Cliff Lee is being pursued by the Yankees, Rangers, and an unnamed “mystery team,” several baseball sources reported this weekend.
The apparently unnamed “mystery team” is trying to edge New York and Texas out of the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, but only insiders know what team it is.
“[H]earing from multiple sources there is indeed #mysteryteam in on cliff lee,” Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heywman tweeted on Sunday. “[H]ear its not the #phillies, always a threat.”
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman writes on Monday that “you would be surprised at how many folks think there is a legitimate third team bidding on Lee beyond the Yankees and Rangers.”
Sherman notes that “In the past few days, Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker has not asked the Yankees or Rangers for anything additional, which could suggest the presence of a third team.”
However, ESPN’s Buster Olney wasn’t convinced that a “mystery team” existed at all.
“Remember: if you ever read about a ’mystery team,' it can only come spoon-fed from an agent who is trying to create leverage,” he tweeted over the weekend.
If there really is the existence of a third club in pursuit of Lee, it is likely that they will be outbid.
“There is an unidentified third team in the picture, but that team is only willing to go four or five years,” writes the New York Post’s George King III. The Yankees and Rangers are both offering six- to seven-year deals.
On Monday, the Dallas Morning News reported that Cliff Lee would decide on where he will sign “early this week,” citing baseball sources.
The apparently unnamed “mystery team” is trying to edge New York and Texas out of the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, but only insiders know what team it is.
“[H]earing from multiple sources there is indeed #mysteryteam in on cliff lee,” Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heywman tweeted on Sunday. “[H]ear its not the #phillies, always a threat.”
The New York Post’s Joel Sherman writes on Monday that “you would be surprised at how many folks think there is a legitimate third team bidding on Lee beyond the Yankees and Rangers.”
Sherman notes that “In the past few days, Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker has not asked the Yankees or Rangers for anything additional, which could suggest the presence of a third team.”
However, ESPN’s Buster Olney wasn’t convinced that a “mystery team” existed at all.
“Remember: if you ever read about a ’mystery team,' it can only come spoon-fed from an agent who is trying to create leverage,” he tweeted over the weekend.
If there really is the existence of a third club in pursuit of Lee, it is likely that they will be outbid.
“There is an unidentified third team in the picture, but that team is only willing to go four or five years,” writes the New York Post’s George King III. The Yankees and Rangers are both offering six- to seven-year deals.
On Monday, the Dallas Morning News reported that Cliff Lee would decide on where he will sign “early this week,” citing baseball sources.
