thursday, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

He can also earn an additional $1.2 million in incentives. Jones will earn $150,000 each for 250 and 275 plate appearances, $200,000 apiece for 300 and 325, and $250,000 each for each of 350 and 375, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

Jones, who turns 34 next April, is a long ways removed from his glory days in Atlanta, where he once hit 51 homers in a season, won 10 straight Gold Gloves and played in 75 postseason games. But he did hit 19 homers in 278 at-bats last year for the White Sox and slugged .558 against left-handed pitching.

He's also still a dependable defender at all three outfield positions.


So for $2 million, the Yankees think he's a good fit as a right-handed-hitting fourth outfielder to complement the left-handed bats of Brett Gardner in left and Curtis Granderson in center.

Jones also started 41 games in right field for the White Sox last year, so he could also spell Nick Swisher in right.

Fifteen years ago, at age 19, Jones crushed two homers in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series, making him just the second visiting player (along with Johnny Bench) to hit two home runs in a World Series game at Yankee Stadium.

After that game, his general manager, John Schuerholz, compared Jones to a young Hank Aaron. But a decade and a half later, the Yankees are just looking for him to be is this year's Marcus Thames.

Jayson Stark is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

 

[sbk92]

I thought the Phillies should have signed him.