Cliff Lee is a Philly

[breakout89]

Cliff Lee sure had me looking at a called third strike when he signed a 5 year $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Anyone else surprised by this?

[jamo]

I was surprised the most that he didn't go to Texas, but they keep repeating on ESPN (in between the Favre pity parties) how much he loved Philly so...

Apparently his wife got heckled at Yankee Stadium pretty badly in the playoffs last year, so I didn't expect him to go there.

[newtogolf]

Reports are he wanted to pitch with Halladay last year before he got traded, and he really liked the Philly area so he wanted to go back. Gives them an all-star rotation and makes the Phillies the team to beat in the NL now.

[Grndslmhttr3]

As a Phillie fan, I'm surprised but this is damn good news. I've been saying for a while that I hope the Phillies lose Werth and get Lee. Thank God that Werth was greedy enough for that to happen.

[breakout89]

I'm not too dissapointed with Cliff Lee's decision to be honest, the 6 year contract with 7th year option for $161 million is a pretty scary contract for a team like the Rangers. I hear the Rangers will be seeking someone like Garza or Greinke now or even looking to adding Feliz to the starting rotation...who knows, but I think they will be okay.

I think Cliff enjoyed his stay in Texas for the most part, but just enjoyed Philly a little more. I thought it was funny that Cliff personaly called Jon Daniels (TX's GM) to let him know of his decision and then got his agent to call Brian Cashman (NY's GM). Haha. Cliff's a good guy and I wish him well in Philly.

[Grndslmhttr3]

I don't get all the hype about Greinke. He's had one standout season in the six or seven he's played, and last year had a 4.17 ERA in the weakest division in the MLB.

[jamo]

  Grndslmhttr3 said:

Originally Posted by Grndslmhttr3

I don't get all the hype about Greinke. He's had one standout season in the six or seven he's played, and last year had a 4.17 ERA in the weakest division in the MLB.

Because he won 16 games on the Royals. That's tough to do. And he won the Cy Young,  and he's only 27. I'd take him because he'd be much much better on a good team.

[Grndslmhttr3]

  jamo said:

Originally Posted by jamo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grndslmhttr3

I don't get all the hype about Greinke. He's had one standout season in the six or seven he's played, and last year had a 4.17 ERA in the weakest division in the MLB.

Because he won 16 games on the Royals. That's tough to do. And he won the Cy Young,  and he's only 27. I'd take him because he'd be much much better on a good team.

Exactly, like I said, one good season. Aside from that he's only had an era below 3.5 once. He's pretty average if you ask me. At the same time, however, he's fairly young, so who knows how good he'll be in the near future.

[TidePride50]

I guess my Braves will have to settle for the wildcard if anything.  The division should be locked up for the next few years now.

[jamo]

The Red Sox are apparently close to getting Bobby Jenks, former closer for the White Sox. With a 7-8-9 of Jenks, Daniel Bard, and Papelbon, they just went from a terrible bullpen to one of the best. Plus they have been signing a bunch of cheap bullpen guys too.

Should be a fun season.

[jakatan]

Looks like the Braves are going to have their work cut out for them.  My girlfriend is a Philly fan and I will never hear the end of it... (I'm a Braves fan).

[jmanbooyaa]

Cool posts. I am a Met fan and I have already conceded the season. New regime(thankfully) not going to spend any money. Oh well as much as it pains me to say the damn Philly's have one sick rotation. Halladay, Hamels, Lee, Oswalt. REALLY. It does make me happy to see the Brew crew add 2 solid pitchers in Greinke and Marcum.

[Quinn07]

Being a Mets fan, I have also conceded next season...how are we suppose to compete with a bullpen like that if we aren't gonna spend the cash?!  This might be one of the best starting rotations in baseball history (Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels, Blanton, and Happ)....wow...should be a fun season to watch...if you're a phillies fan.

