The rumors are starting to intensify regarding Seattle starting pitcher, Cliff Lee. Currently 14 games back in the American League West, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com writes that some executives expect a deal to happen sooner rather than later:
However, two executives from clubs that have called the Mariners about Lee say that the team is indeed willing to trade the pitcher immediately for the right offer.
One of the executives, in fact, predicts that the Mariners will move Lee in 7 to 10 days, following a timetable similar to the one the Indians used when they traded left-hander CC Sabathia to the Brewers on July 7, 2008.
And, with the recent struggles from some of their starting rotation, the Twins continue to be tied to their former division rival:
The Mets, Dodgers and Rangers have inquired on Lee, according to major-league sources. Many in the industry project the Twins as the front-runner. The Yankees, currently set with five starters, seem more likely to pursue Lee in free agency than in a trade.