Fair-Lee expensive The New York Yankees have allegedly put a six-year, $130-140 million deal on the table. As we've always known, the issue ain't the money, it's the years.
Lee wants as many as he can get. At his age, 32, teams are wont to actually do that. Smart teams, at least.
Rangers president Nolan Ryan has stated that he expects the Rangers to match the six years. He's also avoiding an auction by approaching Lee and his agent and asking exactly what it will take to put him in a Rangers uniform for the next decade.
Still, it seems Ryan is prepared to get into a pissing match with the New York Yankees and, frankly, that's not good. That's how franchises are pushed back 10 years of paying off debt, trading insane contracts for 50 cents on the dollar and having to reboot because you thought Lee's shit smelled like roses.
We've seen it with Alex Rodriguez and Chan Ho Park. Aren't we still paying off A-Rod?
Tim Cowlishaw's strategy of just outbidding the Yankees to outbid the Yankees doesn't work and it has never worked. Trying to match dollar for dollar doesn't mean you're spending intelligently. For all the cash the Yanks have thrown around, they have one World Series in the last 10 years. Whereas, the Boston Red Sox have spent plenty, but with a bit more thought and foresight. No, they haven't always won and gotten to the playoffs, but they've always had their eye on two, three or five years in the future before throwing cash at someone. The Rangers would be smart to do the same.
