Cliff Lee agrees to deal with Phillies

[topper09er]

Quotes from http://forums.nyyfans.com...instripes-in-2011...-NOT!/page52

 

"Ugh. This Yankees team right now is not that good. Aging infield and a 2 reliable starters. This blows."

 

"Phillies buy the World Series"

 

"You know this was his wife because only a woman can convince a man to leave 50 million on the table.

No man in his right mind would ever do something so foolish. It takes a woman (with an axe to grind) to torture and torment him into leaving that much money on the table.

Clearly she was holding a grudge over those drunken idiots and this was the payback."

 

"Our rotation is mediocre and our lineup is aging. This is ugly. Cash better have osmething up his sleeve or this team will win 87 games."

 

"Obviously our fanbase and the organization's expectations were too much for Mr. Lee. If anything this makes me respect CC's guts that much more. "

[bill hAll Star]

Quotes from http://forums.nyyfans.com...instripes-in-2011...-NOT!/page52

 

"Our rotation is mediocre and our lineup is aging. This is ugly. Cash better have osmething up his sleeve or this team will win 87 games."

That's the annoying thing about the MLB. The problem is we have all this "parity" the pundits will say in the champions because teams have capitalized on their one or two magical runs. But then you have teams disappointed about winning 87 when we haven't had anything more than 87 for the better part of 20 years aside from 2008 (when said disappointed team took our MVP to get to 87 away).

 

Oh, and another team loses out on the Wild Card to the Yankees and a small market team and then buys away said small market's top free agent and bullies another feel-good story into giving them their only dominant force on offense to rid themselves of such an awful year.

 

 

 

Back to the Brewers...not sure what I want to do. Do I want to make a Garza/Shiels/Greinke deal (assuming we have the ammo for Greinke if it is him) and hope that Utley smashes his finger again just before the playoffs and the absence of Werth's bat is costly enough for them to bow out early....or do I just wait to wait in the weeds again for another, more open season to make our one charge at it?

[pretendastronaut]

I fully agree, I'm really excited to see a player go where he wants and realize $100 million is still insane.

 

I just wish he loved Texas more.

[jjkoestler]

I wish he would have signed with an AL club. It's great that the Yankees weren't able to buy the top FA this year but another big market NL club did. The rich get richer and we have to continue debating whether a 3 year $30m deal with Pavano would cripple the franchise. This is depressing.

[jjkoestler]

The contract is 5/120m with an option for a 6th year.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors...e-to-sign-cliff-lee.html

[Oldcity]

Rangers/Yankees will get Greinke, and I wouldn't be surprised if the other got Garza. This probably hurts the Brewers in more ways than one.

[topper09er]

I would think the Rays would not want to trade Garza to the Yanks, we need to root for Grienke to Texas. It would be bad if the Nationals got Grienke

[PrinceEatMeat]

Welcome to Milwaukee, Scott Blanton! I am kidding, but seriously I see no way Doug doesn't get a Blanton trade done. And I'm not really excited about it.......more Pavano-ish about it.

It's Joe Blanton. And yeah I hope that doesn't happen.

[JimH5]

Mike Francesa is appointment viewing/listening today. I can't wait to hear him on the Yankee failure and how this wouldn't have happened if George were still around. He'll tie this in with the Jeter insult and how they're printing money with the YES contract and the $2000 seats at the new stadium.

 

It will be Yuge.

[Invader3K]

Well, if it's actually $120 million with an option, he didn't leave as much money on the table as thought. I do think it's nice to see a top free agent spur the Yankees, but the Phillies are going to be extremely tough to beat next season. What an incredibly scary rotation they're going to have.

 

Hopefully now the trade market opens up a bit and Melvin can get a good pitcher without strip mining the farm system.

[Patrick425]

Well, if it's actually $120 million with an option, he didn't leave as much money on the table as thought.

Right. $24mil per year vs. $21+ mil per year.

 

So, some Yankee fans are posting that the Phillies are buying the Series? Seriously?!? Pot, say hello to Kettle.

[PrinceFielderx1]

If playoffs is on Doug Melvin's mind and getting to the NLCS (past the first round), then he better be thinking Grienke first and Garza second. The Brewers would need an ace to have a shot. That's what the Brewers are lacking right now. The Brewers have a possible number 1 in Gallardo, and 2 number 2's in Marcum and Wolf. I'd feel better against the Phillies if the Brewers had 2 number 1's and 2 number 2's, because I believe they would have a shot against the Phillies with their offense. Granted it's very hard to top the Phillies SP right now.

