Cliff Lee

For weeks, the baseball world has been waiting on the edge of their seats for the decision by Cliff Lee.  The assumption had long been that Lee would milk his free agency for every last dollar, likely spurning the Texas Rangers, who he had helped lead to their for World Series just weeks earlier, for the New York Yankees. 

Free agent pitcher Cliff Lee agreed to a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night, just the most recent example of Major League Baseball being incredibly cruel to New York Mets fans in recent years.

So, I guess there was a mystery team after all.

Usually when an agent tells everyone there is a “mystery team,” it’s nine times out of 10 just him trying to make agent speak and trying to drum up interest in his client.

It’s like when a girl tells you she is leaving for another guy. You kind of don’t believe it, but in the end, it proves to be true.

Just when you thought it was safe to say the Atlanta Braves were serious contenders to topple the Philadelphia Phillies from the top of the NL East, the Phillies pull a magic rabbit out of the hat. 

The rabbit in the form of former Texas Ranger ace, Cliff Lee.

Cliff Lee shocked 'em, didn't he?

He left the Texas Rangers scratching their heads.

He left the New York Yankees in a state of offseason panic, wondering what to do now.

He did the unthinkable, the improbable, the unforeseeable.

MLB Rumors are starting to turn into fact.

Cliff Lee has a familiar new home for the 2011 season (and far beyond).

Where does that leave Zack Greinke, who many would consider the next in line to be shopped to a contender?

But Greinke and Lee aren't the only ones out there who could be changing addresses.

As free agency continues on there will be much more dealing by general managers desperate to make their team better.

Many Phillies fan's rolled out of bed this morning and had to pinch themselves to make sure they were not dreaming. 

Next, came a glance at the calendar to verify that they had not time travelled to April Fool's Day. 

And when all that was done, the reality hit like a freight train, only in a good way.  Sleepy eyes widened and fans began to jump for joy! 

Cliff Lee is back!

Sports Irreverence and More from The Other Tip of the Goldberg

This will teach me to go to bed early and avoid the news from 9:00 PM on.

Hey, I was spending some quality time with my two year-old son. We can joyously read and play together until midnight, and my boy will still want more Q-time from my wife and me.

Cliff Lee just went to the Philadelphia Phillies.

I hope this isn't the first place you're hearing it.

While many baseball fans outside of New York were relieved to see the Yankees would not be able to fix their starting pitching troubles this year, it's still something that has left some of us glum. Why? Because the Northeastern stranglehold on baseball just returned to pre-expansion form.

Throughout the entire hot stove season, all that people heard about Cliff Lee was the Yankees and Rangers.

Lee will go to New York because of the money; Lee will stay in Texas because of the familiarity with the organization and how close the state is to Little Rock, AR.

But what about returning to the Phillies?