ghost of miles

Chris Albertson wrote the booklet for the Count Basie Verve set. Not sure about other Mosaic booklets authored by O posters.

Don't laugh, but "Incarcerated Bob" has set Twitter aflame with an allegedly sourced report that Lee will indeed be staying in Texas. "Incarcerated Bob" is supposedly a Yankee fan and debate is raging right now over how credible a source he/she is, but Lone Star Ball is sure talking about it... IB claims to have Tweeted other scoops from this same source over the past week. As I've said all along, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't believe that Texas matched NY's offer even with Davis entering the fray, but I think Davis upped the ante enough to make it easier for Lee to turn down NY's offer. As several sports writers have pointed out over the past 24 hours, it's not a good sign for the Yankees that Lee has been taking so long to make a decision, when they all but certainly have put the most money on the table... clearly validates that at heart he'd rather stay where he is now.

Well, OK, but I think maybe you should take it up with TrippingOlney!

The only thought is that he owes us and will pay his debt, The more creative, the better. It would behoove Mr. Lee to be aware that his karma will never be right until this debt is paid. That is what it would behoove Me. Lee to realize. He owes you? I just don't get this. He almost single-handedly defeated the Rays for you guys! Look, I'll totally understand if Lee ends up signing with the Rangers. And I certainly understand why his teammates and the new ownership team want so badly for him to stay. But really, I'm not sure how his four-month stay with Texas has put him in any kind of debt to them. Is this all stemming from unhappiness over his performance in the World Series? He had one bad inning in Game 1 and one bad pitch in Game 5. The Rangers lost two other games to the Giants in which non-Lee Texas pitchers started. And again, without Lee, no way the Rangers beat the Rays in the ALDS. Not even sure, frankly, that they could have knocked off the Yankees in the ALCS, given how morale-crushing Game 3 was for NY.

I agree w/you re: Hal. Hank Steinbrenner to AP earlier today: It's the "would certainly behoove him" part that I find insulting and stupid. Y'know, you can sell the whole idea of Yankee mystique/tradition/lineage without sounding like an entitled, arrogant, condescending buffoon. Mo Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte are great examples of it. Hank Steinbrenner is not. Meanwhile, here's Jon Heyman's latest report: Yankees, Rangers play waiting game for Lee ...which makes me think perhaps NY isn't quite out of the running yet (though I love how how all of these baseball execs/insiders are quoted making such confident predictions about Lee's ultimately being in pinstripes, when none of them probably have a single clue about his and his family's priorities, concerns, etc.). One positive note for Yankee fans--Heyman claims the state income tax issue has been considerably overblown: Interesting--is this accurate on how Lee's state residency and tax situation would play out?

Hank Steinbrenner needs to STFU. Thanks, Hank--if Cliff Lee needed just a nudge to fall onto the Rangers' side of the fence, I think you may have provided it.

Well, whatever happens with Lee now (and I still think he's going to land with the Rangers), I'm glad we didn't give up Jesus Montero for him. As lame as our offense was in the postseason, I'm not even sure having Mr. Lee on our side and not on the Rangers would have made that much difference (and we certainly would have been facing Tampa Bay in the ALCS, not the Rangers...Mr. Jsngry, Texas gets nowhere near the ALCS without Cliff Lee this past season, whatever one's thoughts on his World Series performance). But I am irked right now by what's proven, so far, to be a very mediocre offseason performance by the Yankee front-office. First the Jeter talks blew up in a way that I fault both sides for, leaving us with a disgruntled icon... and now we're just sitting around periodically upping our ridiculous contract offer to Lee, while the Rangers keep sending contingents to sweet-talk him all things Texas. Why hasn't Cashman gone down to Arkansas a second time, with Hal Steinbrenner/Joe Giradi/CC and whoever else might help the cause in tow? Are the Yankees advising Lee on things he might be able to do to lessen the impact of the NY state income tax? Are they quietly selling him on the Yankee aura/cachet, their perpetual will to contend, what being on the team might mean to his professional legacy, etc.? (Those are some of NY's selling points, vs. Texas' admittedly very strong proximity/culture attractions.) So far, all I've read are the published reports that CC has "talked" to him, plus rumors that CC has also talked to Cliff's wife as well, in an attempt to persuade them both to come to New York. It's clear that Lee feels a pull towards Texas... why does NY seem to be doing next to nothing on the personal courting front, while Nolan Ryan and crew are pouring on a charm offensive? That's what's honking me off right now. NY can't expect money alone to carry the day, if Texas' "menu of offers" gets them within shouting range of NY's offer minus the state income tax difference. If Lee does indeed stay with Texas, then this postseason, as of now, will be an absolute bust, and NY will be in a near-panic mode trying to get a decent starter through trade. (Plus, noted again, that Andy Pettitte may be less likely to come back for a final season if Lee doesn't sign with NY.)

