Lee looks set to join Yanks
Several media outlets have reported that the Phillies turned down an offer from the Yankees for Cliff Lee over the offseason. Now, it looks like the Bombers will get their man anyway.
Lee looks set to join Yanks
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Several media outlets have reported that the Phillies turned down an offer from the Yankees for Cliff Lee over the offseason. Now, it looks like the Bombers will get their man anyway.
The Mariners and Yankees are on the verge of a deal that would see the erstwhile Phillies ace join forces with the team he dominated in the offseason, ESPN.com is reporting.
One of the prospect reportedly on the move is highly-regarded catcher Jesus Montero. FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, meanwhile, is reporting that the Phillies are exploring trade offers for right fielder Jayson Werth.
The Phillies continue to look for help for both their bullpen and rotation.
Comments (187)
lol.— bioman85- wrong again, boy wonder.— Dickie Thon
All you guys who say "I would sell out for a World Series! I don't care what happens after that!". In large part, that was LAST SEASON. It didn't work out. Did you appreciate it?— road515- Amaro breathes a sigh of relief with Lee apparently going to the Rangers, BUT the deal may be voided because the Rangers are in bankruptcy proceedings and are being run by MLB with the understanding that the Rangers cannot take on debt. The Mariners are paying over $2.5 million of Lee's salary, but the remainder, $1.5 million, must be paid by the Rangers, who did give up their first baseman and his salary. There are concerns, however, that the Bankruptcy Court will void the deal.— chuckw
- How about Roy OVERRATED Halladay for Lee..... Hmmmm Ruben, Idiot.....— Bello100
- I hope people will now stop talking about Lee. He just got traded to the Texas Rangers for Justin Smoak and a couple of highly regarded minor leaguers.— GOLDY2007
- We can breathe easier Lee is going to the Rangers— LeftField
- @NVPhillyfan, REALLY tasteless joke. The report seems to be that Seattle wanted a player to be named later or cash added to the trade in case Adams missed the remainder of the season. The Yankees balked at the request, and that's why the deal ran through.— buttermilk67
- Looks like the Yanks aren't getting Lee. He's going to the Rangers, where he'll have fans falling for him.— NVPhillyfan
- The Phils have supposedly offered Werth to TB for Wade Davis. TB is also supposed to have declined it, but they are still talking to Philly about Werth. Boston and the Yankees are also rumored to be after Werth, but neither want to give up anything worthwhile. NYY wants to do Werth for Javier Vasquez straight up. I'd say no way in h**l to that deal. It makes no sense for either team really, and it might be out if the Yanks don't get Lee.— buttermilk67
- The Texas Rangers are getting Lee and giving the Mariners better prospects then the Phillies got because of the Amaro blunder. What would the Phillies have gotten if they had kept him? Amaro screwed up but would never admit it. Trade Werth now before you get nothing for him.— eaglesman1
- was just announced that Texas landed Lee at 5:30 this afternoon— advantasux
johnnyN; why waste your time on this site...? johnnyu
Just heard the Lee deal fell thru....last chance Amaro!!— dogman5- Cliff Lee is going to the Rangers. That's the second best scenario.— malaysian mink
- Looks like Lee is off to Texas. Maybe the Phils will open up the checkbook and sign him as a free agent next year....HA HA HA HA HA, NO CHANCE. All you can do is laugh now, otherwise you'll just be angry.— cnova000
- If phils make the play-offs they need another pitcher(lee or a closer) if werth is moving bring up brown and mayberry(rte handed bat) now you have brown rf victorino cf and francisco left field with mayberry the 4th outfielder and let the chips fall where they may..ibanez should be benched or released, they team will be younger and faster.— only 9
- Tonight would be an epic Phils live chat.
