(ON THE ONE HAND …
Free agent Cliff Lee is expected to draw mega-offers from the Yankees and the Rangers, whose official proposal could come as soon as today. Getty Images)
Armed with the belief the Yankees are willing to pay Cliff Lee $23 million a year, the Rangers are on the verge of making an official offer to retain the left-handed free-agent hurler.
According to a person with knowledge of Texas’ plans, the Rangers are not wary of going to five years in a contract offer for the 32-year-old Lee. Nevertheless, if Lee opts for the most money, the Rangers are not expected to top the Yankees, who the AL champions believe already have made a five- or six-year offer to Lee.
“They want to know soon on Lee,” the person said of the Rangers, who have prepared backup plans if Lee leaves the team he pitched to the World Series.
Lee’s agent, Darek Braunecker, did not confirm or deny whether an offer from the Rangers was made yesterday or whether one is coming today.
He did say the process continues to stay in motion.
“We are starting to move stuff along,” Braunecker said.
The Rangers are hoping the absence of a state tax in Texas and the proximity of Lee’s Arkansas home to Dallas will be strong enough selling points to keep Lee with the Rangers, who surrendered top prospect Justin Smoak last July to get Lee from Seattle after the Yankees believed they had a deal in place with the Mariners.
Several club officials strongly believe Lee is headed to The Bronx because the money difference will be too big to ignore.
Signing Lee would fill the Yankees’ biggest offseason need — a stud pitcher to slot into the rotation behind ace CC Sabathia and ahead of Phil Hughes.
*
Though much has been made about how smooth talks between Mariano Rivera and the Yankees are going, a deal has not been sealed. Ideally, the 41-year-old Rivera would like a two-year contract. The Yankees prefer going year to year with their closer, and would offer an increase over the $15 million Rivera made last year.
*
Despite a report yesterday in which a source said Zack Greinke was not against pitching for the Yankees if the Royals dealt him to The Bronx, the Yankees don’t buy it. They believe the right-hander, the 2009 Cy Young winner who has dealt with social anxiety disorder, does not want to pitch under the burning lights of the Yankees’ universe.
And with the Yankees planning to give stud prospect Jesus Montero a chance to be their starting catcher, they likely do not have enough to offer the Royals in a trade.
Greinke is one of the Rangers’ backup plans if Lee splits. The Royals like Rangers pitching prospects Martin Perez and Tanner Scheppers. But it likely will take more than that to get Greinke, who has 15 teams on a no-trade list that kicks in for 2011.