Cliff Lee to the Rangers

The former Phillie half-season hero is going to put on his fourth uniform in less than a year, as he was traded to the Rangers today. This is probably as good as it gets from a Phillies fan perspective - short of him being reacquired by the Phillies in exchange for Juan Castro. He stays out of the NL and off the powerhouses in the AL East.

almost 2 years ago David S. Cohen 39 comments 0 recs |

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A. Kinda surprised that the Yankees deal fell through.

B. In total awe of Zduriencik. This seems like a masterstroke on his part.

by FuquaManuel on Jul 9, 2010 5:25 PM EDT reply actions

I’ve been out of touch for about five hours so… wow. Imagine my surprise on learning this news!

I was fitting homeboy for pinstripes.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Jul 9, 2010 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Great trade by Seattle. And Cliff Lee isn’t a Yankee for at least a few more months. Today is a good day.

by Baseball Nerd on Jul 9, 2010 5:32 PM EDT reply actions

Isn’t this the kind of thing the owners were upset about. The Rangers can’t afford to make their own payroll so they have to dip into the ‘mlb fund’ and here they are taking on more payoll.

Six players involved?

by SportingFanaticism on Jul 9, 2010 5:42 PM EDT reply actions

This actually kind of reminds me of the Bartolo Colon trade the Expos made in 2002 in that regard. In which, coincidentally, one of the young prospects going from Montreal to Cleveland was none other than a young Clifton Phifer Lee.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Jul 9, 2010 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I asked in the daily links thread, so I apologize for repeating myself, but there seem to be quite a few prospect knowledgable folks here and I’m not.

Is the package the Mariners got for Cliff Lee better worse or about equivalent to what the phillies got?

by SportingFanaticism on Jul 9, 2010 5:46 PM EDT reply actions

Way better.

by FuquaManuel on Jul 9, 2010 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Couldn't we have left that question unanswered?

(Tears)

by ajay on Jul 9, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s what I was afraid of. I know Smoak is a big name guy but wasn’t sure how he was progressing.

by SportingFanaticism on Jul 9, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Baseball America ranked Smoak as the 13th-best prospect in baseball coming into the season. He’s struggled a bit in the majors this year, but that shouldn’t hurt his status.

For the other guys, Sickels graded them as:
Beaven – 16th best in Rangers organization (C+)
Lueke – unranked
Lawson – unranked

So really, all they got was Smoak, but that’s along the lines of “otherwise how else was the play, Mrs. Lincoln”.

by taco pal on Jul 9, 2010 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Justin Smoak is amazingly similar to a young Mark Teixeira.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Jul 9, 2010 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Naw, his face is much less annoying.

by taco pal on Jul 9, 2010 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions

you have to take prospect gradings with a grain of salt.
It is not unfathomable that the Phillies take will end up being better than Smoak etal.

by Bilzo on Jul 9, 2010 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Whew

From feeling like shit to feeling elated. Terrific. Would be nice to watch him beat the Yankees twice in the playoffs in a few months…

by ajay on Jul 9, 2010 5:46 PM EDT reply actions

Ideal:

DS – Rangers beat Yankees
CS – Twins or Rays (not Red Sox) beat Rangers
WS – Phillies win! (maybe)

by taco pal on Jul 9, 2010 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I like your thinking.

by ajay on Jul 9, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Twins please

by j reed on Jul 9, 2010 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I would also take:

DS – Rangers beat Yankees
CS – Rangers beat Twins / BoSox
WS – Phillies beat Rangers in 6 (Lee 2-0)

I would be fine with that outcome.

by Phrozen on Jul 9, 2010 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s peculiar how Lee’s trade value has seemed to increase the closer he gets to the end of his contract instead of decreasing. Not just from Seattle to us but also from us to Cleveland. Playing on five different teams in 2½ years is also pretty bizarre, for such a good player.

If Chone Figgins and Milton Bradley rebound and the young players come along, Seattle could have a pretty decent lineup next year. Ichiro, Ackley, Gutierrez, Smoak.

by taco pal on Jul 9, 2010 5:46 PM EDT reply actions

Only 4 different teams

Unless you are counting whoever gets him this offseason? (Yankees)

by ajay on Jul 9, 2010 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, that’s what I meant

by taco pal on Jul 9, 2010 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions

P.S.