- Why have you guys not yet updated that the Yankees pulled out when the Rangers made a better offer and the Mariners asked NY for more?— Kramerica
- Halladay wouldn't have ended up with the Yankees via trade. Toronto was committed to not trading him within the division. Under free agency is a different story though.— buttermilk67
- Help me, I am not thinking straight. Lee would not have signed with the Phillies, plain and simple (with Halladay signed).— road515
- To add to what nunyabizness said, the 2B prospect, David Adams, has a sprained ankle that may keep him out for the remainder of the season if he needs surgery, which hasn't been determined yet. The reason the Twins and Yanks seem to be frontrunning these talks is because Seattle wants a catching prospect. The Twins have Wilson Ramos. The Yanks have Montero. The Phils don't have any close catching prospects anymore after trading Lou Marson to Cleveland in the Lee deal.— buttermilk67
- I knew last winter the Lee trade would end up heartbreaking. If the Phillies kept Lee, Halladay would've ended up on the Yankees. The Yankees are pigs. So are the frontrunning fans.— road515
- Ny Post just reported that Cliff Lee is NOT coming to Yanks. Please, Amaro, atone for your sins and get him now!!— mollymandyginger
- WOW. We aren't the losingest franchise in professional sports for nothing! There's another article that says we shouldn't blame Ruben. No, It's my fault! LOL!!! The love affair between this team and Philly fans is going to end fast and ugly. Watch that first step ...it's a doozy!!— justacarpenter
- Another website is reporting that the Mariners are passing on the Yanks deal because of an injury to one of the prospects they would get.— nunayabizness
- People need to understand baseball. I don't want to see Werth go but you can't trade him and have an outfield of all lefthanders when D. Brown comes up. The Phillies are loaded with lefthanders.— kzimm63
- Amaro should be run out of town on a rail. Guys like Amaro and Charlie who try to be smart most often outsmart themselves. You think people hated Ed Wade? If Lee goes to the Yankees, Amaro's situation will be untenable. There will be a fan revolt. Ed Wade drafted the core, Gillick put it together, and now Amaro is trashing it. Giving Blanton and Moyer all that money was the worst, because it made keeping Lee extremely difficult. The sad thing is, with Halladay, Hamels, Happ, and Lee, your 5th starter could have been one of the teletubbies making league minumum and you still would have run away with the championship. Amaro doesn't have it. Bye, dude.— nunayabizness
- Hey maybe the Yanks will trade him for the stiffs we got from Seattle for him. Grilled Reuben anyone?— DrSmoke
- Lee wanted to be here so bad he rebuffed their offer and indicated that going FA was looking pretty good to him. No way NYY offered Montero for him over the winter, Phils need a catcher pretty bad.— PhillySubsMac
- Wait until McNabb smokes the Eagles in a few months and then you will really see the Philly uproar. It is coming!! Two bad sports move in one year.— Bigbadrookie
If you think things are bad now, you should have been pulling for them in '61 and '64!!!— EJAY- I look forward to comparing the talent Seattle receives against the scrap pile they gave up. Bottom line: Ruben has ruined the team.— 100Level
There's NO WAY we are able to trade Ibanez to any team. The mistake of trading Werth leaves us with a Lefty-heavy lineup and takes more power out of our already suffering lineup. Trading Shane rids us of his .250+ avg, AWFUL on-base percentage, low walk count and his attitude that 2008 should forgive him of his huge ego that swings for the fences...and still allows us to keep the right-handed hitting Werth between Howard(4) and Brown(6). Just a thought...- Phillie management needs a refresher course on how to build a winning team. You don't trade a stud like Cliff Lee for the losers Seattle gave up. They could have retained Lee, let him taste life in Philly with Halladay in the rotation with him, and who knows, maybe he would have looked for a way to stay. Worst case scenario, Halladay and Lee would have put the Phillies back in the World Series. I don't see the Phillies getting to the World Series now, even with Jamie Moyer pitching his heart out and Hamels improving. I assume next on the Yanks' list is Jason Werth, and the Phillies would be very wise to take whatever the Yanks offer them. Maybe if they're lucky, they can convince the Yankees to give up Vasquez.— Yanksin4
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Anyone who thinks the Phillies can spend like the Bankees are living with their heads up their behinds. Maybe all of you would like to pay $500 per month cable bills so we can have TV revenue like the YES network in NY, which does NOT get shared with other teams. And maybe others would like to pay $2000 a ticket, and not be able to stand with their kids along the field for autographs before games like in NY. This way, Philly can afford to buy pennants like the Bankees. Enough already. The Bankees are the problem with baseball. Baseball needs a salary cap like every other professional sport, and TRUE revenue sharing that includes TV money. Yes the Lee trade sucked. Nevertheless, I'll take our affordable and enjoyable experience at the ballpark over NYC unaffordable cable TV and tickets. Bankee stadium is a joke...a true symbol of the haves and have nots. You can overspend to sit with the elite, or you can watch a game surrounded by low-lifes smoking pot in the seats, totally ignored by New York's finest. Philadelphia, at least not yet anyway, does not have police stationed everywhere tickets are affordable, spending their time sending text messages to their friends while out of town fans have beer and other objects thrown at them. Try taking your child to a game in Bankee stadium, and maybe Philadelphia won't look so bad after all.— jp8899- @buttermilk - its prob 3rd or 4th - the worst trade was Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez for Freddie Garcia and his $10M contract for 1 win. BTW - didn't our greatest GM in history Gillick make that trade? Goes to show you that they all make mistakes! The Curt Shilling trade to AZ is prob #2 for all time worst (at least in recent times). @LOSER_FUMO - get a life and go hang on some NY boards. And BTW, Oswalt isn't a free agent after this year and Houston won't give be giving him away to the Yankees...— themadhacker2000
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- Looks like the Phils have reverted back to their bungling ways of a few years ago. This stinks!!! If Yanks get Lee then everyone else is playing for 2nd place.
- cliff going to the yankees is like lebron going to miami— dennos
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- i will not be giving any money to this HORRIBLE OWNERSHIP.....god i wish comcast would buy the phillies so we could compete with other big market spending team....the yankees and red sox......— DON17
- Great, now Hamels sucks. Can I remind you that 2 years ago he had a better post-season than the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball, Cliff Lee, had last year? Do any of you even think before you write these things? If we had Lee you'd all be writing how he sucks. Read these posts...every single player on this team sucks, but Lee, if we had him we'd be happy. No, you'd be saying how he sucks, too.— smfree31
- Cliff Lee is simply one of several very bad symptoms of the disfunctional team that Ruben Amaro has created with a series of unbelievably stupid trades and contract extensions. Getting Lee back now is only a bandage on a larger problem...Ruben Amaro is one very bad General Manager. I love the Phillies, but I hope that Lee ends up with the Mets--who I can't stand--simply because that result may finally cause Amaro to be fired as the GM of the Phillies. Wake up fans, this season is sinking faster than a boulder in still water, thanks to Ruben Amaro.— Tomme
- I'd trade Shane before Werth, but for some reason everyone is in love with Shane even if he thinks fans should remember 2008 instead of thinking about today/tomorrow. Trade Shane (+ prospect) to AZ for Haren, promote Domonic Brown and move Werth to CF where he has shown he is more than capable. Get Polanco back, then Utley, and then our lineup will be even better with Domonic Brown instead of the free-swinging Hawaiian whose on-base percentage is EIGHT among the regular 8 batters on this team. A rookie phenom like Brown with this kind of skill set has to shine at some point, why not now? Heyward in Atlanta got the chance, as did Stanton in Florida...We need to move on from Lee and focus on shipping out a roster player for Haren, I vote Shane off the island.
