SB Nation Dallas - Rangers Acquire Cliff Leehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2010-07-09T16:35:29-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13222312010-07-09T16:35:29-05:002010-07-09T16:35:29-05:00Beavan Among Prospects Sent To Seattle
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<p>According to <a target="new" href="http://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/18148637077">Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports,</a> the Rangers will be sending pitching prospects Blake Beavan and Josh Lueke in addition to 2B Matt Lawson and Justin Smoak to Seattle for Cliff Lee, Mark Lowe and approximately two and a half million dollars in cash to cover the salary for the duration of this year on Lee.</p>
<p>Among the minor league players involved, Beavan is the most heralded of the three. He's gone 10-5 with a 2.78 ERA, 68 SO to 12 BB in 110 innings at class AA Frisco. </p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/7/9/1561864/beavan-rangers-trade-cliff-lee-seattleJP Starkey2010-07-09T16:01:45-05:002010-07-09T16:01:45-05:00Sherman: Rangers Acquire Cliff Lee
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<p>According to <a href="http://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/18146863787" target="new">Joel Sherman of the New York Post</a>, the Texas Rangers have acquired left handed ace Cliff Lee and reliever Mark Lowe for Justin Smoak and three others.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/7/9/1561767/sherman-rangers-acquire-cliff-leeJP Starkey2010-07-09T15:57:26-05:002010-07-09T15:57:26-05:00Sources: Yankees Out Of Lee Talks, Rangers Talks Heating Up Again
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<p>According to <a href="http://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/18144242737" target="new">Joel Sherman of the New York Post,</a> the Rangers are working “really hard” on getting a Cliff Lee deal done. Sherman also reported earlier that the <a href="http://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/18142924805" target="new">Yankees were “not in it” anymore</a> after the Mariners cooled off on the Yankees offer. Speculation is that the Yankees had offered top prospect Jesus Montero to go along with David Adams and Zach McAllister.</p>
<p>Further, <a href="http://twitter.com/ed_price/status/18145177954" target="new">Ed Price of <span class="caps">AOL</span> FanHouse</a> now is reporting that the Rangers are willing to part with Justin Smoak to acquire Cliff Lee in a trade.</p>
<p>The Yankees had been looking to a resolution on Cliff Lee before tonight’s game in Seattle where Phil Hughes will pitch against Cliff Lee – assuming Lee is still a Mariner by the time the game starts.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/7/9/1561751/new-york-yankees-cliff-lee-trade-rangersJP Starkey2010-07-09T06:48:40-05:002010-07-09T06:48:40-05:00Joel Sherman: Yankees On The Goal Line In Cliff Lee Talks
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<p><a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/hardball/up_yanks_on_verge_of_getting_lee_JOOn3RUrrsDUBcuIwvVUXN">Joel Sherman of the New York Post says</a> that the Yankees may come from nowhere and swipe Cliff Lee now, rather than waiting to sign him in the offseason.</p>
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<p>The deal was not completed yet, but the Yankees were on the goal line and merely had to push into the end zone to finalize matters.</p>
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<p>It was going to take an overwhelming offer from elsewhere or a last-second change of heart by the Yanks or the Seattle Mariners to scuttle a deal that would turn the Yanks from favorites to repeat as champs to overwhelming favorites.</p>
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<p>As we all know, the NY Post can be sensational at times, but in Jesus Montero the Yankees have an ideal match for Seattle’s needs.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/7/9/1560714/joel-sherman-yankees-on-the-goalBrett Perryman2010-07-08T15:25:24-05:002010-07-08T15:25:24-05:00Baseball Source: Rangers Favorite To Land Cliff Lee
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<p><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/MLB-latest-news-from-July-070110">Ken Rosenthal and JP Morosi of FoxSports.com quote</a> a major league general manager as believing that the Rangers are the favorites to land Mariners ace Cliff Lee.</p>
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<p>Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik is said to covet Smoak, a switch hitter who is well suited for the Mariners’ home ballpark.</p>
<p>The Rangers’ ongoing sale — through a bankruptcy process — is a significant element in the trade dialogue, sources say. Lee has roughly $4 million left on his contract for this season, which is almost certainly too rich for the Rangers to afford right now. The Mariners can pay the remainder of Lee’s salary to facilitate a deal, but they will ask for better players as a result. Smoak is likely to be one of them.</p>
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<p>The Twins and Reds are among the teams believed to be pursuing Lee.</p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/7/8/1559431/baseball-source-rangers-favorite-cliff-leeBrett Perryman2010-07-08T00:16:39-05:002010-07-08T00:16:39-05:00Reports: Rangers Pursuing Cliff Lee Talks
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<p>Two local reports suggest that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/TEX">Rangers</a> are among the teams attempting to acquire <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/SEA">Mariners</a> starter <span>Cliff Lee</span>.</p>
<p><a href="http://startelegramsports.typepad.com/foul_territory/2010/07/sources-rangers-talking-to-mariners-about-cliff-lee.html">Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram</a>:</p>
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<p>A baseball source indicated that the Mariners have interest in several prospects and young players who have experience at the big-league level. Seattle has inquired about the availability of, among others, first baseman <span>Chris Davis</span> and catcher <span>Jarrod Saltalamacchia</span>.</p>
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<p>A source, though, indicated that [Tanner] Scheppers and [Martin] Perez have been deemed untouchable by Rangers officials. Right-hander <span>Alexi Ogando</span>, who tossed a scoreless seventh inning Wednesday, is also on Seattle's radar, but there is some resistance to include him in a deal.</p>
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<p>Wilson addresses the financial aspect:</p>
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<p>A baseball source said last week that the Rangers would have to be creative to make a deal work, as they were when getting San Francisco to pick up <span>Bengie Molina</span>'s contract in a trade for the veteran catcher.</p>
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<p>"Creative" is apparently a synonym for giving up extra prospects to offset the value of the deal.</p>
<p><a href="http://rangers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100707&content_id=12051180&vkey=news_tex&fext=.jsp&c_id=tex">T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com</a>also discusses possible talent involved:</p>
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<p>The Mariners are reportedly looking for a big bat for their lineup and the Rangers have both <span>Justin Smoak</span> at the Major League level and Chris Davis at Triple-A Oklahoma City.</p>
<p>The Rangers are also deep in Minor League pitching although indications are they are not interested in talking about <span>Tanner Scheppers</span> or Martin Perez. But <span>Derek Holland</span> and Blake Beavan could be two names that might interest the Mariners.</p>
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https://dallas.sbnation.com/2010/7/8/2317614/reports-rangers-pursuing-cliff-lee-talksBrett Perryman