As FuquaManuel noted, what are the chances there is an article in the Inquirer in the next few days comparing what the Ms got for 1/2 year of Cliff Lee vs. what we got for 1 year of Cliff Lee? Not that it shouldn’t be written. I just don’t want to have to read it…

by ajay on Jul 9, 2010 5:52 PM EDT reply actions

Does something truly terrible happen to you (or someone you love) if you don’t read articles like that?

by SportingFanaticism on Jul 9, 2010 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Well one thing is fer sure – fangraphs will become even more unbearable that it was over the winter.

by j reed on Jul 9, 2010 6:22 PM EDT reply actions

I’m very happy for Lee, going from worst to first in the AL West. The ESPN article I read had some quotes from him (text messages, actually) and he sounded uber excited. Exclamation points all over the place. Nolan Ryan’s probably pretty happy, too. Lee’s totally his kind of pitcher.

And the Yankees didn’t get him.

Everyone wins.

Velociraptors are really good at:
a) making diving catches
b) stealing bases
c) eating people
d) all of the above --correct!

by LeepinLizardz on Jul 9, 2010 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

The Rangers have increased their chances ten-fold in winning the al this year by trading for lee. Genius move for them.

by PhilsForever on Jul 9, 2010 6:55 PM EDT reply actions

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such an exaggeration :)

I think this does help the Rangers a lot this year, but this is truly a genius move by Seattle.

Smoak > Package Phillies got
Smoak > Type A free agent compensation package

by EJL on Jul 10, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions

ummm...

I feel it is quite ignorant to assume one player is greater than the three players the phillies got. There is far too small of a sample size to go on for that exaggeration and bold statement don’t you think?

by PhilsForever on Jul 10, 2010 3:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Well I was joking around about the exaggeration, but if you want to get serious… Exactly how does the move increase the Rangers chances of winning the AL 10 fold? Lee’s best season he had a WAR of 7.2 Lee might be a 3 win upgrade the rest of the way, an amazing pickup if he performs as he should. It greatly increases their chances of winning the AL West but I don’t see how it increases their chances of winning the AL 10 fold.

Regarding Smoak, if you read any of the scouting reports on him, the general feeling is he’s a potential superstar. Not that I like ESPN, but read Neyer, Olney, and Law’s review of the trade. Both sides got a great player. I basically agreed with you saying the Rangers got a great player, I was just saying, it wasn’t pure genius. Regarding the Phils, not one player the Phillies received was considered a potential superstar. I hope I’m wrong. I hope Gilles becomes the second coming of Ricky Henderson. I hope Aumont discovers he’s not a reliever in starters clothing.

by EJL on Jul 10, 2010 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Lee is a proven ace pitcher in the playoffs and he proved that against a team the rangers could potentially face in the yankees. The rangers have not been to the playoffs in a long time. A pitcher like lee and a bat like guerrero with their experience will help the team if they make it to the playoffs this year. That is more valuable then your precious WAR stat if you ask me.

by PhilsForever on Jul 11, 2010 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Next you are going to say Jeter is a proven clutch playoffs player and ARod chokes?

by EJL on Jul 11, 2010 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions

dude...

don’t be a stuck up asshole, my point is proven and if you are too wrapped up in your WAR to understand it, then that is fine, just don’t be a dick

by PhilsForever on Jul 11, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

by the way...

ten-fold is an expression, not to be taken as literally as you have taken it

by PhilsForever on Jul 11, 2010 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

While I’m sure Lee will do great, his ERA should jump up quite a bit just because of the ballpark change. He’s a fly ball pitcher and according to ESPN, Arlington has one of the Top 6 HR factors for its third season running now. I don’t know if Lee has ever pitched in a true HR hitters’ ballpark before. Even CBP was just below the median (16th out of 30) in 2009.

by taco pal on Jul 9, 2010 6:57 PM EDT reply actions