Cliff Lee Watch: Reds and Rangers Into It

In an article published late last night for MLB.com, here, T.R. Sullivan reports that the Rangers and Mariners are having discussions centered around Cliff Lee.  In the article Sullivan throws around names like Justin Smoak, Chris Davis, Derrek Holland, Blake Beavan and Jarrod Saltalamacchia as potential trade pieces that the Rangers could use to get Lee. 

Smoak and Chris Davis are two major league ready bats, with Davis having the bigger power potential but being the more inconsistent of the two, which is why he's not with the big club.  (Side note: I do a home run pool every year and the last two I've taken Chris Davis, in the prospect category, only to see him not stick around in the majors long enough to provide me much help).  Saltalamacchia is another guy who just doesn't seem to be what people thought he would be, but maybe it's been the injuries or moving in between organizations that have retarded his progress.  As for Holland and Beaven although they aren't the top pitchers in the Rangers system, they still have nice upside.  So, any deal to me, involving Beaven or Holland, along with Davis and Saltalamacchia would have to be considered by Seattle.  But...

I wonder whether a deal from the Rangers involving Salty, Holland and Davis is a better deal for the Mariners than something like Mejia, Thole and Pagan/Nieuwenhuis/Havens/etc from the Mets.  But it's always difficult to trade within the division, right?  And, Isn't Safeco where power hitters go to die?  I would argue that Thole/Pagan would make more sense in Seattle than a Davis or Salty because of Thole's hitting style, Pagan's speed, and the "small ball" mentality that the Mariners seem to have with Ichiro, Jack Wilson and Figgins.  But the Mariners did recently re-acquire Russell Branyan, so maybe it's not so "small ball" after all...

As for the Reds, rumors have them swapping names with the Mariners about Lee as well.  According to FOXSports Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, here, some names that might be considered are Juan Francisco, Yonder Alonso along with Matt Maloney and Travis Wood. 

More top prospects being discussed here, and that's what it's going to take to get Lee because he immediately transforms a team into a contender, and if they were one to begin with, it makes them a serious contender.  Especially considering how he's been pitching lately...

So while I think the Mets need to be in on Lee, I wouldn't be miserable if they acquired someone like Ted Lilly instead.  There are many options out there, and I hope Omar does whatever he needs to do to improve the team, without giving up the entire farm.