[jmanbooyaa]

Last time I checked wins aside NY Mets are a big market team and therefore we should spend like one. I get it after next season a lot of burnt up payroll is coming off but come on do something. We signed our back up catcher REALLY, that is our big off season move. It is bad when the Brewers are making a bigger off season splash.

[Quinn07]

  jmanbooyaa said:

Originally Posted by jmanbooyaa

Last time I checked wins aside NY Mets are a big market team and therefore we should spend like one. I get it after next season a lot of burnt up payroll is coming off but come on do something. We signed our back up catcher REALLY, that is our big off season move. It is bad when the Brewers are making a bigger off season splash.

I totally agree...the last couple of years have been depressing...

[jmanbooyaa]

They sure have, the only high point was finding out who's horrible contract would fall off after the 2011 season ha.

[clubchamp]

Lee was really smart in taking the phillies contract if you think about it... if he takes a 7 year deal you figure 4 or 5 solid years and then he's probably being traded so why not take the 25 million a year over the 22 million a year. He's 37-38 when his contract is up and if he want's to continue he can pick where he goes. The phillies rotation is probably the best in baseball now although I believe Hamels is entering into the last year of his contract and Oswalt will be at a team option after this season so one of them is probably gone. I too like the mets and won't even watch a game this year but Wilpon has a lot of financial troubles and until he gets all the bad contracts off the books or sells them team nothing good is going to happen. I hate to say it but if they can trade Reyes, Wright or anyone for a good return I'd be ok with it. My dreams for the mets... Oliver Perez disappears, Santana doesn't get injured, R.A. Dickey has another good year, Luis Castillo disappears and Mark Cuban buys the Mets.

[Lefty-Golfer]

  jakatan said:

Originally Posted by jakatan

Looks like the Braves are going to have their work cut out for them.  My girlfriend is a Philly fan and I will never hear the end of it... (I'm a Braves fan).

could be a rough summer for you if she is hard core

  Quinn07 said:

Originally Posted by Quinn07

Being a Mets fan, I have also conceded next season...how are we suppose to compete with a bullpen like that if we aren't gonna spend the cash?!  This might be one of the best starting rotations in baseball history (Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels, Blanton, and Happ)....wow...should be a fun season to watch...if you're a phillies fan.

Blanton is a long shot to stay on the roster and Happ was traded to get Oswalt last summer.

  clubchamp said:

Originally Posted by clubchamp

Lee was really smart in taking the phillies contract if you think about it... if he takes a 7 year deal you figure 4 or 5 solid years and then he's probably being traded so why not take the 25 million a year over the 22 million a year. He's 37-38 when his contract is up and if he want's to continue he can pick where he goes. The phillies rotation is probably the best in baseball now although I believe Hamels is entering into the last year of his contract and Oswalt will be at a team option after this season so one of them is probably gone. I too like the mets and won't even watch a game this year but Wilpon has a lot of financial troubles and until he gets all the bad contracts off the books or sells them team nothing good is going to happen. I hate to say it but if they can trade Reyes, Wright or anyone for a good return I'd be ok with it. My dreams for the mets... Oliver Perez disappears, Santana doesn't get injured, R.A. Dickey has another good year, Luis Castillo disappears and Mark Cuban buys the Mets.

IMO it comes down to wealth. I don't know what Cliff Lee's career earning were prior to this contract but...lets speculate. if you say he had earning of 30m total which i doubt is way out of line and you add another 120m from this deal you are a wealthy man. you will still have possible time left for another deal if you are healthy and want it...so if you really like Philly (who wouldn't we are warm and cuddly) and you think you can set up say 3 or 4 generations of your family with the deal you on the table....why not take it? is another 20m to be in NY worth it?

to me once you hit that true kind of FU money they should figure out where they want to play. I find it kind of dumb that they go for the most coin and end up unhappy. reference Jayson Werth...WTF was he thinking. you don't think he would be happier playing for a winner or at least a team with a real shot to win for say 16m a year instead of 18m...LOL