Lee is the Answer in Texas

In an almost improbable turn of events, the Texas Rangers acquired Cliff Lee yesterday along with reliever Mark Lowe from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor league prospects. What makes the trade so improbable is that the Rangers not only outbid the Yankees last minute, but that they are a team that's bankrupt and barely capable of pulling off a deal like this. I guess GM Jon Daniels wasn't interested in hearing that sob story anymore. Cliff Lee makes the Rangers a dangerous contender in the American League, as he slides into a rotation that already boasts the young talents of Tommy Hunter, CJ Wilson, Scott Feldman, Matt Harrison, and Derek Holland when he's healthy. Add to that the Rangers' dynamic offense with a resurgent Vladimir Guerrero and a nearly unstoppable Josh Hamilton and you've got yourself a potential World Series team.

Yet if the last two nights are going to be any indication of what the Rangers can expect in the last two-and-a-half months of the season, they're in trouble. Their bullpen blew late leads Thursday and Friday, against Baltimore of all teams, including All-Star closer Neftali Feliz's ninth inning meltdown last night in which he surrendered a game-tying grand slam to Corey Patterson. The Ranger bullpen is decent, but they have to pitch better if they're going to hold off the Angels in the West.

The addition of Cliff Lee by the Rangers sends a message to the rest of the American League, and perhaps all of baseball. The Rangers are easily dismissed this time of year, regardless of their place in the standings, because they have failed time and again to win in August and September. This trade shows the Rangers are ready to reverse that trend. We always hear about the Rangers, and the old "Oh, if they only had pitching" remarks. Well, now they do, and even better, they have an ace. A proven ace. An ace who will take the ball every five days and give you a great chance to win, and one who has proven his worth in the playoffs, in the big games where it really counts. That makes the Rangers beyond relevant in the American League. When you have someone like Cliff Lee in your rotation, you don't have long losing streaks. We've seen what he's done with the Indians, with the Phillies, and with the Mariners. His stint with the Rangers will only add to the legacy he's building. And maybe, just maybe, he'll bring the Rangers some much-needed wins in August and September and push the team into the playoffs.

In their history, the Rangers have never been to the World Series. They've never won a playoff series. In fact, as a franchise, they have just one playoff win to their name. Expect that to change in 2010. The Rangers are for real, and with Cliff Lee, they'll be eradicating the plague of late-season and postseason futility.