The Cliff Lee deal still seems unbelievable. Ruben Amaro, Jr. did it all under the radar, pretty much how Amaro does all of his deals--and more power to him. It's been interesting to hear players and former players comment on that. It seems that that is exactly how players like deals to be done: in private, not public. It was also jaw-dropping to hear some MLBN commentators opine that Lee chose Philadelphia because it, not New York, offered the best chance for him to win a World Series. Wow.
From all reports, Phillie players too were stunned by the deal. It says a lot about Amaro, the front office, a Phillie ownership that has stepped up big time since 2008, and Cliff Lee himself.
A significant element of the deal is its length. By giving Lee five years, the Phillies signaled that they are willing to break their policy of three-year contracts for pitchers. I don't know if that's because they wanted Lee that much or because the Werth and subsequent Crawford deals changed how deals will work in future.
The presser is at three today. Stay tuned.
