Lee Out of Picture, Rangers Move On
Stan McNeal - SportingNews.com
Dec 14, 2010
In the end, reason ruled for the Rangers.
Cliff Lee still would be pitching for Texas if the Rangers had extended their offer to seven seasons, club officials said Tuesday morning.
Instead, Lee agreed with the Phillies on a five-year deal with an option that could bring the value to $135 million over six years.
Asked if a seven-year deal would have made the difference, Rangers GM Jon Daniels said, "That's a fair assumption to make. We went as far as were comfortable going, probably past where we were comfortable going."
Owner Chuck Greenberg added this wasn't another example of a top-line starter turning his back on pitching in scorching summers in a hitters friendly ballpark.
"This was not a matter of Cliff making a decision not to come to Texas," Greenberg said. "He was willing to remain a Ranger but on terms we felt beyond the aggressive parameters within which we were already operating."
Daniels said media reports were "pretty accurate" on the Rangers' offer to Lee -- six years, $120 million (or $138 million with a significant amount deferred).
The Rangers also said they did not know the Phillies were a serious player in the negotiations until Monday night, though Greenberg learned in the Rangers' first visit to Arkansas that Lee considered his time in Philadelphia special.
"They were talking about what an enjoyable experience they had had with us, and what an enjoyable experience they had with the Phillies," Greenberg said. "Those probably were the two best times he'd had in baseball, the combination of the enthusiasm of the fans and the camaraderie of the players. Those two experiences really stuck out in his mind."
With the Lee chase over, the Rangers already have begun the regrouping process. Based on what Daniels said on Tuesday's conference call, don't expect the Rangers to pay big bucks for closer Rafael Soriano or any bullpen help. They will look at the trade market for starters, and they could pursue offense on the free-agent market. They also will consider moving one of their young relievers, including Neftali Feliz and Alexi Ogando, into the rotation.
Club president Nolan Ryan said he has no plans on reaching out to Lee after the pitcher informed Daniels of his decision.
"This decision was probably very emotional for them," Ryan said. "That's the way we should leave it."
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