- I swear I feel dumber just reading these posts. This town has such a chubby for Cliff Lee it's not even funny. Sure, he's dominant, but 07 wasn't that long ago when he was exiled to the minors and left off Cleveland's post-season roster. He's won more than 14 games twice in 9 years. Most importantly, HE WAS OFFERED AN EXTENSION AND DECLINED BECAUSE HE WANTED TO TEST THE OPEN MARKET! You think if the Yankees wanted him and since Old Cliffy cares so much about money, that he wouldn't have ended up there next year anyway? Get over it people, he's gone. We dumped him before he could dump us.— Phightin Phil
- I still think the Lee trade is the second-dumbest move under RAJ behind the three-year deal given to Ibanez. However, in less than two years, RAJ has made two of the biggest blunders ever in Phillies history. The only reason he's still the GM is cuz ownership knows they can walk all over him. That's why Pat Gillick was a great GM for Philly. He didn't take the bull from the ownership. Mike Arbuckle was the same way. That's why Arbuckle is now in KC. No matter how this looks, it's a coup for the Yankees, especially since the Twins likely had Lee just yesterday. The Yankees will unload a catching prospect who probably won't be a ML catcher, and they have another one in Cervelli. The trade also includes AA 2B David Adams and another prospects, likely a pitcher. If the Yankees lose Lee after the season, the deal is a bad one, but if the Yankees manage to resign Lee, they get the better of the deal.— buttermilk67
- What's even more galling is that they got Doc specifically for his past performances against the Yanks. Can Doc pitch better than Lee in the WS assuming the Phils can even make it back (and that's a big, big if)? Probably a wash. Now, the only guy to beat the Yanks will soon be pitching for them. Ruben is a total disaster and I don't want anyone bringing up his Stanford education anymore.— Steve Jeltz
- Ruben = Worst Phils GM ever.— Steve Jeltz
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- This is a disgrace AMARO must go!!!!!— fly4philly
- the problem is has-been Hamels ... if a Yankee pitcher had made those whining comments during the World Series last year do you really think they would have shown such deference to him like the Phillies did ? Hamels was a one season wonder .... that's where the anger should go.— anthemra
- The Phillies were two wins away from another World Series title? Cliff Lee got them those two wins and the only other Phillies player who played hard in the Series was Chase Utley. When Cliff Lee and Jayson Werth are wearing Yankees pinstripes and you start to hear rumors that Chase Utley wants to play for a team that is serious about contending for a championship, then what?— Freedom Fries
Boo Hoo Friggin Hoo!!! Wow..people, Get A LIFE. Cliff Lee has been gone all year and we wouldn't have won any more games with him then without him the way we've been hitting. So let it go and enjoy baseball and life.....unless of course the phillies are your life because you don't really have one and you want Rueben's job and believe in your heart of hearts that you are a better GM. MWAHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!- Werth is worthless here now the way he's playing. Not keeping Lee,at least for this year, will go down as one of the bonehead moves the Phillies ever made.— StevenT
- DUMBEST MOVE EVER BY PHILS - getting rid of Cliff Lee. Disgraceful, disgusting, idiotic, and an insult to the fans. He was probably the most popular Phillie and he was here for a few months. Nice move dope.— DCPhila
- Trade Werth for that Haren or Oswalt.— bossrjc
- LMAO.... this whole thing has to go down as the worst transaction in philadelphia phillies history. you lose your best playoff performer because ownership is too cheap to keep him the year after the yankees demonstrate that the only way to win a world series is with starting pitching depth. then, after you send him to seattle for an absolutely pointless return of prospects, he ends up with the yankees, who now have even more pitching depth than ever. talk about shooting yourself in the foot. it's unfreaking real. does anyones still wonder why the yankees have 25 world series championships and we have 2? if by some chance we get to the finals again this year and face the yanks, i will root for cliff lee in the games he pitches against us.— tockeyhockey
- Somehow Ibanez needs to get moved. He is a cancer on this team right now (among others), but I dont see him improving this year or next. I hope I am wrong. The market is probably minimal for him, but I dont think you can have him here next year and expect to win with the paltry numbers he is putting up.— jphil
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- This Lee trade is going to going to go down as one of the worst in Phils history. Actually, make that baseball history. This is a Von Hayes magnitude mistake. We look like fools right now!— Fozzie27
