Yankees Offer Star Pitcher Cliff Lee Seven Year Contract

Yankees Offer Star Pitcher Cliff Lee Seven Year Contract

In the wake of the Red Sox’ signing of star leftfielder, Carl Crawford, to a seven year $142 million dollar contract, the New York Times has reported that the Yankees offered free agent pitcher, Cliff Lee a seven-year, $161 million dollar contract.

Firmly locked in a bidding war with the Texas Rangers, the Yankees had already offered Lee a six-year, $140 million dollar contract earlier in the winter meetings. But, with the Red Sox addition of two star, left-handed batters this week, the Yankees decided to increase their contract offer to seven years- a length that only the Red Sox had offered Lee previously. However, the new offer from the Yankees has less annual value than their previous, six-year offer.

It seems that Lee's agent, Darek Braunecker has played his hand well. Waiting until after other top free agents, Jason Werth and Carl Crawford had signed to gauge Lee's market value, and gambling on the Yankees desperation to add a top left-handed starter. In such a strong division, heavy on left-handed sluggers and with their biggest rival, the Red Sox adding so much talent, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman is now left with little leverage in talks with Cliff Lee.