The CTI COOL REVOLUTION set, just purchased in downtown Bloomington at Landlocked Music.

Everybody over at Lone Star Ball just went nuts over Chuck Greenberg's 8 p.m. CT conference call, which turned out to simply be, "We made an offer to Lee and he's weighing his options." In the meantime, Twitter updates from Tripping Olney! (As in ESPN's Buster Olney--I love some of these fake/parody Twitter accounts): Heard this: Cliff Lee is signing with the Jimi Hendrix Experience EDIT: just read through the past 48 hours of TrippingOlney's tweets...

Feeling like 1965? Not quite that, and I don't think it will ever be that bad again. But without Lee or Greinke (and again, without Lee, it's also more likely that we're without Pettitte in 2011), we may be in for a several-year-long "rebuilding" stretch while the Core 4 retires and the A-Rod/Jeter contracts run out. So be it, if so. It'll still be a pleasure to watch these guys play their final years (and I really do hope we get a chance to say goodbye to Pettitte over the course of a season... really, in terms of length of career and success, the greatest Yankee pitcher of the Steinbrenner era). And the 2009 championship run was beautiful, one I'll be savoring for years. Who's to say, it's baseball and certainly the Yankees are almost always in the running, in one way or another... but the sport is bigger than your favorite team, and if we fall into a playoff-less groove for a few years, well, ain't nothin' even Yankee fans haven't gone through before (so sayeth fan veteran of the 1982-94 years, which still pale in comparison to what fans of other teams have endured). I feel lucky to have seen the championship years that I have.

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Many, many thanks, all! Got some wonderful presents today: Clarke-Boland Big Band, COMPLETE LIVE AT RONNIE SCOTT'S The Johnny Staccato DVD set Will Friedwald's new biographical encyclopedia of singers ...and a book about Steve Allen called INVENTING LATE NIGHT. Much appreciation for the b-day greetings from Organissimo buds.

Tweets via Michael Kay and Buster Olney that the Yankees think they have lost or are "conceding" Lee to the Rangers. As somebody remarked over at Lone Star Ball, if he turned down a 7-yr/$160 million contract to stay in Texas, he'll be a demigod there (and a well-paid one, I'm sure). Which will leave this offseason looking like a total bust for the Yankees at this point--esp. since the buzz is that Andy's more likely to come back if they do sign Lee. I wish Cashman had made another trip to Arkansas, but if Lee really wanted at heart to stay in Texas, there's not much more NY could have done in the way of offering him years and money. Anyway, without Lee, I think the best NY can hope for is AL East wildcard, barring another not-gonna-happen season of catastrophic injuries to the Bosox. EDIT: I think Lee's agent did a brilliant job, btw, of leveraging the Yankees' bucks to get Lee a better deal from Texas than Nolan Ryan was initially willing to give. If the 6 yrs/$135 million number that's being bandied about on Lone Star Ball is accurate, that's 1-2 more years and $25 million more than Ryan wanted to spend, and more than enough to make Cliff Lee a very, very wealthy man, esp. with the lack of state income tax and all that.

I'm reading some reports that $144 million was the figure we actually offered to Lee. I still think Texas makes a big run for it--Nolan Ryan will get off his old-school high-horse and agree to six years. The question is how much money they're willing to throw at Lee. I think part of Ryan's game is trying to force Lee into a corner with some sort of "good ol' boy man-of-his-word" tact, in that he wants Lee to now come to him with terms--which, if he agrees to them, Lee will then have to accept, man-of-honor and all that. (That's why I think Lee should come back with terms that at least equal the Yankees' and perhaps even surpass what they offered.) I don't know, I could be reading it all wrong, but that's my take on it right now. And if I'm Lee's agent, I think I'm back on the phone to the Nats and whoever else expressed strong/serious interest at the winter meetings. As one of the news write-ups said, if Lee's approach the entire time was simply to get the best contract he could from Texas, then maybe Ryan's ploy will work. Otherwise it's pretty much an invitation to simply walk away and say, "Get back to us when you're ready to make an offer."