- This is very depressing news. I fully appreciate the playoff runs (let alone World Championship) the Phillies have given us over the last few seasons, but I am becoming a bit disillusioned with the sport of baseball. If this trade goes down, and they sign Lee long-term, how can I justify sitting in front of My tv for 3 long, slow hours every night just to hope that the Phils have a chance to face the Yanks in the World Series to face CC + Lee 5 out of a potential 7 Games (They used a 3 man rotation last year so Games 1,2,4,5,7 CC or Lee would pitch). Does anyone honestly think Hamels can out-duel Lee in Yankee Stadium in late October? And We have a good Team. Imagine what Rangers, Twins, Rays, etc Fans/Management R thinking right now. There needs to be a salary cap or something or this sport will be ruined...— DaHurricane
- Trade Ruben.....this whole Cliff Lee thing is a joke. Once again our ownership only thinks about the money and not about creating a dynasty. I'm so thankful that this team has already won a title, becasue it's looking pretty bleak now.— tonymack70
Sad how so many fans are okay with letting Werth go too. Suckers!— Mr. Underhill- Dave, he dominated the Yankees in the POST-season, not the "offseason." Anyway, as long as he's not going to the Mets, I'm okay with it.— dglass1
- @whowantstosexmatombo - I think I was the first person to say David Price. You can tell I was joking by then mentioning that they should trade Werth for Roger Clemens. Hope you figured that one out - But then like 15 posts later, ThomDee says, for real, "Werth for Price I like and then bring up Brown". Ridiculous. Why would a contending team with a bright future and limited budget trade us a current and probably future dominant pitcher for a rent-a-player who's in the midst of a pretty substantial slump? Why not trade Victorino for Ubaldo Jimenez and Ibanez for Tim Lincecum, while we're at it?— B in DC
- @Plfisher713...you're kidding, right? if we had held onto Lee for this year for just the $9MM he was already under contract for we wouldn't have gotten Halladay? Really, you're serious about that? And, you bought all that misinformation Amaro sent you about Lee's agent causing all these problems? Wow, you're the kind of gullible fan Amaro is looking for. While I have your attention, I have some swamp land in New Jersey to sell you— advantasux
- If the Phils trade Werth, the Ryan Howard will lead the league in walks... Also, Aumont had 13ks last night in 6 innings and has been pitching pretty good lately (25ks in last 20 innings with a sub 3 ERA). Granted it is in single A, but the kid is 21 years old, hardly a career minor leaguer!— themadhacker2000
- Settle down already. Ruben did not make this trade. Good grief. When we got Lee you all cried about not getting Halladay. Then we got Halladay and you all cried about getting rid of Lee. And I'm reading how bad this team is? 2 wins away from winning back to back WS and they're a joke? And look at the lineup that it took to beat us. And 4-2 with Pedro pitching 2 games because Myers and Moyer were out. What exactly would make you fools happy? Why not just get blades and end your miserable lives now so the rest of us can enjoy this team?— smfree31
- @Plfisher713...you're kidding, right? if we had held onto Lee for this year for just the $9MM he was already under contract for? Really, you're serious about that? And, you bought all that misinformation Amaro sent you about Lee's agent causing all these problems? Wow, you're the kind of gullible fan Amaro is looking for. While I have your attention, I have some swamp land in New Jersey to sell you.— advantasux
- Now, Ruben, are you finally ready to admit that it was ownership that forced you to trade away Cliff Lee? They're making you look worse and worse with every new development.— Charles Biancosino
- This makes me sick to my stomach!!— njteach77
- how about werth for Ryne Sandberg- we can then get back the guy we traded in the worst trade the Phils ever made- but a close second is the Lee deal! Hard to believe the baseball i have been watching for the past month- just excruciating- how can hammels with 2 out and an 0- 2 count throw a strike that guy hits for a home run? and then do it again for a double later on- this is not possible! add to this the mind numbing play last night when a guy scores from 2nd on a wild pitch because the catcher can't block it and the pitcher can't cover home- less than 2 out Howard on third and we can't get him home; 2 out and Lidge - why can't he walk the guy- but no he serves up an apple and boom - tie game- I mean is there something in the water?— jbcanoe
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- It's irritating if he goes to the Yanks, b/c he could have been ours for another year. Could he have been the difference? maybe, maybe not...The big key would have been keeping him out of the Yanks hands for another year. HE STILL WOULD HAVE ENDED UP A YANKEE NEXT YEAR...— phigglesfan75
- Official Announcement: I have now become a Yankees fan!— dogman5
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- Mourning here also. Remembering vividly last season, Cliff Lee owning Phila. Pounding the Yankees 11-0. Ruben missed out on former phila players like Rolen and Thome who were available. Hoping for Longoria, but a longshot.— Delaware Phillies Fan
Jason Werth is one of my favorite players! I hate to see him go!— ej610- Lee to Yankees Wow Looks Like Cliff will win a World Series This year. Congratulations to Yankees Organization they know what it takes to win. While Phillies still live in small market mentality and gave Lee away for nothing instead of trying to win a second World Series this year. Best of Luck Cliff I will be pulling for you this year.— btsucceed
- way to go amaro.
