[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ2zKCmNPcA&fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999]Cliff Lee being razzed about his two names in an amusing Seattle Mariners commercial.
It’s raining. An icy, cold rain that makes me want to do nothing but stay inside with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book. So thinking about baseball doesn’t come easy this morning.
What got my brain in gear was an email from one of my Yankees fan readers who was kind enough to send me this link regarding the Yankees already having contacted Cliff Lee (and the added commentary from said fan:Â “Are you scared yet??”).
The answer? Um, no, I’m not scared at all. I like Cliff Lee. He was one of the first players I wrote about when I switched the blog from Red Sox Chick to Toeing the Rubber back in 2008. If the Red Sox could find a way to acquire Mr. Lee, I’d be a very happy gal. Having written that, if the Red Sox don’t acquire Mr. Lee, I won’t be losing any sleep over it.
Listen, there’s no arguing the guy is good but anyone who watches him pitch also knows he’s touchable. There’s nothing that guarantees if he starts for the Yankees he doesn’t turn into AJ Burnett Part 2. Which, as much as I like the guy, would bring me unimaginable joy. I’m at the point in my life where I look at the big name, big money contracts the Yankees sign on with and instead of worrying about them, I wonder when they will bite the Yankees in the ass. Yes, the Yankees won it all in 2009 (as an aside, how freaking sweet is it that they aren’t the “World Champion New York Yankees” any more? Thank you, Texas*.) but the team is not built to win one championship a decade. They’re supposed to win it all, every year, or at least come damn close. The Yankees are as beatable as any other team now so when they add some great pieces to their puzzle, it worries me not. I just sit back and look forward to the floor show.
Truth be told, if I had my druthers, Lee would stay with the Rangers. Hey, I’m not greedy. I don’t mind the league sharing the good players. I think Texas is a great fit for Lee and it would make me happy to see a player say “These tens of millions of dollars are enough for me and my family. I don’t need even more millions because the team who can most afford to throws them at me. I want to stay here.”  Texas as good fans, Lee has had success there and seems to like it…I’d like to see it happen.
*Yes I know the San Francisco Giants are the World Champions, but the Rangers are the team that kept the Yankees out of the World Series.