CASPER
New member
Greenberg, assistant general manager Thad Levine and co-chairman Ray Davis, a pipeline billionaire, met with Lee, the pitcher's wife and agent Darek Braunecker at Braunecker's office.
While Greenberg would not get into specific details, he said Thursday night the offers included "substantial additional commitments in years and dollars." He characterized them as "highly competitive."
Before Thursday, the Rangers had asked Lee to tell them what it would take for him to stay with Texas, which acquired the ace left-hander from Seattle in July.
The New York Yankees added a year to their offer earlier in the day, proposing a seven-year contract for the 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner. On Wednesday, the Yankees offered a six-year deal worth $137.5 million to $140 million.
Then the Boston Red Sox agreed Wednesday night to a $142 million, seven-year contract with All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford. Greenberg said that deal changed the free-agent market dynamics and prompted the trip to Arkansas.
"A very positive discussion," Greenberg said. "We reiterated our strong desire for him to remain a Ranger."
Asked if he considered himself optimistic or pessimistic about that happening after the nearly 90-minute meeting, Greenberg responded, "We felt very good about the discussion."
Greenberg, whose group bought the team from Tom Hicks in August, said the Rangers weren't given a timetable for Lee's decision. And they didn't push for one either since a "considerable amount" of new information was presented to the pitcher and his family.