Don’t Measure Cliff Lee for Yankee Pinstripes Just Yet

There's an ace on the trading block and the Yankees are in hot pursuit.

Big surprise, right?

However, in the case of Cliff Lee, the Yankees are reportedly not as aggressive in perusing the Mariners' hurler as one would think. Confused? Picture Rich Garces grabbing just one plate at a time, rather than his usual three, at Old Country Buffet.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com, the Yanks will only peruse the 2008 Cy Young Award winner if he comes with a suitable price. In seasons past, a suitable price for the Yankees would mean anything shy of $1 billion, but this time around, they're merely kicking the tires.

Rosenthal's source estimates that the Yankees’ chances of landing Lee are “less than 50 percent,” and that such a move likely would require the Bronx Bombers to package right-hander Javier Vazquez to another club.

But do the Yanks even need Lee? Of course any team would love to have him, but Vazquez, who like Lee will become a free agent at the end of this season, is 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA since June 1.

Clearly the Mets, Twins and Rangers are more desperate for the 8-3 southpaw, and would insert him immediately as their ace. In the Bronx, there are already three ace's in CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes. 

And if it's not Lee the Yanks bag, there's a 142-game winner rumored to be on the block as well in Roy Oswalt. The Astros' 32-year-old righty is on the books for $15 million this season, but he would likely be traded for a lesser swap.

Do you see Lee going to the Bronx? Or will the Yankees, for once, back off the most prized trade option on the market?