Cliff Lee: Trade Him One More Time, Just For The Heck Of It

It’s got to suck to be Cliff Lee. In the last two years he’s been traded from the last place Indians, to the NL Champion Phillies, who then traded him to a currently last place Mariners team. On how many levels is that not fair to a guy? A former Cy Young winner, still pitching like a Cy Young winner, pitched for three teams in the last two years, two of these teams totally sucked, the other dumped him for Roy Halladay, who’s basically Cliff Lee but right-handed. His contract is up at the end of the season, and it’s pretty much a guarantee that whoever he signs with, it’s going to be a long contract, and he’s gonna have a no-trade clause.

The way they’re playing right now, it’s unlikely he’s going to come back to Seattle, so the logical decision for Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik right now is to do what all great GMs of Cliff Lee do, trade him. But with all those teams out there who have already had him, whose left to trade him to?

The Baltimore Orioles? They’re too far away from contending to be able to use Cliff Lee this year, nor do I think they’d be able to sign him long term. Also, if they did trade for Lee, they’d be trading the strong farm system which is their best chance to contend in the future.

The Chicago White Sox? They already broke the farm for Jake Peavy last year, take a look at what good that’s doing them right now.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? It’s a possibility, but there are always questions about inter-division trading.

The Boston Red Sox? They signed John Lackey this off season, there’s very little chance that they go after another big name starter in the trade market.

The Cleveland Indians? They traded CC Sabathia one year, they traded Lee the next, and as of right now, they’re terrible. No way they trade for Lee back.

The Oakland Athletics? Trading the farm for a big name starter is the absolute last thing Billy Beane would ever do.

The New York Yankees? They always seem to have the money to pay for a starter in free agency, but right now I think their farm system is a little drained to make a serious play for Lee in a trade. If Lee become a free agent at the end of the season however, this will probably be one of the main contender for his services.

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Matt is a Jabberhead and a contributing author at Sports Jabber.

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