NEWSFLASH: N.Y. Deal Collapses; Rangers Acquire Cliff Lee
Joey MatschulatAccording to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Rangers have traded 1B Justin Smoak and three other players to the Mariners for LHP Cliff Lee, RHP Mark Lowe and cash.
4:20 p.m. CDT Update: Scout.com's Jason Cole says it's Smoak, RHP Blake Beavan, RHP Josh Lueke and 2B Matt Lawson.
4:25 p.m. CDT Update: ESPN.com's Buster Olney (via Twitter): "Executives with other teams already are upset that the Rangers are going to be able to improve their team while operating on the dollars of other organizations."
4:30 p.m. CDT Update: The Rangers have announced a 5:00 p.m. CDT press conference to announce the trade, which has now been confirmed as done by multiple sources.
4:35 p.m. CDT Update: Bob Nightengale of the USA Today says the deal came together when the Rangers moved to include Justin Smoak in their offer Friday afternoon.
4:40 p.m. CDT Update: Some people turning up here probably want to read my snapshot reaction. Losing Smoak hurts (and I was actually intending to write a post regarding my position on whether the Rangers should deal Smoak or Chris Davis, and what sort of implications that choice could have on both involved organizations), but there's a certain camp out there -- and they have a point, to some extent -- that argues that Smoak will never be all that decent against southpaws, thereby rendering him a platoon player. I'm not sure I wholeheartedly buy into that sentiment, but it's out there, and if you're part of that camp then it softens the blow of losing Smoak.
Beavan, per BBTiA scouting guru Jason Parks, had mid-to-back-rotation upside for the most part, writing this previously: "53 current OFP (overall future potential), 54 future [OFP]. Great control, solid-average to plus FB, but his secondary pitches aren’t major league plus pitches. I still think he becomes a long-man/5th type. Without a major league out pitch, Beavan’s ceiling is very limited." Lueke and Lawson are both of some interest to varying degrees, but aren't key components of this deal. All in all, I can get behind this trade despite the heavy front-end price being paid. More to come.
4:45 p.m. CDT Update: Per Anthony Andro, Lee will start tomorrow night. Please, please, sell that game out.
4:50 p.m. CDT Update: Ken Rosenthal reports that the Yankees are absolutely "livid" at the Mariners, as they believed they had a deal in place, and then Seattle took it to the Rangers, saying that they would accept if the Rangers included Smoak.
Reader Comments (82)
Is is true that it's Smoak, Holland AND Scheppers?!?!?
No freaking way its Smoak, Holland, and Sheppers... NO WAY!!!
All they're saying is Rangers get Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe, Seattle gets Smoak and 3 others.
Does this mean Chris Davis is a short-term fill-in a 1B and we trade for a guy like Ty Wiggington or Adam Dunn?
If those are the actual 4 guys, that is some good good work by JD. Don't like to see Smoak go, but hey, I'll live with that over time.
What a great haul for Seattle.....congrats Mariners....we will be seeing Smoak and Beavan for many years!
F those execs (even though they are paying for everything)
GO RANGERS! WOOOO HOOOO!
If this were last year, nobody would care if Beavan was traded... but I guess the 1st round of the 07 draft is officially over for the Rangers, huh? If you'd tell me that the Rangers 2 first round picks would eventually yield Bengie Molina and Cliff Lee, I wouldn't have believed it. Regardless, I'm not sure if I like the deal...
I sure hope JD knows what he's doing here...
I approve of this deal, and now for the ownership situation to get settled so we can throw Jerry Jones money at Lee.
It's Smoak, Beavan, Matthew Larson, Cory Leuke (via Sherman twitter)
F YES. That is the best deal we coulda hoped for IMO. SIIIIICK
soo........he is pitching Sat instead of matt harrison right? please tell me yes
should be...he was scheduled to start tonight in Seattle against NYY. My guess is he starts tomorrow night
Well, if the trade was going to happen, I believe this was the best possible scenario.
Heck yes giving up one really good prospect for a stud yea!!!!
What a trade! Great job JD.
Halleluia!!! We officially have a shot to win in the post season now!
We kept Holland, Scheppers, Perez?? This is beautiful.
Last 6 games - 4 CG and his pitch totals were 107. 110, 115, and 115... he's going to have to learn that in Texas, he'll only fit in if he hits those counts in the 6th inning :)
So, let's say for a moment that Harden comes off the DL and becomes what we all hoped he'd become...
Lee
CJ
Lewis
Harden
Holland/Feldmen
Could be a tough out... could be!!!
