According to Matt Pignataro of NY Baseball Digest, a front office official from an unidentified American League team had the following to say about the Mets’ pursuit of Cliff Lee:

It is going to take three of your best prospects if you want Cliff Lee right now. … I’ve always believed in developing talent. I don’t believe you should drain your farm system. You want to develop your own home grown talent, you want that sense of pride, and then again, I don’t know what their (Mets) situation is. Those money market teams teams such as the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers can afford a guy like Lee.

The price right now for Lee is pretty high, but Pignataro expects the price to drop as the trading deadline approaches.