Cliff Lee followed Felix Hernandez for the first time as a Seattle Mariner this afternoon, and there couldn’t have been a bigger contrast.
One day after Hernandez signed a five-year, $78 million contract and wore a three-piece suit and a diamond in each ear lobe at a news conference, Lee was the left-handed Arkansas-boy opposite today when he met reporters at Safeco Field.
Dressed in a long-sleeved shirt (untucked) and jeans, Lee spoke of working hard, trying to lead the Mariners to the World Series and the joy of pitching with what that looks like a stellar defense.
Oh, and one other thing. Lee, a free agent after this season, laid down what he wants in his next contract.
“I want a 10-year deal for about $200 billion,” he said. With a wry smile.
My guess is that if the Mariners offered, say, $100 billion, they’d have a good chance of retaining Lee. Until then, all parties seem content to see how the pairing works before Lee decices whether to call this his longterm home.
“I’m here to help this team win this year,” he said. “Who’s to know? I haven’t been around my teammates. I don’t know what kind of atmosphere they’ve got. I need to get a feel for what’s going on.”
He remembers feeling the same way last year at this time when he was with the Cleveland Indians. They traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies in July and he immediately became smitten with the professionalism and camaraderie on the team, along with their charge into the World Series.
Lee finished the season hoping to sign a longterm contract with the Phillies and thought he had one early this offseason. Instead, the Phillies traded him to the Mariners, and Lee was shocked by it.
“My mindset last year was that I’m going to play out my contract and try free agency,” Lee said. “But that changed when I got to Philadelphia. I got on that team and I changed my mind. I wanted to be a part of that.
“I’m hoping I get here and have those same types of feelings. Either way, I’m still going to go out there and try to put up zeroes every time out, for me and my teammates, and pride and stuff. I’m hoping it’s the right fit and things work out, but time will tell.”
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