Sorry Phillies fans, Cliff Lee is going to the Yankees (or not)

UPDATE: Or not. Apparently talks between the Yankees and Mariners have fallen apart. Jon Heyman reports that the Mariners don't like the Yankees offer.

Those dreams of Cliff Lee returning to the Phillies appear to be over: word around baseball is that Lee is about to be traded to the Yankees for a couple of prospects, including catcher Jesus Montero.

While your initial reaction is one of depression at the fact that the Phillies won't be getting Lee back and dismay that he's going to the hated Yankees, it's much better that Lee is going to the Yankees than to any team in the National League. Sure, we all dispise the Yankees and can't stand that a player we like is going there but could you imagine if Lee went to the Mets or Braves and the Phillies had to face him multiple times this year?

The trading of Cliff Lee also seems to have increased the chances that the Phillies will be dealing Jayson Werth for a starting pitcher. One possible trade that has already been discussed is dealing Werth for Yankees pitcher Javier Vazquez, who will be the odd man out in the New York rotation with the acquisition of Lee. Hopefully the Phillies set their sights a little higher than Vazquez; if Dan Haren is available, I'd love to see the Phillies do whatever it takes, short of prospect Domonic Brown, to get Haren.

Good luck with the Yankees, Cliff Lee. Hopefully the Phillies get a chance to beat you in the World Series.