Kuzul

While the baseball world continues to wait and wait and wait for free-agent pitcher Cliff Lee to make his decision, the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers remain the only two teams in line to sign him.

The Yankees started with a very strong, six-year, $140 million offer which was then increased to seven-years, $161 million just hours after Carl Crawford signed with the Boston Red Sox.

A contingent of representatives from the Texas Rangers met with Lee and his agent on Thursday and presented Lee with a series of differently structured offers.

Some lean towards Texas as the likely landing spot for Lee, given their proximity to Lee’s home in Arkansas, his history with the team last season and the lack of a state income tax in Texas, while others point to the Yankees’ wallet and tremendous need for starting pitching as their advantages.

But after weeks of waiting, there is still no word from Lee.

So is it time for the Yankees to advance their position and put the pressure on Lee by giving him a deadline?

Recently, the Yankees made an offer to free-agent catcher Russell Martin and have told him they view him as a “starting catcher.”

Most likely, the Yankees really do view Martin as their potential starting catcher to work alongside rookie phenom Jesus Montero, who the Yankees expect to compete for the catcher’s position in Spring Training.

But if the Yankees do sign Martin, it also gives them the flexibility to then package Montero in a trade for another starting pitcher—most likely Zack Greinke.

The question of whether or not Greinke, who has suffered from anxiety disorder in the past, can pitch or wants to pitch in New York aside, a trade is probably the Yankees’ plan B should Lee sign with Texas.

So given the fact that the Yankees can trade for a pitcher whether they sign Martin or not (but much more easily if they do sign Martin), does telling Lee their offer comes off the table in say, a week really make the current situation worse?

During the Winter Meetings, the Yankees spoke with Carl Crawford, presumably because he was their plan B should they fail to sign Lee. As soon as Crawford signed with the Red Sox (seven-years, $142 million), that plan went out the window and all focus shifted back to signing Lee.

But how much longer can the Yankees afford to wait?

Reports are coming out now that both the Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals, who also signed free agent Jayson Werth to a seven-year deal this offseason, are aggressively pursuing a trade for Greinke.

If Greinke is traded before the Yankees hear from Lee, that’s yet another plan B gone (plan C really). If that happens and Lee also signs with Texas, the Yankees will have been completely embarrassed this offseason.

By giving Lee a deadline to accept their offer, they at least leave themselves with the flexibility to explore other options.

It wouldn’t really hurt their position, as they have already offered Lee the most money, and it remains to be seen how the Baseball Players Association will react should Lee choose to pitch for Texas for less money.

It’s time for the Yankees to take a harder line with Lee. They’ve already made it painfully clear to the entire baseball world they want to sign Lee, so they have nothing else to prove. Give Lee a deadline. Force his hand and make him choose, because the longer he drags his feet, the fewer options the Yankees will have.

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Patience is a virtue. Or so I have been told.

For the Yankees and the Rangers, they have basically been waiting on a decision from Cliff Lee over the last week.

Now, it seems like it’s been forever (more like a few days) since the Yankees had increased their offer to Cliff Lee, which was for seven years and around $161 million.

If anyone has not noticed the change in my profile picture, this past Friday in my hometown of Toms River, NJ, I got married and now begin a new journey in my life.

I thank fellow Bleacher Report writers like Stephen Meyer, Jonathan Mathis and Lewie Pollis for their sincere congratulations and well-wishes over the weekend.

It was funny during that weekend and during my reception, people of all sorts came up to me and asked me, “Is Cliff Lee ever going to accept the offer from the Yankees?”

In a perfect world, that would have been a nice wedding gift to me, but it just hasn’t been that simple. Not for the Yankees or the Rangers.

Last week, Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg flew down to Arkansas to meet with Lee and agent Derek Braunecker to increase their original offer of five years and $100 million to six years, probably around $120-125 million.

Greenberg gave Lee a menu of choices to choose from, as did the Yankees and their general manager, Brian Cashman, with the highest offer being the seven-year deal.