It really is beautiful dub. Oh, and can someone please tell MLB network that it's not Blake Beevan, but Blake Beavan.
Not a bad deal but I sure hate losing Smoak. I just hope Chris Davis can hit (again.)
Like Pablo's point.
Lee
CJ
Lewis
Hunter
Holland
Can we just do something with Feldman? Maybe BEFORE tonights start?
Kudos JD. Street cred. Pulled the trigger. We knew it last night. Joey said, screw this AB up and it's off to Seattle. He did and it is.
the best part is that even though i will hate to see smoak in a seattle uni for the next 5+ years, he is a boras client and i would much rather spend that money on a first tier starting pitcher. hell yeah!!
Farooq the Yankee greiving.
The best part is that the Rangers just told the Yankees to F off. That is beautiful.
Since I'm not in the Metroplex can someone suggest a radio station for me to listen to the press conference?? I'll listen online.
If thats true about what Seattle did to New York they just became my second favorite team. Apparently everyone does hate the Yankees
1310 the Ticket. Use RadioTime Marktown. They're going to cover it live.
thanks drew
AHHHHH!! ANYBODY BUT THE YANKEES!!! I love it!!!
F$@K the Yankees!
JD is my hero!! I love you JD!! Unconditional man love!
This is just so flipping beautiful.
@keith - YES... SCREW THE YANKEES! For ONCE they get the shaft... and I now love the M's as well (until they start winning again).
Even though I HATE the Yankees maybe they knew Lee would sign with them in the off season and waiting 2 months wasn't going to be that hard... not too mention they already have a lefty ace in Sabathia and another damn good one in Petititte... Cashman is schrewd but Rangers fans can smile today, we won the battle... hopefully we win the war.
I can't stop gushing over this. I would have even thrown in Scheppers to break it off in Yankee ass.
This deal could not have gone down any better.
Good luck Smoak...in all seriousness!
Decent 1B-men grown on trees. We just got a diamond. So what if the engagement breaks off in October.
press conference is on mlb network in about 40 seconds
Being broadcast on FSN.
IF we get the ownership in place and IF we do well in the playoffs I could see them offering him a nice extension. Plus, the Rangers are much younger then the Yankees and Lee could have a chance to be the ace for a very good team for a couple of years.
I am stoked. I had given up hope. Smoak is going to be good, but I don't think he will haunt the Rangers the way that it would have if we had traded Teixteira when he was a rookie.
If Texas had given up Scheppers and Perez I would be just as mad now as I am happy.
I love Texas and have since 1977. This is one of the top 5 moments for me as a fan in that time. And I think it will be a giant step toward winning a WS title this year.
I know Davis is coming back up (oh man, he must be doing back-flips right now... he gets another shot without someone breathing down his neck) but does this pave the way to play Molina some at 1B... or has he never played there? I know he's fat... but so is Prince Fielder!!!
I don't think we brought Bengie and his .251 AVG here to play 1B. Wouldn't we go after a Ty Wiggington or Adam Dunn instead?
Norm mentioned Wiggington. Apparently he wouldn't cost more than an average prospect or two, but somebody else would know better than me, that's just something they threw out there on the ticket. And he can apparently play multiple infield positions (no more Arias would be enough for me).
Cruz for Dunn???
Cruz for Dunn???
Using what as cash? I think it's pretty evident that the Rangers, with the possible exception of grabbing a cheap right-handed 1B from somewhere, are now finished for the remainder of the season.
Yes, I think Wigginton would be very valuable to the Rangers, too.
Mark Lowe seemed like a nice pick-up also, though he's apparently out for the season after back surgery. TexasRangers.com didn't even mention his name in the press release.
Lee and Lowe for Smoak, Beavan, Lueke, and Lawson...wow, I think we probably got away with the best scenario possible. Keeping all of our best pitching prospects. I didn't want to lose Smoak, but this means we are going to have probably our very best chance of advancing in the post-season we've ever had.
Dub that's terrible Cruz for Dunn is terrible But the lee trade is amazing
This makes my article that was posted this morning:http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/07/09/10/Smoak-for-Lee-Is-it-crazy/landing.html?blockID=268492&feedID=3742
all the better!!!!
Only gave up 1 pitcher!
Hey, cut me some slack. I'm light-headed right now.
greedy thought.....didnt give up the farm for Lee......
what would you trade to add oswalt as well?
Awesome! This is exciting. Can't wait to see how Lee does. No matter what this is great for us cause he is also a type A at the end of the season so I don't think we lose all that much on this. Best part is we keep Perez and Scheppers.
Yea we are all high it's amazing I love it