As had been expected, the Phillies have declined their club option on lefty Cliff Lee, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports on Twitter. The veteran will receive a $12.5MM buyout on the option, which was valued at $27.5MM.
At one point, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Lee’s option would be exercised, both because of its unusually robust buyout price and his consistent excellence. But Lee has experienced significant left elbow issues, with a tear in his flexor tendon keeping him out of action all year. He decided against surgery in favor of a rehab route, though it’s been a while since we’ve heard an update on his progress.
All in all, there’s little question that the $15MM spread on the option was too steep a price for Philadelphia to pay. It’s not even entirely clear whether Lee will look to return, as there have been suggestions that he’ll instead retire.
In the event that Lee does look for a new contract, he’ll represent an intriguing free agent. After all, there’s good reason to believe a healthy Lee could still be a force, even at 37 years of age.
The 37-year-old southpaw put up 666 1/3 innings of 2.80 ERA pitching in the first three years of his deal with Philly. He did drop back to a 3.65 earned run average over the 81 1/3 frames that he managed in 2014. But ERA estimators were still just as enamored of his work, he maintained an excellent 6.00 K:BB rate, and a .358 BABIP-against could explain the run prevention numbers.
Lee has had an up and down career, maybe a setup role or bull pen arm could do well for him.
Hes done. If he planned on pitching again, he would have opted for surgery on his elbow by now.
A setup role would shred his arm further.
He still gets paid the buyout if he retires now, right? Safe to say that’s the only reason he didn’t officially retire already?
He made 37.5 million total in 2015, wow….
“Here’s $12 1/2 million dollars. Now go away.” His agent really earned his salary with that clause. Wow!
He gave the Phillies 20 Wins Above Replacement over that deal. That pretty much equates to about 180 million dollars worth of value.
Not to mention the additional value of his acting as a veteran advisor to Cole Hamels and other young Philly pitchers.
It’s not what it appears to be. He signed a 5 year $120 million deal before 2011. The Phillies asked him to only take $11 million in the first year of the deal and to have $12.5 million of the first year salary deferred to 2016 as a buyout against $27.5 million. So think of it as a $12.5 million deferred payment and a $15 million option with no buyout.
I think Lee knows his elbow. I think he will work out this Winter and make his choice. If he is feeling pain he wont pitch. If he isnt, im sure teams would be chomping at the bit to give him a Spring training invite with clauses, that if he is signed he makes 5 million with incentives for innings pitched. Even if Lee is throwing 86 mph, he has the pitches to be effective.
But Lee, will walk away if he feels any pain.
Will he?
I know one team which won’t be chomping…Texas
Because the back of that rotation is so strong.
Smart by Phillies
Kind of a no-brainer.
That’s a decision every team would make. There’s nothing really smart about something that I think is fair to say is a no brainer
He is not worth a penny with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow.