Sources: Cliff Lee closer to decision

Pitcher Cliff Lee, the most prominent name in the market for Major League Baseball free agent this winter, approached a decision about his Monday night future, weighing offers from the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers against a spirited late bid for his former team, the Philadelphia Phillies, sources told ESPN.com.

Lee, 32, is on the verge of Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals Jayson Werth as the third free agent to sign a contract of more than $ 100 million this offseason.

Both Rangers and the Yankees made serious runs at Lima in recent weeks, sending emissaries to his home in Little Rock, Arkansas, and going beyond their original packages for years and add dollars to their offers. The Yankees have presented Lee with an offer of seven years more than $ 140 million, while the best offer Texas reportedly topped out at six years and more than $ 20 million annually.

Baseball sources said the Phillies, who had been hiding in the suburbs, jumped into the process, with fervor, after the winter meetings in Florida last week.

The Phillies acquired before Lee of Cleveland, July non-waiver deadline in 2009, Lee posted a 7-4 record with a 3.39 ERA during the regular season before helping lead Philadelphia to a World Series appearance against the Yankees. Lee was 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA against New York, but the Phillies fell to the Yankees in six games.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. Lee traded to Seattle last December in conjunction with the acquisition of the team of Roy Halladay of Toronto, but sources said that Lee developed a taste for his teammates and the city of Philadelphia, and would be interested in returning if the Phillies can come up with a package that is competitive with the Yankees and Rangers. If the Phillies were able to withdraw a signature Lee, he would join Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in a dream rotation for Philadelphia.

The Phillies' club policy normally precludes contracts longer than three years for pitchers, and held the line with Halladay for three years and $ 60 million, plus an option to purchase 20 million U.S. dollars for 2014. Given the extent of other offerings from Lee, the Phillies may have to break with tradition and offer a deal of at least five years to get him into the fold.

Lee has a career record of 102-61 with a 3.85 ERA in nine seasons with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Seattle and Texas. He is 7-2 with a 2.13 ERA in the playoffs the past two years, and was undefeated in October, before suffering losses back-to-back to San Francisco in the World Series.

Jerry Crasnick is a senior writer for ESPN.com baseball.