Source: "AA makes more calls than anyone. He's in on everybody"

[guylaroche5]

http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/EndIsNear1-300x225.jpg

[G-Snarls]

Also, stop being an ass on Twitter! LOL

 

[Angrioter]

ChrisCotillo

Jeff Francoeur scratched from #Padres AAA lineup tonight, and team is considering callup, per sources. Could be precursor to Denorfia trade.

 

 

Finally some action!!

[GD]

Denorfia for Sanchez?

[Deadpool]

Denorfia for Sanchez?

 

Santos and Mills are both on waivers...

[kcjaysfan]

Did you bring, by any chance, James Shields with you in your back pocket?

 

s***, I wish.

[G-Snarls]

[KingKat]

 

Holy crap! The buyout on his 2016 contract is 12.5 M! That must be some sort of record. An insane amount for a buyout and there's a clause where you can't even buy him out if he pitches 200 IP next year or 400 total this year and next at which point the full 27.5 M kicks in.

 

Wasn't there some ******** about this being a team friendly contract when it was signed? Pfffft...

[Governator]

 

wow... Cliff Mayweather Lee $

[TheHurl]

Holy crap! The buyout on his 2016 contract is 12.5 M! That must be some sort of record. An insane amount for a buyout and there's a clause where you can't even buy him out if he pitches 200 IP next year or 400 total this year and next at which point the full 27.5 M kicks in.

 

Wasn't there some ******** about this being a team friendly contract when it was signed? Pfffft...

 

meh...it's really 2 1/3 years for $62M as no one is going to buy out that last year unless his arm has fallen off. He's got a shot of earning that contract it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't clear waivers. Amaro is and always has been an idiot when adding those buyouts, vesting options and their no trade clauses (No one is allowed to block San Diego or division rivals). Howard is a $10M buyout, Hamels $6M and Burnett $15M mutual option or $7.5M player option. When Lee signed his no trade they extended the same deal to Utley, Howard and Hamels. Then there are the crazy clauses like if Utley doesn't go on the DL, for a knee injury, this year he gets $5M.

[Nox]

Cliff Lee is still a damn good pitcher. He's also been about as durable as one could want.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2014&month=0&season1=2008&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=8,d

 

The Dodgers would be much better off taking on his entire contract than trade Pederson + Seager (or whatever) for Price.

[KingKat]

I would think in today's day and age of valuing the farm, that a team might be willing to take the short term greater financial hit, by picking up his entire contract, rather than paying out at the farm assets just so that the Phils could pick up some of his salary.

 

Granted, the Phils can always pull him back, but if I'm looking at Lee, and value my farm pieces, I'm willing to take the risk that I may be stuck with the entirety of the contract (until I can deal him later, if I so choose), if I'm already willing to assume a big portion of his contract and give up some better prospects.

 

Think of it this way ... a full contract assumption (as of July 31) would be one of two scenarios ... $45.7M for approx. 1.33 seasons, or $60.7M for 2.33 seasons. So either $34.4M per "season" or $26M per "season." Now, obviously, that's friggin expensive.

 

But what will you get the Phillies to pick up? $12M? $15M? Reducing the contract cost by $15M gets you down to $19.6M if you plan to exercise the option ... that's for 2.33 years of service at $19.6M. That's probably not far off from what Price will cost. And, yes, there's some difference in Lee v. Price, in other respects (age, etc.) ... and, yes, everyone thinks Amaro sucks and can be ripped off ... but you're probably going to have give up some top young talent in order to get the job done, in a trade with the Phils picking up that much cash. So why not "eat" that extra $15M and keep your youngsters ... if you're already slapping down that much cash to get the guy? You're going to need those youngsters to perform soon, in order to make up for the cash you're laying out, regardless of the total price.

 

Bottom line ... I don't think Lee clearing waivers is a slam dunk.

 

No, it's not but if someone claims him, it will be because they are serious. No one wants to be on the hook for all that money just to block a trade to a rival. I don't actually think the Phillies would pull an Alex Rios but the possibility exists and most GMs probably can't afford to take that risk. So in a very limited sense, Olney is right that the waiver deadline won't apply to Lee in the same way that it would to some other players with smaller contracts.

[G-Snarls]

Still, Amaro is dumn