I'm all for Lee signing with the Phillies but...

[rib217]

whats the deal with the media and reporters painting him out to be some kind of hero that turned down millions of dollars and said no to the almighty dollar to pitch where he loved?!?

Phillies: 5 yrs $120 million = 24 million a yr---option for sixth year at 15 million bringing contract to $135million
Yankees: 6yrs $138 million = 23 million a yr--option for seventh year at 16 million bringing contract to $154

So what money did he turn down? If he stays healthy he'll sign a decent contract at age 39 for that 7th year anyways. Doesnt seem like he's missing out on much at all.

[Grounded Polo]

Do you expect Cliff Lee to get 19 million on the open market when he's 40? That's not chump change.

[rib217]

Do you expect Cliff Lee to get 19 million on the open market when he's 40? That's not chump change.

No but lets say he signs for 8-10, so he lost out on maybe 10 million. that is chump change in a 150+ million perspective.

[MaudDib]

I would hardly say that he is some kind of "Hero" but it is unusual for an athlete to leave 20 million dollars in guaranteed money on the table. We assume that he can earn another 10 million when he is 40 but that is really asking a lot.

[buffalobillsrul2002]

I've been saying/thinking this for a while now. He might not have gotten every last dollar out of the contract, but the reality is that the Phillies offer was quite competitive with the Yanks' offer....

[Bloody Sox]

Agree here, but my understanding was that the Yanks offered 7 years at $148 guaranteed but he took a 5 year deal for $120 guaranteed plus a 6th year that vests if he throws 400 IP over 2014/2015. That would bring the contract value to 6 years and $148 - basically he can earn the same money in one less year, at which time he can go get another deal at the age of 38 and make out in the long run. Sure, it's not guaranteed, but if plays out right he could make $10-20M more over the same period of time, and since he'd hit free agency a year earlier he could make out even better over the next 8-9 years.

[Neato Torpedo]

The original report was 5 years for $100 mil guaranteed and several news outlets didn't bother to correct themselves for like a day. It originally looked to most people like he left $38 million on the table.

[rib217]

The original report was 5 years for $100 mil guaranteed and several news outlets didn't bother to correct themselves for like a day. It originally looked to most people like he left $38 million on the table.

Well that would explain some of it, but I think I even saw an article or two posted today, praising him for leaving tens of millions of dollars behind to go to Philly. Are they that desperate to have something to write about?

[converge241]

Agree here, but my understanding was that the Yanks offered 7 years at $148 guaranteed but he took a 5 year deal for $120 guaranteed plus a 6th year that vests if he throws 400 IP over 2014/2015. That would bring the contract value to 6 years and $148 - basically he can earn the same money in one less year, at which time he can go get another deal at the age of 38 and make out in the long run. Sure, it's not guaranteed, but if plays out right he could make $10-20M more over the same period of time, and since he'd hit free agency a year earlier he could make out even better over the next 8-9 years.

Plus wasnt the concern over NY tax a factor to Lee (in addition to the Philly hospital rumors). I am not sure what PA state tax is like compared to the "athlete" tax in NY but he possibly could have had less in hand over the course of the NY deal in comparison if they both hit top level because of the taxes.

[bigh0rt]

Regardless of how much he's actually earning, people need to stop acting like $10 million isn't a lot of money to say no to whether he's making $100 million or not.