Via Buster Olney of ESPN:
Executives involved in the bidding for Cliff Lee believe the negotiations will gather momentum in the week ahead, perhaps to a point where the All-Star left-hander will choose his next employer sometime during the winter meetings that start Dec. 6.
No surprise here, really, as these talks always seem to “heat up” just prior to the winter meetings, with a culmination possibly occurring at the meetings (although I actually expect the Lee negotiations to continue beyond the 9th). Thus far, there have been conflicting reports on what the Yankees have offered to Lee since he became available. Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports recently reported that the Yankees had proposed a 6-year, $140M deal, adding, however, that Lee was holding out for a seventh year (which would rival CC Sabathia’s 7-year, $161M pact). Conversely, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported that the Yankees approached Lee with a 5-year, $115-120M contract. Given his age and the way the Yankees have operated this winter, I’m inclined to believe Cafardo and the Globe.
The Yankees, Rangers and Nationals are currently considered the top bidders for the left-handed Lee.
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Original Story:
http://www.i-yankees.com/?p=21989
