Report: Phillies Asking Price on Cliff Lee ‘Extremely High’

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman hears that the asking price for left-hander Cliff Lee is "extremely high."

Just how high is the price for Lee?  Here is what Heyman is hearing.  

"He's telling people it'll take you three or four best prospects, plus you'd have to take all the money," one executive said of Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr.  Another quipped, "You'd have to give up your first born, second and third born, too."

The Red Sox and Phillies have engaged in talks for Lee and Michael Young, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, but the Sox won't deal their top prospects.

Lee, 34, is owed $25 million in 2014, another $25 million in 2015, and he carries a $27.5 million vesting option (or a $12.5 million buyout) for 2016.

ESPN's Jayson Stark agrees that the Phillies aren't eating any of the $70MM+ remaining on Lee's contract.  Stark also hears the Phillies would need to be overwhelmed.

Stay tuned to the Sports Bash for more on the July 31 trade deadline.