Cliff Lee going back to Philly ... this needs its own thread

I know, this is all over the baseball thread. But 21 is right.
There are some things that deserve their own threads and when something comes out of the blue like this one, it should not be buried on an all-purpose thread.

Apparently, Lee called the Phillies over the weekend and said he wanted to come back. So he's taking 5 years, $100 mill with a sixth year option and leaving more than $50 mill from the Yankees on the table.

Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels. World Series over. Phillies win.

 

Re: Cliff Lee going back to Philly ... this needs its only thread

Even as a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan it's hard to not envision the Phillies winning the World Series.

 

They still have to hit, something didn't do against the Giants even before losing Werth. But yeah, they have to be favorites right now.

 

Until Nick Punto signs with the Indians, this is by far my favorite move of the offseason.

[/bandwagonjumpingPhilsadopter]

 

If it's a player option, he didn't leave $50 million on the table unless they offered $170 million, which I hadn't heard.

 

I think it's a vesting option that's easily attainable. The Phillies one that is.

 

I've got to say, the Red Sox and Phillies have pulled off two of the biggest coupes of the offseason, leaving everyone else (Yankees, especially) the losers in free agency.

 

Hmmm. I'm guessing the tax situation in Philly is a wee bit less onerous than in NYC; but only a wee bit. Texas is a different story.

What do we know about Cliff Lee's lifestyle? I'd say he's probably making enough to support it, plus any stray relatives who may be out of work. Maybe he's been listening to Bernie Sanders. Heh.

But really, at some point, you have enough. And then you drag your agent to the table, kicking and screaming...

 

Even Phillies fans will have a hard time trying to boo these guys to make them better.

 

Lee, Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels sounds a lot like Cuellar, Palmer, Dobson and McNally.

Granted, it's December, but on paper has there ever been a rotation as dominant as this could be since the '71 Orioles?

 

Glavine, Maddux, Smoltz and It Really Doesn't Matter?

Mussina, Pettitte, Clemens and It Really Doesn't Matter?

None I can think of with four members, no.

 

Un-fucking-believable. This ranks right up there as one of the most jaw-dropping moments in recent baseball history. As much as people pissed on Amaro for letting him get away, he should be commended for largely keeping this quiet.