Thread: Phils looking to lock up CLIFF

it doesnt say much...just that heyman is reporting that the phillies are loooking to lock him up to a long term extension for less than 100mill

id love try to lock him up now, ut everything ive read suggests lee wants to go the open market.

Yeah, it's more than possible that he's extended at a reasonable price. You also have to remember, CC was the only big pitching FA last year(from what I could remember) and you had the Yankees bidding on him...I don't see Lee getting a CC type contract next offseason. If Rube pulled him into his office and offered him 5/80, I think he accepts without much hesitation.

Lee is an aging pitcher? He's 32 and incredibly healthy. And he doesn't seem like a guy who's risk averse. Did you ever see one second of fear or panic on his face this season? How about in the WS? The guy is already incredibly rich. He made 8 mil this season and will make 9 mil in the coming season no matter what happens to him. As long as he keeps getting his hair cut with the Flowbee Home Hair Cutting System, he'll be...

Its funny - alot of fans, and apparently agents are still stuck in the "everyone will be bidding, everyone has tons of money, contracts are going to be huge" type mindset, and the thing is - thats the same attitude that got many players SCREWED last year. Don't believe me... call orlando hudson, bobby abreu, pat burrell... etc... see how their holding out for big contracts worked for them last year. Yeah the big markets...

Cliff is an aging pitcher, who has very little extra concern for injury, outside of the normal fear of pitcher injury. Ask Ben Sheets if he wishes he signed an extension two years ago instead of waiting for free agency. Jake Peavy might feel similarly. If Cliff gets hurt this year, he will lose tons of money in the open market. Cliff has the chance to lock himself in to a team that should be competitive for the next 3 years or so, if not...

I think 5 years / $85 million would be a nice offer, and one that Cliff Lee would accept. Since he is scheduled to make $9 million this year, the first year of that 5 year offer would involve a raise. Here's how it could be structured: Year.....Salary 2010....$12M 2011....$15M 2012....$18M 2013....$20M 2014....$20M He'd get a $3M bump this year, and then average $18.25M for the next four years. Very doable, IMO.

That's sort of old news.

When Gillick was GM, he had a policy of not offering more than 3 years to any pitcher. I don't remember seeing Amaro commenting on that policy one way or another. But it doesn't seem realistic to retain it if they are serious about signing a top-tier pitcher.

Miss know it all strikes again !!