Signing Lee should virtually guarantee the Phillies to win the NL East.. easily, unless they have major injuries. Although.. to me.. it doesn't change the picture in the NL East.
I'm a Braves fan, as most people know, and my team improved by getting Dan Uggla, the power bat we needed. The Phillies were going to win the NL East before, and after, the Braves got Uggla, even before the Phillies got Lee. The Lee move makes the Phillies a 100 plus win team, and an easy NL East winner, if healthy, as they now might have the most formidable rotation since the Braves glory days of the 90s.
As for the Braves, they won 91 games, and strengthened themselves with the Uggla acquistion. I would say the Braves should be the wild card favorites, unless they have major injuries. They are the best team, not named the Phillies.. or the Yankees.
A lot of people on the Atlanta Journal website were upset that the Phillies got Lee, and wanted Braves GM Frank Wren to "answer" with a counter move. The thing is.. the Phillies have one of baseball's biggest payrolls, and the Braves are a mid market team, trying to compete. The Braves just cant go out and sign a free agent who makes 15 mil a year, without subtracting other salary, to offset the high priced signing.
I post on the AJC website, and I might have created heresy over there, by suggesting that Chipper really should retire. I know it wont happen, but.. he's 39, he's constantly injured, and he makes 10 mil a year plus. Subtract his salary, and the Braves could sign a younger, more productive bat, or two younger, productive bats. 10 to 15 mil a year for the 10 homers and 46 RBIs Chipper gave us in 2010, seems like overpaying. I know he wants to play one more year, at least, though, and doesnt want to end his career on an injury, even though he's constantly hurt anyway.
Things will probably just stay as they are in the East. Phillies easy NL East winners, Braves wild card if healthy. No surprises there.
One other thing: One of the writers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution pointed out that the CEO of Liberty Media, the company that owns the Braves, makes $88 mil a year, which is more than the Braves entire roster of twenty five guys for 2010 was paid, at $84 million. While no one can feel sorry for a baseball player, it's sad.. that.. say the CEO.. maybe.. couldnt take a 10 to 15 mil pay cut. and make.. 70 to 75 mil a year.. to allow the Braves to sign the one more bat, or pitcher, they might need, to be able to perhaps seriously compete with the Phillies for the East title.
Mitch