- Hard to top JohnnyN comment LOL, but the Lee deal was the worst trade in philly sports since the Sixers brought the G-man to town and sent 4-4-4 packin. What about Oswalt and Meyes for Werth and Lidge? Let the mole retire an Astro and bring Brett back so he can smash some skulls in the locker room, just to make sure he isn't smashing his wife's at home, its win win win!!!— JuanSamuel4prez
- With out Werth, no run for the World Series. We need that big right handed bat in he line up.— NickFotiu4HOF
- The Phils are lucky they drew the patsy Rays for their big WS win. Last year they faced a real team and got pounded. After seeing the Yankees superior talent they didn't have much interest in improving their roster and really competing, since that would cost too much. Ditching Lee and putting out the constant BS about improving the farm system is a joke. They made themselves weaker at the big league level and it's questionable whether they strengthened their farm system. The invisible ownership will be happy to win but only if the price is right.— brs50
- The Yankees will continue to buy their trophy whether Lee joins them or not. Wake up, people--Money buys trophies and the Phillies aren't willing to spend it. We would've lost Lee at the end of this season and wouldn't have had Halladay. Lee needs revenge on his stupid agent, not the Phillies. His agent blew this deal.— Plfisher713
- the yankess are actually trading the a number 6 rated prospect in the country in jesus montero, and to make like better the phillies were offered montero for lee in the offseason...and they traded him to the mariners for a few career minorleaguers.— xMikelaw19
- The Phillies fans who are satisfied with winning the NL and losing to the Yankees in the World Series are just like the Sixers fans who were satisfied with winning the Eastern Conference and losing to the Lakers in the finals and the Flyers fans who were happy with getting to the Stanley Cup Finals and losing to the Chicago Blackhawks.— Freedom Fries
- Right on Johnny H.This is the second worst deal in philly history. Most fans to day are too young to know about the FERGASON JENKINS deal.This team should get out of the baseball business.But they can't the fans make them tooooooooooooo much money with selloits everyday.— tobyjoe
- better than the muts or braves— bmoney17
- So let me get this straight. According to the posters here trading Lee was the worst move ever, going all the way back to....hmmm, oh yeah, when we traded all those prospects to get Cliff Lee. Hahahaha. Idiots.— smfree31
- The Bankees getting Lee this year is bad for baseball. It has to be a move as much motivated by preventing someone else from getting him, because they do not need a starting pitcher. They should just wait until the offseason and use him to replace Pettitte when he retires after they win again. Getting him now is outright obnoxious. 1) All TV revenue, even from local stations should be shared. 2) Implement a true salary cap, forget the minimum that everyone talks about. That would be bad for baseball as smaller market teams would likely be forced to overpay marginal talent to meet the minimum. 3) Realign all divisions by market size. These huge market teams can beat each other up all season. Smaller market teams will have legitimate postseason opportunites without being buried in divisions dominated by money. 4) And while we're at it, either have the DH in both leagues or not. At this point it is ridiculous having two different sets of rules for the same league. As much as I hate the DH, I wouldn't care as long as it is the same in both leagues.— jp8899
- Ruben has ruined this team in short time with bad decisions. Shows you what a bad gm can do. I saw trade werth for all you can get. Pack it in for the season. Lidge and moyer drop off the books next season. Sign lee and a real closer. Recognize that you made a huge mistake in getting rid of lee to save money because you still haven't made any explanation that makes sense to the contrary. Shame on you for doing that and shame on the fans for selling out that ballpark afterwards.— johnhenry
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- @CharlieGarner, then whose fault is it that the boy genius GM received nothing in return for Cliff Lee. He rushed him out of town so he could announce the Halladay and Lee deals as a fake 3-team deal. Since he needed to do these deals on the same day, he never set the market for Lee, and never shopped him around to land the best deal. Because he was scamming us on the 3-team thing, he needed to jump at the first stupid deal and he did. Now Seattle will get so much more for him than they gave up, and our (formerly) chief adversaries for the World Series somehow will have our best player form the last one. Way to go, boy genius, you are a dope!— advantasux
- werth for david price?! are you under the influence of a controlled substance? no one short of ed wade would make that deal. if your sarcasm is completely over my head, im sorry, but thats ridiculous.— whowantstosexmatombo
- As long as he lands in NY and not in Philly. Now the Mets should trade for Oswalt and make it a clean NY sweep! How great it is to live in NY...home of champions!!! NYC has been home to more professional sports championships by a mile. Yanks, Mets, Jets and Giants, Knicks, Rangers, and before that the baseball Giants and Dodgers. Land of championships galore. No other city comes close. Philly and Boston...eat your hearts out! LOL— The Wizard
- Like we didn't know he'd end up there eventually? We need to worry about the NL.— smfree31
- The Yankees do have a sick rotation. I would love to have CC and Lee at the top of my staff. AlexSp you can't really complain much, the Phillies and Mets are controlling the monopoly in the NL.— wolfburn
- Can't blame the Yanks for putting together the best team possible. I'm just jealous the Phillies will never do it. Congrats to Miami Heat for doing the same.— dapmman
- If the Phillies trade Jayson Werth, Dom Brown is playing everyday. I'd platoon Ben Francisco with Raul Ibanez.— booman55
- it's time to run Amaro out of town on a rail for letting Lee go.— crboyle1
what ??? this is the worst thing to happen to not just the phillies but the whole league. The thing is it isnt Rubens fault. The owners tell him how much he can spend and he obviously wasnt allowed to keep both guys so he was forced to trade him and get something now, instead of letting him walk after the season. Its the ownerships fault for being cheap. If they want to compete for championships against the yankees they need to at least try to spend like the yankees for a guy like Lee. this is bad.- Please, the Yanks are getting Lee because they're loaded with money, not because they have a strong prospects. The Yanks farm system is dismal.— p-diddy
