Smoak Signals

Originally Published: Jul 10, 2010 12:34 PM CDT

For once the Yankees didnt get their man.  The Mariners have traded Cliff Lee, one of the three best left-handed pitchers in baseball, to the Rangers for Justin Smoak and three prospects.  And whats more, the Mariners are going to pick up $2.25 million of Lees contract for this year.  This is for every year the Rangers didnt go out and get that front-line starter to go along with one of the best offenses in baseball.

The Rangers filed for bankruptcy in May and Major League Baseball is calling the shots for the team.  You have to wonder how the other teams in the American League feel about Major League Baseball acquiring for the Rangers a guy who can pitch them out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since the franchise moved to Arlington in 1972.   If Im the Rays or Yankees Im crying foul, but nobody likes to hear the Yankees cry about anything.

The beautiful part for the Rangers is that Lee is a free agent at the end of the season.  By then, the teams financial problems should be cleared up and the Nolan Ryan-Chuck Greenberg ownership group in place.  The Rangers could lock the 31-year-old Lee into a long-term contract.  Finally, a guy to front the rotation.  A guy who can make Rangers fans forget about the failure of Chan Ho Park.

Postseason baseball is coming to Arlington.  Lets just hope the Rangers dont get the Yankees in the first round.