Former Phil, Cliff Lee sent to Texas

Former Cleveland Indian, Philadelphia Phillie, and now former Seattle Mariner,  Cliff Lee has been traded to the Texas Rangers.  Lee has been dominant in 13 games with Seattle this season.  He has 5 complete games on the season, including a string of 3 straight.



Cliff Lee will now anchor a pitching staff, which includes the likes of Scott Feldman, CJ Wilson, and the injured Rich Harden, and Derek Holland.  As well the staff has all star closer Neftali Feliz.  The Rangers are in a perfect place to win the AL West and go far in the playoffs.  Cliff Lee has been on four teams in the past 12 months, including the Philadelphia Phillies.  His last team, was the Seattle Mariners, who acquired him in a 4 team deal last off season.  The Mariners were considered the team to beat in the AL West, after acquiring Lee and Chone Figgins.  That was not the case.  Cliff Lee was shelfed for the first two weeks of the season.  Felix Hernandez did not perform like a staff ace.  His 6-5 record dictates that.  Chone Figgins hasn't hit as well as he did in LA.  In 7 full seasons with LAA he hit over .280 5 times.  This year he's at .235.  The list goes on and on.  There last, bottom line.

It would be hard for Seattle to retain Lee this off season in free agency.  Many higher budget teams, such as New York could offer much more then what Seattle can afford.  Why not move him to bring in some young prospects to set up your team for the future, and maybe replace Aumont, and the other prospects sent to Philadelphia.

When the prospect of Lee being moved came, many teams showed interest.  Most notably, the Rangers and Yankees.  At about 3 pm today the Yankees were all set up to get Lee when there offer fell through.  Reportedly the Mariners would have received catcher Jesus Montero, ranked 6th out of all minor league prospects by ESPN's Keith Law, pitcher David Adams, and a player to be named later.

The Rangers stepped up and made the winning offer.  Justin Smoak, Blake Beaven, Matthew Lawson, and Josh Lueke, will now be apart of the Seattle organization.  Smoak was called up when Chris Davis went to the DL.  Smoak did not live up to Texas' high expectations but still played well.  He has a .209/.316/.353 line with 8 home runs.  Seattle will start him immediately at first base over Russell Branyan and Casey Kotchman. Smoak does have loads of potential though.  He was ranked #2 prospect in the Rangers organization behind all star Neftali Feliz.