- Trading Cliff Lee will forever define Amaro's tenure as Phillies GM... what a bad move... And now, even if the Phillies can get to the World Series, winning it just got even harder... all for a stinking $9 million while every game is a sell out... Ownership also needs to take some heat on this!— Brauny
- The Phillies should have traded Jayson Werth when he showed up to spring training with that beard. Now, the clean-cut Yankees will force Werth to shave it off and he'll probably hit close to .340.— Freedom Fries
- Please, the Yanks are getting Lee because they're loaded with money, not because they have a strong prospects. The Yanks farm system is dismal.— p-diddy
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- Could be worse. Could be a Cavaliers fan.— dasher
- Where are all of the people who told us to stop crying about the Lee deal? One thing I've always believed is if something appears bad, it can always get worse - and this has. Not only did they not find a way to keep a guy who not only elevated his pitching, but also contributed at the plate. Let's not forget he was a pinch-runner here too. The bottom line is, it was palatable before the Mets and Yankees became candidates to be his next employer. Now it is embarrassing. But that is the risk when you move the rights of a player in the last year of his deal. If he truly wasn't worth keeping, nobody would be talking about it.— Danno
- It all starts from the head. David Montgomery and his little band of thieves reverted to form when faced with the commitment to step up to the table. One of the worst moves in baseball history. My take, all the problems of this year stem from this decision. Amaro and the "gang" put this team on a very hard tightrope of "what ifs". NOW he needs a starter? What a joke. I may never forgive them for this move. Gutless hacks.— kenkap
- On second thought. This Lee deal may work out. Now you flip Werth to the Rays for one of there young stud pitchers. Use the yankees as leverage saying well if you dont give a young stud pitcher that is ready to go we will trade Werth to the Yanks for Vazquez. It could work.— Phillyphan26
- If the Phillies are serious about another title, they should resign Werth. I see Werth as a vital part of the offense, in terms of both production and chemistry, especially with Utley out.— p-diddy
- Amaro is an embarrassment! And he's pompous and arrogant as well, for all those of us who know him. He learned more from Ed Wade than he did from Pat Gillick. Gillick took hold of a horrible team and set us on the road to play in two World Series within 4 years of work. And now, that fast, Amaro has set us on the road to ruin. And for all the ridiculous posters whom have decided that "it's better that he went to the Yanks instead of the Mets and anyone else in the NL", when did winning the World Series not become important again? Let's take the team that just beat us in the last one, the Yanks, and add our best player to them, Cliff Lee. Yep, it sure is better that he went to the Yanks! Amaro was obsessed with getting Roy Halladay to the point where he thought he could do anything else he wanted, including shipping Lee for three low-level guys, signing Blanton to a 3-year deal even though he couldn't find a taker for Blanton in the offseason, extending Howard out by 5 years when that wasn't even necessary right now, and allowing Park, Eyre, Condrey, Lopez and Walker , all dependable bullpen guys) just leave because he found gems like Baez, Herndon and Figueroa. Amaro is a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But he still acts for all the world like he's a genius and like he's royalty.— advantasux
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- If the Phillies really wanted to get the most value out of Werth, they would have traded him last winter (say to Toronto for Halladay, instead of having to dump Cliff Lee for a bunch of scrubs). Now, with Werth mired in a slump for the past two months and due to become a free agent at the end of the year, they won't get very much for him.— SteveS11
- Blanton was horrible versus the Yankees in the World Series. Lee dominated the Yankees and only gave up a few runs until the Phillies had an 8-2 lead in Game 5.— Freedom Fries
great move the phillies made. giving lee up for nothing and now we need pitching and the yankees will get better. tough pill to swallow. as far as lee making the mets great, that is a joke. still half the season left for the mutts to choke....- Comment removed.
- Looks like the Yanks will get Werth and Lee. And we will get Vasquez and those three bags of balls the Mariners foisted on us. OH well, we will be the Indians within three years. At least the beer and bathroom lines at the Bank will be shorter.— bobcitydoc
Hate to say it, but at least we probably won't be facing Lee in the postseason.— 1980- How about Werth for Papelbon?— JimmyD
- As long as Lee doesn't go to the Mets or the Braves, I really don't care where he goes. To go to a division rival in the midst of a pennant race would have been the ultimate slap in the face for Amaro (and the Phillies fans).— SteveS11
- The yankees can be the first team to win the world series in early july. And dont worry the phillies made history too, first team ever to be a contender and guarentee you wont even make the world series in december. Good work ruban.— xMikelaw19
- Dear Ruben - Thanks for opting out of a serious run for another pennant when you traded Lee, and forgot about Park and Martinez. Whatever happened to the belief that you can never have enough good pitching??? Now we are back to where we were at the time Larry Bowa was fired... Welcome to deja vu, Charlie Manuel! As we say in Philly when the Phillies go South by the All-Star Break: When does football season start?— JimmyD
- Montero is batting .253 with 6 HR and 35 RBI at Triple-A. Because of his shaky defensive skills, he's not regarded by the Yankees as a future catcher. The Yankees have a network of Yankees-friendly veteran scouts who hype young players in the Yankees system to drive up their trade value.— Freedom Fries
Lee and his agent wanted Yankee starter $$$$ and way too many years. Halladay signed a reasonable deal. If there is a market for Werth I hope they get a closer for him. The truth is the Phils hav Blanton instead of Lee because he didn't cost over 20 mil a year, like Lee will. Blanto does have a WS ring, something Lee is still going to have to earn. I hope the Phils get a shot at the Yanks and Lee in the next WS. It will be sweet to put a smackdown on the Evil Empire.- Comment removed.
- time for a salary cap. the luxury tax isn't working well enough. with lee added to their already great rotation, no one will be able to compete with the yankees.— chadp1234
- Deal Werth NOW! He's a butcher in right field. He's only going to depart anyway, this way they get something for him. I have my doubts about whether or not he can be the man, remember folks, he is well protected in this lineup. Utley,Rollins,Howard can make an average hitter look good.— somertonspartan
- Wow. Montero is the Yanks' numero-uno prospect. What'd the Fightins get for Lee again? Donuts.— uncle joe
- I agree with AlexSp. The Yankees continue to buy championship after championship because they can. I think that the Yankees are literally bringing non-competivness to the league but there is probably nothing that can be done about it. In the American League, just root for whoever plays against the Yankees and maybe we will get our justice that way.— frankfj
- silver lining better the Yankees then the Mets...Hopefully Phils get the conselation prize in Vazquez.— Phillyphan26
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- Werth to Boston for Nava and R. Ramirez— Ed3
- The Yankees understand that you trade minor league prospects to get a GREAT CY YOUNG WINNING starting pitcher....not the dumb opposite the Phillies did in trading a GREAT CY Young WINNING pitcher for a couple of mediocre minor league players....Guess which team will be in the World Series again this season?.....The Yankees management is a lot smarter than the Phillies management. TRADING LEE WAS THE WORST TRADE IN PHILLIES HISTORY.— Bill20
- After the last world series, you remeber the one where we trotted out shop-worn Pedro Martinez our for two starts if I were to say to you "Who needs Cliff Lee more next season, Phils or Yankees?". Surely you'd say "PHILLIES, and don't call me surely!"...This is why the Yankees are winners and the Phillies aren't...This is Amaro's legacy until he wins a world series as GM, not just as a Pat Gillick gopher— Will T.
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- Why should anyone be angry at the Yankees for doing everything they can to win the world series this year? We had the best 2 pitchers in baseball and blew it - simple as that.— Joe Lis lives
- Amaro is an embarrassment! And he's pompous and arrogant as well, for all those of us who know him. He learned more from Ed Wade than he did from Pat Gillick. Gillick took hold of a horrible team and set us on the road to play in two World Series within 4 years of work. And now, that fast, Amaro has set us on the road to ruin. And for all the ridiculous posters whom have decided that "it's better that he went to the Yanks instead of the Mets and anyone else in the NL", when did winning the World Series not become important again? Let's take the team that just beat us in the last one, the Yanks, and add our best player to them, Cliff Lee. Yep, it sure is better that he went to the Yanks!— advantasux
- i expect lee to have a serious abdominal muscle strain about playoff time from picking up all the money bags that the yanks will be paying him— pogiepop
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- Reuben is a moron and the Phillies are CHEAP.— JimLemley
- In all honestly, Cliff Lee to the Yankees is the best destination for Him as a Phillies fan other than here. Mets don't get him, reds don't get him, Give's us a much better shot at the postseason. I hate to say it, but Werth needs to go. He isn't himself, hasn't been productive, and isn't gonna resign. Let him be someone elses problem.— joecatz
- Nope, read it - it says one OF the prospects. Bad move, Rube.— matthew76
- Eff you Amaro.— mummer43
- Wrong thing to hear during lunch. I have to go puke now.— Flatlander
Absolutely F you Ruben for screwing the Phillies fans!!!!!!!— shawnmac- Comment removed.
- If this happens (Lee going to the Yanks), I hope everyone focuses on the huge gap between what Seattle gave up to us to get Lee versus what Seattle reels in the trade Lee. Amaro rushed to ship Lee out of town so that he could announce the Halladay and Lee deals as a "3-team trade". He knew he needed to get rid of Lee immediately so that the fan base would never believe for even a day that we had both Halladay and Lee. In his haste, he received almost nothing for Lee, and that, more than anything, is why he should be strung up. He got almost no value, while Seattle will receive top-tier talent just four months later, for the same guy. Amaro is in way over his head!— advantasux
- Ruben also deserves some credit here for making a deal happen to get Halladay. Ruben was smart enough to to do the deal with Toronto because he knew Lee always wanted to be a Yankees and get north of Sabathia numbers (despite Lee and his agent denying it).— stormrider
- The Phillies season will officially end on 10/3/10, but it's really over now!— Joseph DeSantis
- Cash never offered the Phillies Montero for Lee, which is why Ruben shot down the deal. Cashman thought he had Ruben cornered the way he had that dope Ed Wade cornered over Bobby Abreu. So basically, Cash had to take on a stiff like Javy Vasquez (who he now has to unload, and is probably calling Ruben to dump for Jayson Werth - and if Ruben is smart, he'll tell Cash to go F himself) because Ruben had an outlet - Seattle - to go with instead of NY. If Cash offered the Phillies Montero from the get-go, this would never have been an issue.— stormrider
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- Looks like Amaro was right to move on from Lee. Looks like Sea is going to get 1 prospect for him. I hope the Phils can move Werth while his trade value is still somewhat high.— Rod72
Righthanded bat leaving and Dom Brown coming up? Everybody will start lefthanders against the Phils and we'll continue to struggle to stay abouve .500. At least we don't have to worry about facing Cliff Lee any more. The Phillie players will all long be home when Lee is pitching in the postseason this year. Thanks Ruben. The dynasty is over, friends. It was great while it lasted.- Comment removed.
