Cliff Lee was going to a contender no matter what. Turns out it was the Texas Rangers, not the New York Yankees. “Just heard from [Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik],” Lee texted to ESPN The Magazine’s Amy K. Nelson. “It’s official. From last [place] to first.”
After talks between the Seattle Mariners and Yanks fell apart Friday afternoon, the Rangers jumped in and reached agreement on a trade for the left-hander.
The M’s sent Lee and reliever Mark Lowe to Texas for first baseman Justin Smoak and minor-leaguers Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke and Matthew Lawson.
The Mariners will also send $2.5 million to the Rangers to subsidize the $4 million still owed to Lee. Texas has financial limitations due to bankruptcy hearings associated with the sale of the team. There has been speculation that the Rangers — despite leading the AL West — would not be able to add weapons for the stretch run.
Lee is 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA this season for the Mariners, his first in Seattle. The Phillies traded him this offseason after acquiring Roy Halladay.
Lee won the Cy Young while with Cleveland in 2008. Over nine seasons he is 98-55 with a 3.84 ERA.
It’s unusual for a team to trade a start pitcher within it’s own division, but the Mariners have been a huge disappointment. Heading into Friday’s action, they trailed the Rangers by 16 games.
When asked how he felt about the deal, Lee texted “good I guess. Gonna be on a very good team. Definitely gonna be hot!”
The Yankees had offered Seattle a three-player package, centered around catcher Jesus Montero — who is rated as one of the best prospects in baseball, despite questions about whether he can be a catcher in the big leagues — second baseman David Adams and a young prospect.
But the deal began to unravel, a source told ESPN.com, when the Mariners became concerned about the health of Adams, who is out with a sprained ankle.
A source told ESPN.com that Seattle and Texas were very close to a deal for Lee on Wednesday. But the Mariners were pushing for Smoak, the Rangers balked and that deal stalled.
So on Thursday, the Mariners turned their attention to the Yankees and began closing in on that deal. But when those talks blew up, the Rangers — who by then were aware of all the reports about that Seattle-New York deal — got back into the picture and agreed to trade Smoak. So the pieces came together very quickly at that point because the two teams almost had a deal done 48 hours earlier.
And now Lee is on his way to Arlington.
“Bout to go get my stuff from the field,” he texted. “Gonna miss my teammates and coaching staff! Good people!”
TYLER — Tyler Junior College officials say a gas supply line leak has been capped. According to KETK, a crew was replacing a driveway at Palmer Avenue across from the Health and Physical Education Center before the line ruptured Friday. Officials say it busted because it was close to the surface. They evacuated a soccer camp from campus as a precaution. The Tyler Museum of Art also evacuated the area. TJC does not hold classes on Friday. No injuries have been reported. 
LONGVIEW — Longview Police Traffic Investigators are seeking information from the public about an accident that left few clues and a 16-year-old in the hospital. It happened around 3:30 Thursday morning. Police say a black 4-door Lexus was traveling northbound in the 900 block of South 14th Street when it struck the 16-year-old victim, who had been standing in the roadway. The impact threw the victim about 10 feet before landing in the roadway. The Lexus did not stop after the accident and was last seen turning east onto Ridgelea Avenue. Investigators believe the Lexus involved may possibly have damage to the front bumper, hood or windshield. The victim was initially taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, then later transferred to Parkland Hospital in Dallas for treatment.
SMITH COUNTY — An update on a shooting at a Whataburger in Smith County last November. Sa’Cajan Jamay Darden, 21, was sentenced to 50 years in prison Wednesday. According to KETK, he pleaded guilty to first degree aggravated assault against a public official Darden fired shots at a Cherokee County Constable who was off-duty.
LONGVIEW — Prostitution is a growing problem for one East Texas city and local business owners are fed up with it. Longview leaders are hoping a new ordinance will help police crack down. Longview Public Information Officer, Kevin Brownlee says for prostitutes that have been arrested and convicted in the last year for prostitution, if they’re found on the streets or in public flagging down motorists for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, they can be arrested and charged with a class c misdemeanor for violation of the city ordinance. Brownlee says it’s a combined community effort. According to KETK, the ordinance was passed Thursday night and is effective immediately. 
TYLER — Testimony resumes today in a Tyler case involving a child sex ring suspect. On Friday, new questions arose about the testimony of kids allegedly sexually abused at the so-called “Mineola Swingers’ Club.” This during the trial of 47-year-old Dennis Boyd Pittman, accused of raping children and forcing kids to perform sexual acts for an audience. According to KETK, Friday morning was spent questioning notebooks with information taken down by the foster family of the kids involved in the case.
HALLSVILLE — 2,500 stadium light poles have been recalled, including some in Hallsville. According to KETK, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission made the announcement Monday after several incidents of the Whitco poles falling down. Here in East Texas, Hallsville ISD’s Bobcat Stadium was on the recall list. School officials say they learned of the recall Tuesday and are now in the process of figuring out what to do. For now, plans call for moving forward on the basis of engineers’ reports. The officials say they have had the lights inspected and they passed all necessary safety measures. The lights will be inspected again before football season starts. 
