2:05 P.M. UPDATE: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News has tweeted that first baseman Justin Smoak, known to be a target of the Mariners, isn’t in the Texas Rangers’ lineup tonight. A few minutes later, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted that the trade has been completed, with Lee and reliever Mark Lowe going to the Rangers in exchange for Smoak and three others. Interesting in that Lowe is out for the season after back surgery.
Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com also is reporting that a Rangers-Mariners deal has been completed, that the Mariners are sending cash to the Rangers.
————————-
1:35 P.M. UPDATE: The twists, turns and tweets have been interesting. Now there are reports that an agreement with the Yankees isn’t quite so solid and that other teams are jumping in and upping the ante. No surprise to learn of that. You think GM Jack Zduriencik won’t play this hand for all it’s worth (and it’s worth a lot)?
Here is the latest report from ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Here’s what we know for sure from the Mariners’ side: No news conference is scheduled and Lee remains listed by the Mariners as their starting pitcher tonight.
Also, keep this in mind: First baseman Justin Smoak isn’t in tonight’s lineup for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers, and particularly the switch-hitting Smoak, have been mentioned prominently in trade speculation for Lee.
——————————
As the Cliff Lee trade speculation picked up momentum the past few weeks, we heard that the Twins, Mets, Rays and Reds were vitally interested. But there also were reports out of New York saying the Yankees told the Mariners to get back to them before they finalized any deal with any other team.
If ESPN baseball expert Buster Olney has this one nailed, and I haven’t been given any reason this morning to suspect he doesn’t, Lee could be a Yankee by the end of the day. Olney says the Mariners would get highly regarded catching prospect Jesus Montero and minor league second baseman David Adams, and possibly a third player.
Montero, a right-handed hitter, was ranked fourth on Baseball America’s prospect list, although there have been questions about his defensive work behind the plate, so much that some believe he could wind up at first base. He’s a right-handed hitter who’s batting .253/.329/.408/.737 with six home runs, 19 doubles and 25 RBI in 277 at-bats at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He has 13 passed balls in 65 games at catcher this season. Here are his minor league numbers.
Adams is a right-handed-hitting second baseman who’s batting .309/.393/.507/.900 at Class AA Trenton. He has a .370 on-base percentage in his three minor-league seasons. While second base has been his primary position, Adams played 14 games at third last season at Class A Charleston and there’s some thought that he could move to third when Dustin Ackley, the former first-round draft pick who’s being converted to second base by the Mariners, is ready for the big leagues. Here are Adams’ minor league numbers.
If the trade happens today, does Lee pitch tonight againt the Mariners? He’s the Mariners’ scheduled starter in Game 2 of the series with the Yankees at Safeco Field, so he easily could walk across to the visiting clubhouse. It’s hard to imagine the Mariners allowing that to happen.
But it’s also hard to imagine the Yankees not demanding that the deal get done today or it’s off (which we’ve heard is the case).
And where would Lee’s mind be if he does pitch tonight, whether it’s for the Mariners or Yankees? My guess is he’d remain focused and throw the ball down anyone’s bat rack, regardless whose uniform he is wearing.
Here’s another not-going-to-happen scenario if Lee doesn’t start tonight: It won’t be Michael Pineda.
Pineda is the fireball-throwing right-hander who has put together three phenomenal starts for the Mariners Class AAA Tacoma team after being promoted from Class AA West Tennessee. A lot of people are lusting to see this guy pitch for the Mariners, and because he’s scheduled to start tonight for Tacoma, how easy would it be to just have him report to Safeco Field?
Pineda has been nothing short of impressive, but the Mariners are being careful with him after arm problems plagued him much of last season. And besides, what team in their right mind would take a kid and throw him into his major league debut against this Yankees lineup? Sorry, can’t see it.
My guess is this would be a bullpen game if Lee doesn’t start for the M’s, with David Pauley, Garrett Olson, Brian Sweeney and Chad Cordero more likely to absorb the workload.
Stay tuned. We expect the action to pick up this afternoon and it should be one of the more interesting days you’ll ever have as a Mariners fan.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
