Cliff Lee

Don't expect the New York Yankees to publicly admit to wanting both or either of these players.

According to MLBTradeRumors.com, George A. King III of the New York Post says the Yankees are likely to be interested in both Mariners starting pitcher Cliff Lee and Astros first baseman Lance Berkman.

The Yankees have five quality starters on the team at this point, so many may think pursuing Lee would be pointless. In all reality, adding Lee would be more of a move for next season.

After going a dismal 8-19 in May that dropped them into the cellar of the mediocre AL West, the Mariners have played inspiring baseball in June, going 3-0 to begin the month.

I understand that three games isn't exactly the 1995 comeback all over again, but if you look at the numbers going back into later May, this team is showing signs of life.

Last week, it was announced that right-handed starting pitcher Roy Oswalt requested a trade from the Houston Astros.

The three teams that were rumored to be the favorites for Oswalt were the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. The Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers are believed to be interested as well.

As it stands, the Dodgers are 15-17.

This is an appalling statistic for a team loaded with talent. Unfortunately the Dodgers are one dimensional and can't play with the mentality of always climbing uphill; mainly due to the fact that it isn't uncommon to be down five runs in the third inning.

The remedy would make for a story comparable to the Manny Ramirez trade. Eight letters encompass what the Dodgers desperately need: Cliff Lee.

Every year there seems to be someone who comes back from certain retirement to once again establish themselves as a force in the baseball world.

This year is no different, and there are a number of players making surprise comebacks this season. Vernon Wells and Barry Zito come to mind immediately.

So I have decided to run down what I feel are the top ten comeback seasons of the past ten years.

Just to clarify, there is a difference between a breakout season and a comeback season.

Buster Olney of ESPN spoke with the agent for Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee last night about the southpaw’s future plans, and apparently signing a contract extension with the M’s is not in it.

“We’re five months away from free agency,” said Braunecker, “so I think that’s the most likely scenario at this point.”

“We’ve not really had any significant discussions with Seattle. I wouldn’t anticipate a deal [with the Mariners].”

Finally. Or maybe that should read, "Final-Lee?"

The Seattle Mariners made a huge trade in the offseason to acquire the services of former Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, and tonight, a month into the season, he will make his first appearance on the mound.

Lee got off on the wrong foot this year. Literally. Literal-Lee. A couple of weeks prior to spring training, he needed a minor surgery on his foot and would miss the start of the exhibition season.

Is it me or is there an update on Cliff Lee’s health every week? I just wish he would come back already so I can talk about his pitching instead of his injuries.

Well, it sounds like I am going to be talking about Lee’s injuries for at least another couple of weeks, because now it appears Lee won’t be joining the Seattle Mariners until May.

Upon reading the headline of this article, you are sitting there saying to yourself that I’m an idiot.

I’m sure most are only reading this to merely find out how stupid I possibly could be that I would have the audacity to say a middle reliever leaving is going to have more impact than the loss of a former Cy Young winner.

Just hear me out on this.

Am I the only one who is confused by how Major League Baseball hands down suspensions?

Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants hit Prince Fielder in the back on purpose at the beginning of spring training but didn’t get suspended.

Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees has thrown at the head of Kevin Youkilis on numerous occasions, but nothing ever happened to him.

But the Seattle Mariners’ Cliff Lee throws over the head of Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder and gets suspended five games? Really?