Right now, as we sit here after the weekend, Lee has yet to make a decision. But we do have some new developments.

According to ESPN’s Karl Ravech, through Buster Olney from Twitter, the Rangers are aggressively going hard after free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.

If Texas is going hard after Beltre, does that mean the Rangers are essentially out on the Lee sweepstakes?

You can almost think so, considering Beltre is looking for a deal of about five years and around $70 million.

Texas does have Michael Young at third base, but last week, there were a lot of discussions of the Rangers looking to move Young or switch him to another position.

If Texas is going after Beltre, it would cost Texas less money to sign Beltre than to go after Lee.

According to ESPN’s Olney, again through his Twitter, Braunecker has been in contact with the Yankees today, and the process has been ongoing through the day.

Personally, I wonder from Olney’s tweet and of my own interpretation is Braunecker and the Yankees possibly working out the financial terms and makings of a contract?

Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions here, maybe I am not.

Maybe Lee has decided to take the Yankees’ offer over Texas, Braunecker has been talking with the Yankees to get everything in order, and Texas is moving in the direction of Beltre.

Just pure speculation and guessing on my part.

But as we sit here early in this week, we are still continuing to wait on the biggest decision from the biggest prize still on the free-agent market.

New York or Texas?

Stay tuned.

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It has been a busy off-season thus far that has seen almost all of the coveted free agents sign with different teams.

We have seen Jayson Werth sign a massive contract with the Nationals, Carl Crawford signed a bigger contract with the Red Sox, and the Sox also acquired Adrian Gonzalez.

There are numerous free agents left on the market and only half of them are really good players.  Meaning that the asking price for certain players like Derrek Lee and Adam LaRoche will go up because they are the best left at their position.

So, now is the perfect time to analyze the risks, rewards, and my predictions for all the free agents that are left like Beltre and Lee.

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According to ESPN’s Karl Ravech and confirmed by other sports news outlets on Twitter, it appears the Texas Rangers are aggressively going after former Boston Red Sox third baseman, Adrian Beltre.

If that is the case, it is certainly fair to assume that the Rangers believe they are likely out of the race for Cliff Lee and the New York Yankees are in perfect position for the left-handed ace to sign on the dotted lines for them this offseason. Cliff Lee’s decision is expected to come very soon. The Yankees and Rangers have been patiently awaiting Cliff Lee’s decision.

While terms of the offers have not been released, it is believed that the deals are both very close in terms, though the Yankees are believed to be offering Lee a bit more money. Texas doesn’t have a state income tax though and thus, levels the playing field a bit between the two offers. It has also been reported that the Yankees offered Lee’s requested seven-year offer while the Rangers stuck to six years.

It is unknown when Cliff Lee will make his announcement, but many expect it to be sometime this week.

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I’m sure Cliff Lee had a nice little weekend in Arkansas, doing whatever it is that people in Arkansas do.

Couples boar hunting with Kristen? Smoking a pipe on a porch? Waiting out a tornado in the cellar?

My understanding of landlocked American states is extremely limited.

And while I may be ignorant in the ways of the “The Natural State” (thanks Wikipedia!), I do know that Arkansas’ best pitcher didn’t announce this weekend where he’ll be playing baseball for the next seven years.

From the reports we’ve heard, it’s down to the Yankees, Rangers and a third “mystery” team (which I assume is the Jets, who plan to convert Lee into a quarterback).

If you’re beginning to worry that Lee won’t be standing on a podium beside a beaming Brian Cashman this week, you may be onto something. Every day that passes with no commitment makes you wonder if the Yankees have been trumped.

Which leads itself to the next question: What happens if the Yankees don’t sign Cliff Lee?

I’m sure it would unfold in a series of stages.

• Stage 1: Outrage: Cashman would be blasted, with extra scrutiny given to his inability to complete the trade for Lee last July. Fans will demand to know how the Yankees could be outspent, and if they weren’t, how the negotiation process failed despite the financial edge. There will be pitchforks and torches involved with a lot of people using the Google Earth application to find Cash’s house. Not pretty.