The more I think about Ryan and the Rangers' "you tell us what it takes" parry, the more I think it's throwing the dice completely on Cliff Lee really, really wanting to come back next year as a Ranger. And I do believe that Lee wants to--but I'm not so sure it overwhelmingly trumps everything, including acquiescence in basically shutting down marketplace bidding for him. If I'm Lee, I'm thinking I tell Texas it will take a match or more than what the Yankees just offered him. But frankly, I don't think he should tell them anything, since they just essentially threw down the negotiating gauntlet like that. EDIT: some reaction over at Lone Star Ball:

Several commenters on Ranger & Yankee sites making jokes about Lee holding an hour-long ESPN press conference this weekend and announcing either (1) "I've decided to take my talents to North Arlington" or (2) "I've decided to take my talents to the South Bronx" ...and another scenario involving the teams' hats sitting on the table in front of Lee, and Lee indicating his choice by picking up a hat (and executing several fake-out pick-up gestures before actually taking one). Jokes aside, now there's a bit of buzz that Ryan's query to Lee's agent is their counter-offer...that they're not making a formal one. Interesting strategy, if true. Update: Oops, there goes the Yankees' Plan B: Red Sox will sign Crawford to 7 yr/$142 million contract Dan, I know you weren't all that excited about the possibility of Boston's landing Crawford when it was discussed several days ago, but what do you think now? The Bosox' offense is becoming so potent that you may not need a bullpen.

Just from a personal standpoint, probably my CD copy of George Russell's STRATUSPHUNK, which I managed to get signed by all four Indianapolis members of the group--David Baker, David Young, Al Kiger, and Joe Hunt.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports saying that Lee will make a decision before the end of the weekend. I still bet that he signs with Texas, as long as they offer him six years and a sum within 10 million of the Yankees' offer. The guy was out hunting with Mitch Moreland and Tommy Hunter the other day... I think he's a good ol' boy at heart who wants to stay with the Rangers as long as they offer him something roughly close to what NY's offering. If Texas offers 6 yrs/130 million and NY then significantly ups their offer (to at least 150), then it's a whole 'nother ballgame. I do think Lee goes to NY if Texas doesn't come around on the 6-year angle.

Yes, that's the CW and I think it's probably right, with the possible plan B an attempt to deal Brett Gardner + prospects to the Royals for Greinke. But as Tyler Kepner points out: ...and he cost us what, $450,000 or something? Plus KC will want a LOT for Greinke...plus this is CW as well, but who's to say how well Greinke will perform in NYC? Lee's five years older, and that's certainly significant, but I have no doubts about his ability to handle NY pressure. Greinke is a huge question mark in that regard.

It's getting better.

Lennon OTOH hated jazz, didn't he? Nice catch re: Ringo, Dave.

So the rumored 6 yrs/$140 million Yankees offer-in-the-works to Lee that circulated awhile back turns out to be exactly what they offered him at the winter meetings. Lee's agent has left said meetings, btw. And I just read this in a Lone Star Ball comment thread--not sure if the source is Twitter or not (evidently not, as I just checked Dolgin's Twitter feed), but here goes: Hold on to your ten-gallon hats, podners! I think we got ourselves a good ol' Western-style shootout on the way... My guess, btw, is that NY will be willing to up the offer to 6 yrs/150 million but nothing over that. I'd say if Texas simply matches today's NY offer that Lee will remain a Ranger, esp. given the state income tax factor. Jon Heyman tweet re: expected starting point for Carl Crawford's contract: "somewhere north of Werth." Which isn't to say that I don't think Crawford's worth more than Werth (so to speak)--I think he is. But are we talking at least 8 yrs/135-140 million for a team to land him?

Ordered the Ellington and Threadgill today--Scott said they're still shooting for the Friday 12/10 shipping date on Duke.

So who's allegedly (key word for all Twitter/rumor talk) offering Cliff Lee 7 years? Supposedly not the Yankees, and almost certainly not the Rangers...the Nats?