New Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg is hoping to make a big splash in his first offseason in Texas.
Greenberg’s group recently told Dallas News that the club has been working on persuading Lee and his family that Texas is the place to be.
“We’ve all been just getting to know one another. We’ve been trying to show him that this is a wonderful place for his family,” Greenberg explained before Game 5 of the ALCS. “At the end of the day Cliff is going to make a lot of money, and it’s going to be up to Cliff and his family where that’s going to be.”
Texas is Lee’s fourth team in two years yet he’s already earned the reputation of being one of the league’s most dominant postseason pitchers as he owns a perfect 7-0 record to go with a 1.26 ERA in eight postseason starts.
Greenberg knows what he will be up against this offseason as many teams are able and willing to fire down whatever it takes to nab the lefty ace. The Yankees, who are facing problems with their rotation depth, are always poking and prodding the top layer of the free-agent pool. The Red Sox, who have had one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, are likely looking to make a big move this winter to get back to competing with their rival Yankees and AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays.
“We’re not going in it with a pea shooter,” Greenberg said. “We can’t control what the Yankees or any other club chooses to offer. We can only control our own decisions, and we know that we are going to have to be aggressive financially; we’re prepared to do that.”
