Cliff Lee: a pet peeve

[Brutus]

Today, Cliff Lee said he would "love to be" part of the Rangers next season. He said it was a possibility.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb...ory?id=5754679

Where my pet peeve comes in...

"I like this team. It's a very fun team to play on," Lee said. "I expect this team to do some really good things next year. I don't know if I'm going to be a part of it or not. To be honest with you, I would love to be, but so many things can happen. You never know."

No one is stopping you, Cliff. Clearly the Rangers are willing to sign you. Just come out and say it depends on who offers the most money.

I am fine with athletes going for the dollar. Whatever floats their boats. But just come out and admit it. Don't give all the lip service about wanting to play somewhere, but act like it's out of your control. It's only out of control to the extent whether or not the money meets your demands.

Anyhow, sorry for the soap box. I really don't care one way or another if a player goes for the money. But just be honest about it. This whole, "I'd love to be part of it but many things can happen," stuff... usually just one thing can happen. Either you want to sign on the dotted line or you don't. All your call, Cliffy.

[Boss-Hog]

I read that quote and thought exactly the same thing.

[westofyou]

YouTube - JERRY MAGUIRE (Tom Cruise) - SHOW ME THE MONEY (clean edit)

[jojo]

Originally Posted by Brutus the Pimp

Today, Cliff Lee said he would "love to be" part of the Rangers next season. He said it was a possibility.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb...ory?id=5754679

Where my pet peeve comes in...



No one is stopping you, Cliff. Clearly the Rangers are willing to sign you. Just come out and say it depends on who offers the most money.

I am fine with athletes going for the dollar. Whatever floats their boats. But just come out and admit it. Don't give all the lip service about wanting to play somewhere, but act like it's out of your control. It's only out of control to the extent whether or not the money meets your demands.

Anyhow, sorry for the soap box. I really don't care one way or another if a player goes for the money. But just be honest about it. This whole, "I'd love to be part of it but many things can happen," stuff... usually just one thing can happen. Either you want to sign on the dotted line or you don't. All your call, Cliffy.

To be fair, the Rangers have to offer a contract.

[Rojo]

Doesn't bother me. There's a word for not saying everything you mean all the time: society.

[Orenda]

Originally Posted by Brutus the Pimp

Today, Cliff Lee said he would "love to be" part of the Rangers next season. He said it was a possibility.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb...ory?id=5754679

Where my pet peeve comes in...



No one is stopping you, Cliff. Clearly the Rangers are willing to sign you. Just come out and say it depends on who offers the most money.

I am fine with athletes going for the dollar. Whatever floats their boats. But just come out and admit it. Don't give all the lip service about wanting to play somewhere, but act like it's out of your control. It's only out of control to the extent whether or not the money meets your demands.

Anyhow, sorry for the soap box. I really don't care one way or another if a player goes for the money. But just be honest about it. This whole, "I'd love to be part of it but many things can happen," stuff... usually just one thing can happen. Either you want to sign on the dotted line or you don't. All your call, Cliffy.

Do you really think he will only go to the highest bidder regardless of who it is? The way I read that quote is, that he likes the Rangers but isn't going to give them a huge discount off his market value.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by jojo

To be fair, the Rangers have to offer a contract.

If Cliff Lee wants to re-sign with the Rangers, it would take one phone call and they'd have something drawn up for him by the next day.

You and I both know that, as does he.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by Orenda

Do you really think he will only go to the highest bidder regardless of who it is? The way I read that quote is, that he likes the Rangers but isn't going to give them a huge discount off his market value.

Since we all know who's likely to offer the most, it's probably tomato/tom-ah-to.

[mbgrayson]

Originally Posted by Orenda

Do you really think he will only go to the highest bidder regardless of who it is? The way I read that quote is, that he likes the Rangers but isn't going to give them a huge discount off his market value.

Exactly right. And its probably more about the total amount of the contract than just the annual amount. In other words, if the Rangers offer him $12 million a year for two years, and the Yankees offer him $12 million a year for three years, he will go with the Yankees....

I don't blame Lee for being coy. It would hurt his image to just blatantly say "Show me the money", and image=money for these guys. What kind of endorsements will you get if you are portrayed by the Texas press as being greedy? I think he is smart to respond as he did.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by mbgrayson

Exactly right. And its probably more about the total amount of the contract than just the annual amount. In other words, if the Rangers offer him $12 million a year for two years, and the Yankees offer him $12 million a year for three years, he will go with the Yankees....

I don't blame Lee for being coy. It would hurt his image to just blatantly say "Show me the money", and image=money for these guys. What kind of endorsements will you get if you are portrayed by the Texas press as being greedy? I think he is smart to respond as he did.

Does it really help anything? His statement is pretty transparent to most. No one here is really fooled by his intent. All he's doing is sounding ridiculous, IMHO.

If he truly wants to sign with someone, everyone knows that, if the team wants him (and the Rangers themselves have said they do), then he can make that happen.

Edit: Here's a case in point...Hal Steinbrenner on whether they want Derek Jeter back:

"We absolutely want him back. But having said that, we're running a business here, so if there's a deal to be done, it's going to have to be a deal that both sides are happy with."

That's the kind of answer that is honest and respectful.

[savafan]

In Lee's defense...perhaps, isn't there an ownership situation to be worked out in Texas?

[jojo]

Originally Posted by Brutus the Pimp

If Cliff Lee wants to re-sign with the Rangers, it would take one phone call and they'd have something drawn up for him by the next day.

You and I both know that, as does he.

Cliff Lee can't name his price so it's a bit of an unfair standard IMHO. That's kind of a pet peeve of mine...

[Tom Servo]

I've pretty much gotten used to this kind of talk by now and it really doesn't much bother me anymore.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Do we know if Cliff Lee will be (is being) "pressured" by his union brothers? Pretty powerful union. Didn't we hear that CC Sabathia was being pressured to do the right thing for his brothers by taking the highest offer despite that he might not have wanted to play in New York? Perhaps another side to the Cliff Lee story.

[Spitball]

Originally Posted by Brutus the Pimp

If Cliff Lee wants to re-sign with the Rangers, it would take one phone call and they'd have something drawn up for him by the next day.

You and I both know that, as does he.

I see nothing wrong with playing coy one day after the World Series. If he ends up with the Yankees, I'll be singing a different tune, but for now, I totally expect him to play fairly hard to get with the Rangers. It is how the game is played.