• Stage 2: Panic: This is when all the mongos call Mike Francesa with ludicrous trade offers—”Ivan Nova and one Legends Seat ticket for Roy Halladay”—prompting Francesa to say things like “Yaawwre laaawwwst” and “Youwwwre out of yawr mind” before giving the hand wave. Zack Greinke will be brought up often during this stage, his acute discomfort in the spotlight and past psychological issues conveniently brushed aside.

• Stage 3: Resignation: This will be particularly rough if Cashman—working under the assumption he isn’t iced during Stage One—is unable to make a move that satiates the fanbase. There will be talk of the Red Sox winning 120 games. Yankees fans will be wholly depressed, but will still be infinitely happier than catatonic Mets fans.

It’s easy to forget that the Yankees were one of the best teams in baseball last year. That could be considered an achievement when you factor in all that went wrong:

Javier Vazquez and Nick Johnson flopped. Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada regressed. Andy Pettitte got hurt. Mark Teixeira mysteriously struggled, and A.J. Burnett…well, let’s just say poor A.J. went off the grid on us.

All those issues, and the Yankees still won 95 games, posting more victories than all but two teams. They even won a postseason series, in a sweep no less.

But this is the Yankees we’re talking about, where success isn’t judged by scrappy ALDS conquests. The Boss may be dead but his doctrine lives on: Anything less than a World Series title is considered failure.

The Yankees have a very good team as it stands now. They can compete with the Red Sox right now, even with Boston’s improvements. Can the argument be made that the Red Sox have become the favorites in the AL East? Sure, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to blow the division away by July. If the Yankees stay upright, they’ll compete.

Lee is not the only chance the Yankees have of making it back to the World Series. As good as he is I’m sure there will be people in the organization that will feel like they dodged a bullet. It’s all about perspective. If they fail to land Lee, that doesn’t mean they need to decimate their farm system just to say they got somebody this winter. A little patience could go a long way.

Cashman knows this. At least, I hope he does. But Yankees fans should understand it, too. They may lose the battle for Lee, but that won’t guarantee they lose the war.

Dan Hanzus writes three columns a week on his New York Yankees site, River & Sunset. He can be reached at dhanzus@gmail.com. Follow Dan on Twitter @danhanzus.

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The Boston Red Sox effectively dominated the Winter Meetings, landing both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. 

Their lineup is loaded, and have a deep rotation looking to have a bounce-back year in 2011.  The Yankees, meanwhile have stood steadfast, and have yet to make a significant move besides re-signing Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

With the AL East’s balance of power currently shifted in Boston’s favor, the Yankees will no doubt strike back, resuming baseball’s Cold War.  Here are 10 possible moves the Yankees can make to turn back the tide:

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Last years regular season began with high hopes and great expectations for the Seattle Mariners.  They had had a very busy offseason as they acquired such players as Cliff Lee, Milton Bradley, and Casey Kotchman.

Unfortunately, the team fell way short of expectations and ended up with the worst record in the American League.  They were dead last in hitting in the major leagues and hit the fewest home runs in all of baseball as well.

The season was chaotic and treacherous as their new players were busts (except for Lee) and the clubhouse morale was bad.  Don Wakamatsu got the guillotine and the Mariners finished at a god awful 61-101 mark.

Once again, the AL West looks weak and if Seattle makes the right moves they can maybe compete once again.  The right moves you may ask?  Are the ones I am about to suggest.

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The New York Yankees fan base was in a state of bedlam yesterday afternoon, when there were reports on Twitter circulating and stating that Cliff Lee had rejected the Yankees offer. Immediately, the reaction was that Brian Cashman should throw more money in the deal. But later on, the rumors settled down as many did not know what to believe. Beat writers told fans to be careful what was out there and what they read. 

