Lee Almost a Yankee

A trade that would send Mariners left-hander Cliff Lee to the Yankees was "just about done" on Friday morning, according to an executive involved in the trade talks.

The Mariners have been pushing hard to complete the trade, but as of Friday morning there was no agreement in place, sources said, and it was possible another team could have stepped in to make a more aggressive bid.

The Mariners had also been talking with the Rays, Twins, Rangers, Reds and other teams, and news that the Yankees were on the verge of getting Lee -- first reported by the New York Post -- could have spurred one of the other teams to strengthen their offer.

But all along, the Yankees have believed no other team matches up better than they would with Seattle in a Lee deal because they are offering top prospect Jesus Montero, who figures to have a long and productive career as a hitter regardless of whether he plays catcher or first base.

In addition to Montero, second base prospect David Adams was also expected to be included in the deal, and a third player could be added.

A baseball official with knowledge of the Yankees' thinking told ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand they view Montero as a plus-hitter and think he has improved his catching skills, though, among other things, he needs work on his accuracy on throws to second base despite his powerful arm.

The Yankees also like Double-A prospect Austin Romine and project him as a possible .275, 20-homer catcher. If they traded Montero, Romine would make the move easier for the organization to absorb.(ESPN)