[Invader3K]

If playoffs is on Doug Melvin's mind and getting to the NLCS (past the first round), then he better be thinking Grienke first and Garza second. The Brewers would need an ace to have a shot. That's what the Brewers are lacking right now. The Brewers have a possible number 1 in Gallardo, and 2 number 2's in Marcum and Wolf. I'd feel better against the Phillies if the Brewers had 2 number 1's and 2 number 2's, because I believe they would have a shot against the Phillies with their offense. Granted it's very hard to top the Phillies SP right now.

One of the worst things Melvin could do would be to make some highly impulsive trade where he gives up most of the farm for a couple years of a SP.

[smbrewersfan15]

I keep reading that the Royals are looking for up the middle infield prospects, so that essentially eliminates both the Rangers and Yanks as they are short in those areas as well.

[Invader3K]

Saw this on another message board:

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x454/geniusMoment/63658_484636161640_607591640_6200844_3175491_n.jpg

[PrinceFielderx1]

Invader3K,

 

A guy like Grienke's being available for trade and the fact that he'd ok a trade to any team doesn't happen that often. This is a grand opportunity for the Brewers. If I'm the Brewers I'd make every prospect available including Escobar/Cain to KC for Greinke. I'd keep Rogers. If the Brewers land Greinke I believe he would be open to an extension that would make it worth it IMO

[Invader3K]

Well, if he really would be open to an extension, that's one thing. I really think Greinke is just a pipe dream though. The Brewers already made two offers to KC that they turned down. I think people should let the idea go already and focus on more realistic ideas.

[PeaveyFury]

A guy like Grienke's being available for trade and the fact that he'd ok a trade to any team

 

Has this really been publicly said at this point? Last I heard, Milwaukee was on his no trade list but Melvin didn't think that was a major obstacle. Isn't there still some doubt as to what teams he'd ok?

[BrewCrewForever]

Not only is Philly's rotation now even more sick with Lee, they still have a great offense even with losing Werth. I would be very surprised if the Phillies do not win the NL pennant. IT would take injuries to hold them back. I'm calling it now, Phillies v Red Sox in the 2011 World Series. That will be a great series.

 

Big hat tip to Cliff Lee here, he told the Yankees to shove it basically by taking less money to play somewhere he really wanted to be. Like Toby said, too bad Sabathia didn't have the same thinking.

[PrinceFielderx1]

For what I've heard I highly doubt he'd ok a trade to New York and it sounds like even the Yankees have their doubts. The fact that Doug Melvin wasn't concerned about the no-trade clause really interests me. Especially after he made such a stink about the fact that there were 24 pitchers he looked at that had no-trade clauses that included Milwaukee and referenced Roy Halladay situation as an example. I don't think Doug Melvin is done with Greinke at all.

[Funketown]

Well, this sucks for the Braves, Marlins, Nationals, and Mets far more than it does for the Brewers. Everybody in the NL has to play these guys 6+ times, so it really shouldn't hurt their playoff chances.

 

As for facing them in the playoffs, if the Brewers somehow make it in, five games (wildcard vs. league champion) is a crap shoot. It would not shock me if the Phillies lose a 5-game series to any 80-win+ team.

[Invader3K]

Funketown, I agree. I don't take this signing as an indication that the Brewers shouldn't go for it. I think if Melvin can acquire one more quality starter, we can compete for the division title. It's not like we've had a lot of those in the past 28 years.

[dlk9s]

If playoffs is on Doug Melvin's mind and getting to the NLCS (past the first round), then he better be thinking Grienke first and Garza second. The Brewers would need an ace to have a shot.

No. If we're going under the assumption that the Brewers would "have a shot" with Grienke, they'd certainly have a shot with Garza.

 

Obviously the Phillies' rotation is sick and I believe they should win the NL now, but a playoff rotation of Gallardo/Marcum/Garza/Wolf would be fully capable of beating the Phillies. I'm not saying they would definitely outpitch the Phillies' rotation, but they could in any given 4-7 game stretch.

[crewcrazy]

By no means does this ensure that the Phillies are going to win the World Series. It took those Braves teams with Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Avery a few seasons before they were able to finally win one, and they weren't working with a staff almost entirely in their low to mid 30s. Hamels will be the only guy of the four under 32 years old.

 

They'll be a great regular season team, but the playoffs are still a crapshoot.

[Invader3K]

And I don't think people realize how much it's going to take to get Greinke or that there will be other teams knocking on the Royals' door now.

 

I have to believe something with the Rays for Garza or Shields is much more realistic at this point.