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.
He left $30 million on the table to go to the City of Brotherly Love, a place that he deemed a good fit for him, a place of comfort, a place where he will make the pitching staff the strongest in all of Major League Baseball.
What a novel idea! Take a lower offer, do what feels good to you.
It may not be that novel, after all, once you reach that $100 million plateau, what's another $30 million? Makes you think back to Bud Fox asking Gordon Gekko in the original Wall Street movie: "How many yachts can you ski behind, Gordon?"
Yeah, you'd figure a guy who lives in Arkansas can do that. Leave $30 million on the table and prove that you can go home again.
The Yanks and Rangers never saw this one coming.
The Rangers and the Yankees, like two big-stake poker players, were staring at each other across the table. At the last moment, it's as if James Bond walked into the casino, joined the game at the last moment, then stole the pot, or in this case, stole Cliff Lee.
The Yankees pushed probably $150 million worth of chips into the middle of the table, the Rangers equalled it then raised the ante to $161 million, reportedly.
Little did those two high-rollers realize that Lee would choose the best hand, the team holding three aces—the two Roys—Halladay and Oswalt—and Cole Hamels. Aces high.
Best staff ever in Major League Baseball? You'd be hard-pressed to equal it unless you go back to the Jim Palmer-era Orioles or the Greg Maddux Braves.
These Phillies are now simply loaded for bear and the only downside is that come the eighth or ninth inning, the Phils may have to put the baseball in the hands of a lesser pitcher in a close contest.
Still, you gotta love how miffed Brian Cashman must feel today. And no doubt Nolan Ryan needs some sort of stomach antacid.
The Players Union has to hate this. Signing for less money? How dare he!
In the end, at the 11th hour, Lee didn't take what was behind door No. 1 or door No. 2, and to the surprise of just about everyone, he revealed that there was actually a door No. 3.
Shock and awesome, baby.
He took less money and came up with the novel idea that Greed Isn't Good.
Sorry Gordon.
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