- No, it should be Werth for Oswalt. They need Oswalt. It's the only way they can hope to get back to the WS. Of course they'll get crushed by Lee and the rest of the Yanks staff once they get there. Thank Rube.— F. Harry Stowe
- you people have no guts. TRADE HIM TO THE YANKS AND LET'S BEAT HIM THEM IN THE WORLD SERIES!!!— JesseH
- Well who's the complete moron who said "Amaro doesn't deserve to get grilled?" Come again with that? He handed the 2010 WS championship to the Yankees in retrospect. Yeah, i know, "anything can happen" and wait "that's why they play the games" and ohhh... I almost forgot "it's still a long season". You let the Bankees get Lee and all you have to show for it is prospects that will only ever fill a minor league roll?— Jonny5
- Ruben must go. He is an idiot. He kept Joe Blanton over Cliff Lee. Traded Lee for low end prospects. The Yankees are now sending their top prospect to the Mariners for Lee. And Ruin Tomorrow Jr. is trying to trade starters for bullpen help. Fire him now.— AreaMan
- Werth for Price I like and then bring up Brown— thomdee
- Do you fools really think your gonna get David Price or Longoria for Jayson Werth? You gotta be kiddin meeeeeeeeee !!!!— pman508
- Well I understand why we don't like it but i think we shouldn't be suprised. Did we expect him to stay in exile in Seattle? I know it'd sting less if he went to Tex or Minn instead of the evil empire. I'm just wondering if we should be ready to move werth, especially for Vazquez. Although he was good in the NL last year with ATL, but its gonna be tough to lose the RH bat.— Chutley26
- We could use a prospect like montero. instead we got 3 guys who "might" one day play in the bigs. i agree, trading Lee is WORST....MOVE....EVER. Amaro is the new comic book guy.— bill on the hill
- @ingy9 that's a great point. Instead of losing 1 of the 2 now we lose both. Congratulations Amaro you have indirectly contributed to yet another Yankees dynasty. No one can tell me that team won't win this year with Lee. The window to win with the Phils nucleus is 4 or 5 years, and now they face a mega-massive road block to another title in the Yankees. The only thing that would have been worse is if it was the Muts.— sla6yer
- obsess much?— fishthing
- I am not quite ready to give up on Werth just yet. Trade Vic, call up Brown, Start Ben, who has potentail to be a good all around ballplayer and have Dom play for either Rual or Ben who ever is playing worst or needs a day off. Only set back would be getting Brown the playing time he needs to devlop properly. Also find a freakin closer who can get three outs!!! A closer is more important than a starting pitcher at this point.— Murrayag11
- Ruben does not deserved to be grilled....He should be SKEWERED!— mmmike22
- Even if Lee was here we are at best a few games better off, look trading him was enormously STUPID but not the reason we suck now. Team needs a wake up call, Werth is a journeyman who way overperformed last year - too bad for him it came a year too soon to score big bucks, so trade him and put Lidge and Ibanez on waivers and see if some fool is dumb enough to take on their salaries— davi
- On a day that Maje McDonnell died, the hopes of this Phillies team fittingly just died with him. RIP "Maje" Glad you replenished the farm system! E-A-G-L-E-S— mmmike22
- I am not sure how Zobrist would help the Phils. He is a guy without a real natural position who can play a little 2B (not needed), little SS (not needed), and a little corner OF (could help). I also can't see Zobrist and Davis offered for Werth and junk. If we could snag Crawford, that would be like replacing Werth with a better, younger player (although yet another lefty). Why would TB do that? Finally, no way to get Longoria. Please - that would take a franchise-caliber player. Most likely, a Werth trade would net a Wade Davis type plus a very good minor leaguer and a weaker prospect.
- Amaro is an idiot. We should NEVER have traded Lee. If he goes to Yankees they are going to win it all again. ARGH!— ChrisM
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- Werth for David Price. Or Roger Clemens.— B in DC
I'm in mourning!- I was hoping for the Mets, so Cliff can put the final nail in the coffin!— JohnnyN
- This just gets worse and worse. The fans were right Ruben. Admit it.
- Trading LEE-WORST MOVE EVER!!!
- Crawford is much more likely to be available, but Evan Longoria in red pinstripes would sure look good.
That's just great. Not to sound too negative but trading this guy was the stupidest thing I think I've ever seen this team do. And now he'll probably lead the Yankees to another title. Sweet revenge for Cliff Lee but totally sucks for Phils fans, especially watching the current state of this team's pitching.