The MLB Free Agency period is now in it's infancy stages and the burning question on everyone's mind is where will Rangers superstar pitcher Cliff Lee sign? Lee has been one of the best pitchers in the game ever since he tweaked his fastball prior to the 2008 season and went on to win the Cy Young award with the Cleveland Indians (in 2007 Lee started the season 4-9 with a 5.38 ERA before he was sent down to the minors). Since that time Lee has pitched for the Phillies, Mariners and Rangers and is now poised to cash in on all of his recent success.
The most obvious suitor for Lee will of course be the New York Yankees. The Yankees habitually target the top free agents every year and with a need for another pitcher in the rotation Cliff Lee may be their most coveted prize yet. New Yorkers have become enamored with Lee ever since he began dominating them in the 2009 World Series with the Phillies where he beat them twice and then again throughout all of 2010 culminating in his dominating performance in Game 3 of the ALCS this year where he went in to Yankee Stadium and hurled 8 shut-out innings in an 8-0 Rangers victory that effectively deflated the Yankees for the rest of the series.
However the signing of Lee will be no slam dunk for the Yankees as plenty of other teams including the Rangers will be contending with New York. Another factor that may work against the Yankees is the treatment Cliff Lee's wife Kristen received from Yankee fans during Game 3. She stated that the fans around her and her family continually shouted profanities and her and one fan even threw beer in her direction. Kristen Lee may be able to forgive the Yankee faithful but at this point no one can tell for sure.
The one thing about this saga that is for sure is that it will take at least another month for Lee to sign if not more. Teams are already very active in meeting with Lee and his agent and are looking to get a deal done. Lee will most likely be seeking a deal similar to the one his former teammate and good buddy CC Sabathia received two years ago that totaled $161 Million over 7 years. I'm really looking forward to seeing where Lee signs because it promising to be the only exciting news out of Major League Baseball until next March most likely.
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