There have been rumors that the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners have been in discussions regarding Cliff Lee. Lee obviously will not bring back the package that he did the past two times he was traded.
Lee will be a half season rental, and has stated that he wants to go to free agency. This is a smart move by Lee as he is likely to get more money on the open market with this winter’s weak free agent class.
The Mariners would most likely be able to bring in one or two young players or major league ready prospects plus a mid-level prospect for Lee. There is one player in particular on the Mets that has caught the Mariners eye.
It has been reported that the Mariners have lots of interest in Jon Niese. Niese has been a solid starter in his appearances for the Mets this year. He has a bright future ahead of him and is one of the Mets’ top young players. It appears that the Mets have been reluctant to include Niese in a deal for Lee.
It appears that the Lee’s price will drop the longer the Mariners hold on to him. The Mets can attempt to play hardball and wait it out until the deadline and then put together a package for Lee that does not include Niese. This may work, but they will be bidding against more teams who want Lee’s services.
With all that being said, Lee would be… (to read the rest of the article click on the link below)
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