Expect a Bidding War Between Yanks and Rangers For Lee

From the NY Daily News:

The Yankees may plan to use their bottomless wallet to lure Cliff Lee to the Bronx in the offseason, but the Rangers aren't planning to let the dominant lefty go without a serious fight. That's the message that new Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg sent before Wednesday's Game 5.

"We're not going into this with a pea-shooter," Greenberg said.

The Rangers endured a slew of financial issues earlier this year, before Greenberg's Rangers Baseball Express LLC group purchased the team in August. Greenberg said the Rangers are now "in very solid shape financially" and would be able to make Lee a competitive offer.

In Greenberg's eyes, Texas offers more than money. The Rangers are Lee's fourth team in two seasons. Greenberg has stressed that Arlington can be Lee's home.

"For a pitcher of Cliff's stature to be passed around as routinely as he has been, to my knowledge has been unprecedented in Major League Baseball," Greenberg said. "We want to show Cliff and his family that we operate like a family business...and that this is a place where he could really feel at home."

Not that Greenberg plans to low-ball his ace; he said he'll offer Lee a contract befitting his skills.

"That doesn't mean it's a great place to live, so let's have a big discount," he said. "But he's going to be at that rarified level where he has the luxury of making a lifestyle decision. We hope that bodes well for us. We know that we are going to have to be aggressive financially. And we're prepared to do that."

I still think they end up with Lee, he just may cost them a little bit more now.