Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers shook up the race to October in the AL when they swooped in yesterday and acquired the best pitcher on the market, Cliff Lee.

It looked like the New York Yankees had done everything but sign the paperwork to trade for Lee yesterday, but Jon Daniels and his staff sweetened the pot enough at the last minute to close the deal with the Mariners.

The Rangers front office packaged Justin Smoak, Blake Beavan, and two other prospects in a trade to get Cliff Lee and right-handed reliever Mark Lowe.

This time last year, the Texas Rangers had received phone calls from other teams centered around third base prospect Justin Smoak. The Rangers weren't ready to give up one of the most highly-touted minor league prospects in any deal.

Fast forward a year later, and the Rangers were again faced with the decision of trading away a guy they wouldn't deal last year. The Rangers were sweating the decision, knowing that this might be the right time and the right player in return to finally relent.

After weeks of anticipation, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Cliff Lee finally has a new home.

Outstanding Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee has been traded to the Texas Rangers.

As part of this deal the Texas Rangers will receive Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe and the Mariners will receive Justin Smoak, Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke, and Matt Lawson.

Cliff Lee was scheduled to start tonight against the New York Yankees but David Pauley will take his place instead.

The Rangers got Lee for a few reasons.

It’s now official: Left-handed ace Cliff Lee, along with injured right-handed reliever Mark Lowe and $2.5 million to pay much of Lee’s remaining 2010 salary, are headed to the Rangers, while the Mariners will receive first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor league prospects (Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke and Matt Lawson) in return.

Everyone thought Cliff Lee to New York was a done deal.

Well everyone thought wrong.

The Texas Rangers took advantage of a snag in the Yankee trade discussions and have landed the top pitcher on the market according to many sources.

Not having Lee go to the AL East has to bring a huge sigh of relief on the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox.

Now, the Yankees will most likely be unable complete the second part of the deal which had them possibly sending Javier Vasquez to the Phillies for Jayson Werth.

The Mariners have traded Cliff Lee and injured reliever Mark Lowe for Justin Smoak and three minor leaguers. The minor leaguers are AA pitchers Blake Beavan and Josh Lueke and AA second baseman Matt Lawson.

The Mariners had no choice but to trade Lee after falling well behind in the AL West, and seem to have pulled off a deal that will help the team not only now, but in the future.

The Evil Empire might have a lot of championships and money. But they don't have the 2008 AL Cy Young winner. 

The Texas Rangers acquired starting pitcher Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners for first basemen Justin Smoak, pitchers Blake Beaven and Josh Lueke, and infielder/outfielder Matt Lawson. 

Lee is 8-3 on the season with a phenomenal 2.34 ERA

Only moments after pulling out of an "imminent" deal with New York for lefty ace Cliff Lee, Seattle has reportedly agreed to send Lee along with reliever Mark Lowe to Texas in exchange for first baseman Justin Smoak and three other prospects.

We'll have to wait and see who the three other prospects are, but this is still a strange move for the Rangers regardless.

According to the New York Post 's Joel Sherman, Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee will be traded to the Texas Rangers along with pitcher Mark Lowe in exchange for first base prospect Justin Smoak and three other players.

The Rangers will be Lee's fourth team in two seasons, and the acquisition of the Mariners ace and 2010 AL All-Star ostensibly puts the Rangers in the pole position for the AL West division crown.