Brian Cashman has not taken a trip to visit Cliff Lee in Arkansas since his last visit. The Star Ledger is reporting that Brian Cashman may be willing to take yet another trip. The last time Cashman visited, there were reports that an apology was made to Cliff Lee’s wife for certain fan behavior during the playoffs. Only good can come out of a visit. 

The Yankees and Texas Rangers are playing a game where they are only waiting on Cliff Lee’s decision. Lee is the only person in control right now. There is not much that the Yankees front office can do; other than maybe add to their offer. It would be a risky move to make. 

Yesterday, there were sources reporting that the Red Sox are out on the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. It was mostly just to get their names in contention to up some offers. Their focus was mostly on Carl Crawford. Cliff Lee served as a smoke screen in their negotiations.

Yankee fans can only be optimistic about Lee at this point. There will be some doubters, but some people in the front office (mainly Hal Steinbrenner) are channelling their inner George Steinbrenner. Steinbrenner expressed his optimism and said that the Yankees are only moving forward and that is what makes them the more attractive offer on the table.

Cliff Lee is in control of the clock and when he makes his decision.  

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If you search for “#clifflee” on Twitter, you will find an ongoing slew of tweets as folks await his long overdue decision about where he’ll play in 2011.  While Ranger fans are certainly interested and hopeful, some Yankee fans seem despondent at the thought of the left-hander not coming to the Bronx.

Here are five reasons the Yankee faithful should just—as my daughter would say—”chillax!”

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The rumour mill has been working extra hard this past week and is expected to gain more steam as Cliff Lee has apparently said he will make his decision within the next 48 hours. 

In my opinion I hope that he chooses to stick with the Texas Rangers.

Why? 

If Cliff Lee signs with the Yankees the focus will largely be on him, as he will be crowned the saviour of this aging Yankee team. 

In recent years another mega star, CC Sabathia, was brought to New York in light of his recent domination of national league hitters. 

If CC can do it, why can’t Lee? 

Because Sabathia has been consistent since his emergence in 2001.   

Lee, on the other hand, did not transform to this overwhelming dominant version of himself until the 22-3 campaign in 2008. 

For fun, let’s explore this a little bit further. 

In Lee’s nine seasons, he has had an ERA over 3.69 five times, including 2007 and that awful 6.29.  His stint in the second half of 2010 with the Rangers was pedestrian and the numbers prove it: 4-6, 3.98 while giving up 11 homeruns in 108 innings. 

If Lee goes to New York, he better win 20 ever year for the seven years that are on the table. And he better outperform Sabathia at every turn. 

Perhaps I just think Lee is not as good as everyone thinks. Hindsight is 20/20 right? 

In all honesty, Lee is good. Very good and the recent postseason performances prove that.  Still the American League West is not the American League East. 

Cleveland is not New York, Philadelphia is not Boston and Texas isn’t even Chicago. 

Lee has bee a hired gun since he turned into a left-handed Greg Maddux and has surpassed all expectations, that is until the San Francisco Giants ripped off his Superman cape. 

If Lee joins the Yankees he is setting himself up for failure. 

Currently the Yanks are losing the offseason grudge match to the Boston Red Sox as they have fully loaded a line-up that is going to be very hard to stop, and their pitching is every bit as good as the Yankees. 

If the rumours are true, Texas will continue to be the team to beat if he decides to stick around. 

The Rangers are in a weak division and their toughest opponent; the Los Angeles Angels has already lost their prized recruit to the Red Sox (Carl Crawford).  The Seattle Mariners are lucky to score three runs a game and Lee knows that from experience. 

The Oakland Athletics, on the other hand, are improving; using a defensive approach to rebuilding similar to what the Mariners have implemented but in no way are they ready to compete. 

If Lee decides that New York is the way to go, he has the privilege of facing the Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and the powerful bats of the Toronto Blue Jays approximately 16 times in one season. 

I can’t see Lee dominating those clubs with the precision that everyone is expecting. 

Then again,  if you are worth a seven-year deal at $160 million you must be that good. Right?

Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective

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