Cliff Lee is scheduled to pitch for the Phillies against the Giants on Monday night in Philadelphia, the left-hander’s first appearance on a big league mound since May and possibly his last for the National League East’s cellar dwellers. In one of the least surprising developments ever, the Yankees reportedly are interested in acquiring the services of the 35-year-old southpaw.According to CSN Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury, the Yankees and Blue Jays both scouted Lee’s last minor league rehab start, but it is New York that is drawing all of the attention in reports because “Yankees trade rumors” makes for good Internet business, and because the Yankees’ attempts to put Lee in pinstripes (not the red pinstripes worn by the Phillies, that is) have reached soap opera proportions.
In 2010, the Yankees reportedly were “on the brink” of trading for Lee for a package including since-failed prospect Jesus Montero. He wound up going to the Rangers for Blake Beavan, Matt Lawson, Josh Lueke and Justin Smoak.Six months later, when Lee was a free agent, he jilted the Yankees to sign with the Phillies. That decision sparked controversy because of the way Lee’s wife was treated by New York fans during the 2010 ALCS, although how much of an issue that really was remains known only to Lee and his wife.
Lee, who beat the Yankees twice during the 2009 World Series, a series won by New York in six games, never has dropped off the Bronx Bombers’ radar, or the media’s. This year has seen a rising tide, dating back to the Winter Meetings, ramping up to the summer.It makes sense yiheng@$0723 . The Yankees’ pitching staff has been decimated by injuries to Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda, but New York remains in the hunt in the wide-open American League East race. The Phillies are terrible, figure to be terrible again next year, and Lee has $25 million left on his contract next year, plus an option for 2016. New York is one of the few teams that could afford to pay that kind of salary.
What Philadelphia GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has to decide is how much of Lee’s contract to eat against how good of a trade return he can get the more money the Phillies retain, the better the prospects they could get back would be. The Yankees’ financial might would allow them to try to get a marquee pitcher despite having farm system that was not good enough to match up with the Cubs for a Jeff Samardzija trade. Samardzija and Jason Hammel wound up going to the A’s for heralded infielder Addison Russell and other prospects. Lee has been on the disabled list since May with a left elbow strain. He went 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA over 10.2 innings in three rehab starts with Clearwater in the Florida State League.
