"The Rangers suffered a significant hit when they lost Cliff Lee late Monday night. But did they win a little something in the process? Lee stunned the Rangers and, undoubtedly, the New York Yankees on Monday when he agreed to what is reportedly a five-year deal to return to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees, shut out for eight innings by Lee in Game 3 of the ALCS and beaten by him twice as a Phillie in the 2009 World Series, offered him seven years. The Rangers went to the mat as well, offering a six-year deal with a vesting option for a seventh. But Lee called the Rangers late Monday to tell them he was going back to the National League. The fact that he's not settling into pinstripes has to be considered a small victory for the Rangers ... and all the other AL contenders. Until Monday – until fairly late Monday really – the entire focus had been on the Yankees and Rangers although a "mystery third team" in the bidding had not been identified. "That definitely was the conventional wisdom, that it was between us and the Yankees," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "And that was certainly our expectation for a time. "Cliff called me tonight and kind of walked through the decision. He feels he has kind of a unique opportunity to be part of that rotation. We made a real offer, a substantial offer. People talk about things not being about the money , but I think this is one case where it really wasn't about the money." Daniels said the Rangers have been prepared for some time to move forward without Lee. That was mostly with the notion that the Yankees and their seemingly limitless payroll would land the 32-year-old left-hander. Instead, he goes to the National League which means that New York isn't nearly as scary as it would have been had the Yankees been able to stack Lee next to CC Sabathia in its rotation. "You're not going to see us make a panic reactionary move," Daniels said. "We certainly knew it was a possibility that we wouldn't get him. We still really like our club. " Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...stories/121410dnspocowlishawcol.115aeda3.html
