Cliff Lee is a Philadelphia Phillie

Phil-Lee

Cliff Lee chose a team. And it could not have knocked a city in the gut quite like it has Dallas-Fort Worth.

On the other hand, it's also not like the world is ending.

Mostly because as he's not a Texas Rangers, he's also not a New York Yankee.

Yesterday mid-morning, word came down on a significant "mystery" team being heavy hitters for Lee. Most decried that a "mystery" team was always the creation of the agent to build leverage. Turns out, the "mystery" team was very real.

It was the Philadelphia Phillies, the team that traded Lee to the Seattle Mariners last winter. By some accounts, the Cliff and his family "loved" Philadelphia and were sad to go in the first place. Now they're back.

Reason No. 2 we're not all that sad is that Lee didn't go for the most number of years or some insane amount of money. Seems like he kind of went with his heart. And if you listen to your heart, you can never lose.

The deal is worth $120 million over five years with a vesting option for $27 million for a sixth year should Lee pitch 200 innings in 2015 or 400 innings in 2014-2015.

Yes, the money helped. But we were always told that Lee wanted years, not cash. He wound up with less years (if the Rangers and Yankees were, indeed, offering seven years) and a bit more money in a city that they apparently love.

The Rangers could compete with as many years and dollars as they wanted. However, they were never going to compete with a family's affinity for a particular city or area.

Also, Lee probably doesn't mind missing out on the designated hitter for the final years of his career.

As for the Phillies, this solidifies their role as a World Series favorite. If Roy Oswalt is your No. 3 starter and Cole Hamels No. 4, it's World Series or bust.

For the Rangers, I feel like a great weight has been lifted off our shoulders. I also feel like a certain bullet has been dodged. A potential franchise-breaking contract like the one Lee wanted (or we thought he wanted) could have been the ruin of what was started last season. A bum back or shoulder could've caused a ripple effect that would've taken a decade to overcome again. That's not a place I wanted to go. Not with the light finally shining through.

The Rangers competed without Lee for half a season last year and I suspect they'll do the same without him this year. Remember, Colby Lewis beat the Yankees twice. The Rangers have a lot more options than some other teams and I think with this leadership they can still get better without Cliff Lee.

But whatever you do, do not sign Adrian Beltre!

Friday night Cliff Lee thoughts and Brooklyn Decker

Who'd you rather look at right now? Cliff Lee or Brooklyn Decker?

Allegedly, a group consisting of Chuck Greenberg, money and contract men went to Arkansas to woo Cliff Lee.

They offered him a deal with an assortment of perks. Sounds like Lee can Souper Salad whatever he wants in the deal.

Whether that includes a seventh year is not clear. I was under the impression that the Rangers were going to buckle under the pressure of delivering Lee to its fans no matter the price or commitment.

Then I heard Greenberg interviewed specifically stating that they wouldn't put the franchise in the same hole it was in referring to the Alex Rodriguez deal. Says to me that a seventh year isn't on the table.

Six years is too long for me. Seventh is right out. How about five, $25 million per and Tommy Hunter as his permanent hunting partner?

Cliff Lee's latest

Fair-Lee expensive

Apparently, Cliff Lee will make a decision (considering every other free agent is waiting for him to decide as are teams looking to trade players) this weekend.

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.

Seven years and a dollar short

Free agent Cliff Lee allegedly wants, quite literally, a CC Sabathia-like contract of seven years.

You don't give a 32-year-old pitcher a seven-year contract. You just don't.

It would cripple the Texas Rangers and just about every other team rumored in the Lee sweepstakes and I can't imagine them actually giving him those years.

My assumption is that the "seven year" thing is a message to the New York Yankees: "If you want me, come and get me." I think the Yanks could walk in and end Lee's time as a free agent in pretty short order.

Will they? They can, but I also think the Yanks have limits not necessarily in terms of the money, but the principle of the thing. The Yankees could've outbid Tom Hicks on Alex Rodriguez, but they didn't. Not that he wasn't worth it.

But the Yanks allowed the lil' Rangers they day in the sun. Several years later, A-Rod's hitting homers for the Yanks while the Rangers are picking up the tab.

I really can't imagine the Yanks offering the seven years and all of this settling on four or five. If it comes down to the Rangers, I hope they let this all play out and not get suckered into overpaying.

With that said, the Rangers are also one of a number of teams in on Jorge De La Rosa. Again, not an awful idea. Then again, be wary. De La Rosa's rounding into the second-best starter in the free agent market.

The last thing I want the Rangers doing is missing out on Lee and then overspending on De La Rosa to make sure all was for naught.

Smart spending: Cliff Lee and how much is too much?

Courting Lee

When Nelson Cruz half-heartedly swung at strike three from Brian Wilson Monday night, the off-season in Major League Baseball began.

For many, the fervor of their favorite sport begins right after the season ends with baseball fans. It's hot stove time. Internet rumors and columnists writing about what teams need and who is going where for how much.

When Cruz struck out, I'm sure GM Jon Daniels and president Nolan Ryan hung their head for a moment and then almost went immediately to work.

Teams have five days of exclusive negotiations with their free agents. After that time, they go into the great free-agent pool for everyone's perusal.

The Rangers have five days to talk to Cliff Lee. It won't be enough. He'll enter into free agency and see where the bidding takes his services.

I don't think money is Lee's sole requirement. But he also won't sign for $60 million less than the highest bid.

Let's face it, the New York Yankees will drive negotiations and teams like hte Texas Rangers will strive to keep up. Maybe they get close and work the "Hey, we're right next to your home in Arkansas," "Hey, we have excellent deer hunting" and "Hey, we didn't spit at your wife" cards.

Maybe it'll do the trick. Maybe not.

I believe that Lee is really good and that the Rangers must do everything in there power to get him. One thing I don't think they should do is overpay.

I realize that Tom Hicks is gone and that there's new ownership and new cash. Remember, Hicks was once the freewheelin', check-writing idiot giving cash to Alex Rodriguez and Chan Ho Park. He wasn't afraid to spent money, he went broke and the team went to crap.

Putting all your chips on the first hand for Chuck Greenberg and Co.

Also, Lee's not the only cog that will look to get paid. Nellie Cruz, C.J. Wilson and Josh Hamilton will look for raises. Potentially, a long-term deal could be online for Hamilton.

Then, you'll need to spend some money on possibly (probably) another starting, some bullpen help, outfield help, bench help and more.

The good news is that Rich Harden is gone. Vlad Guerrero's $9 million is now gone. The Rangers have the new fancy TV deal and attendance not only went up 15 percent this year, but it'll probably go up another 15 percent or more next year. There's cash to be had. Cash to be made.

No, there aren't a ton of free agents to re-sign, but there's money to be spent and I don't want to look back in 2016 to this moment when the Rangers backed up the truck and emptied the bank for Lee.

Lee is 32. He'll expect a six-year deal worth $20 million a year not unlike CC Sabathia's deal the the Yankees. Maybe the Yanks aren't interested. They have to hammer out a deal for Derek Jeter. If they really wanted Lee, wouldn't they have upped their trade offer to the Mariners?

Frankly, six years and $120 million scares me. It scares me like A-Rod's contract scares me now. Lee is worth it, however. I just don't want to hate Chuck Greenberg like I hate Tom Hicks.

It's good to be aggressive and wise.