Cliff Lee signs with Phillies

[erik316wttn]

Ok, better roation 1-4: Halladay/Lee/Oswalt/Hamels or Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz/Avery?

[Southpaw191679666239]

I've read that the Phillies have money coming off the books in '12, so they could certainly back-load this deal. Additionally, they are going to try to trade Joe Blanton and Raul Ibanez to free up some 2011 dollars.

[ctcf]

Doesn't this technically mean the Phils got Halladay for a bag of baseballs or something?

[erik316wttn]

Ugh, biggest FA signing of the offseason, and ESPN has barely mentioned it before going back to endless Brett Favre verbal fellatio.

[Old Style]

Amazing. People here in the Arlington, TX area are pissed.

[TruffleShuffle]

I don't understand the point of having 4 aces on your team. I mean I do, but there has to be some sort of cap to Philly's payroll and they have to be nearing it. Is it smart to use a large portion of your resources on having a 4th ace caliber pitcher?

 

it is if you can get him at good value, which this contract would seem to be.

 

oswalt can come off the books after this year if they turn down his $16M option, hamels will be a free agent after 2011 (not sure if it's UFA at that point), they can turn down lidge's option of $12.5M, ibanez goes away. they do have some money coming off the books. the downside is that rollins hits UFA and becomes much more expensive to keep around.

 

their offense isn't as great as their reputation without werth and if howard and ibanez continue to slide backward.

[BCVM22]

ToddZolecki: Source: Lee agreed to a five-year deal with a vesting option. Deal somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 million.

 

Enjoy Ivan Nova, Yankees fans.

[haubrich91]

This is seriously crazy. So they have four aces and two that should be in the Cy Young voting.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Ugh, biggest FA signing of the offseason, and ESPN has barely mentioned it before going back to endless Brett Favre verbal fellatio.

As much as I hate to do it, I have to side with ESPN for once. The end of a historic streak is bigger news than an offseason transaction.

[shnsajax]

Amazing. People here in the Arlington, TX area are pissed.

 

I don't think they have even had time to pick their jaws off the floor yet.

[hawkeyecub]

The last few years I've been wanting the Phillies to win when the Cubs were eliminated because they're my dad's team. Now they're just [expletive] annoying and he's going to be giddy as hell.

[Northside Blues]

jesus christ it's not fair to be a big market team, and get a ridiculous discount on someone as good as lee.

[erik316wttn]

jesus christ it's not fair to be a big market team, and get a ridiculous discount on someone as good as lee.

 

I admire him for not signing for the most money, instead taking other factors into consideration. Not like he won't be paid a crapload in Philly, however.

[rocket]

i wonder what were the huge factors. a return to the nl? easiest path to playoffs (though rangers and yankees were pretty good bets)?

[erik316wttn]

i wonder what were the huge factors. a return to the nl? easiest path to playoffs (though rangers and yankees were pretty good bets)?

 

I guess for some strange reason he really loved his time in Philly when he was there in 2009.

[JoshiQ]

I think I just swallowed my tongue. Luckily the Cubs won't make it to the playoffs this year. That is just a vicious rotation.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Half of that foursome will spend significant time on the DL next season. Book it.

[rocket]

now they're saying $120 million guaranteed, plus the vesting option. so while he took less money to go to philly, the difference isn't as big as previously believed

[NCCubFan]

Luckily the Cubs won't make it to the playoffs this year.

Easy to say considering that this year is completed. It's premature to say that they won't make it NEXT year (2011), though. Too many people on this board say that the Cubs can't make the playoffs next year as if it's already a fact (it isn't).

[ctcf]

Saw this as a Philly friend's facebook picture. I'd put that on par with Tree's NOMAH post.

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs356.ash2/63658_484636161640_607591640_6200844_3175491_n.jpg

[JoshiQ]

Luckily the Cubs won't make it to the playoffs this year.

Easy to say considering that this year is completed. It's premature to say that they won't make it NEXT year (2011), though. Too many people on this board say that the Cubs can't make the playoffs next year as if it's already a fact (it isn't).

 

Well, when I said next this year I was more referring to 2011. I should have been more clear. However, I think the odds of us making it are very small. I'll still cheer for the team and hope they do make it, but it's best to be realistic and look towards the future.

[BCVM22]

The final numbers, per Rosenthal:

 

Five-year, $107.5 million deal. Vesting option for $27.5 in the 6th or a $12.5 buyout. Maximum six years, $135 mil.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Holy [expletive], move over Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Avery, who never had an offense like the Phillies backing them,

[TruffleShuffle]

The final numbers, per Rosenthal:

 

Five-year, $107.5 million deal. Vesting option for $27.5 in the 6th or a $12.5 buyout. Maximum six years, $135 mil.

 

man, that's a buttload of cash. the phillies are a big market team and draw well, but they've already got some big commitments (including a really stupid $20M a year commitment to howard). i'm curious about how much they're paying him in 2010 and if there's any deferred money, because right now they'd have to be looking at something like $170M for the 2010 payroll.

[Wilson A2000]

What's wrong with the Howard money?