phiLEEdelphia! Cliff Lee Agrees To Return To PhilLEEs

[UNHWildCats]

Whats written below appears to have no significance now... The info spreading from media including several in New York City is that Cliff Lee is close to agreeing to return to the Phillies... it would be for less years than New York is offering, but he apparently enjoyed his time there, and Philadelphia gives him his best chance of winning over the three teams in the running for him.





We know the Yankees have offered 7 years and $161 million and have said they wont increase the offer. Both New York City and New York State have income taxes while Texas doesn't. Calculating both tax rates against the Yankees offer shows he would pay in total about $18.2 million in taxes to NYS and NYC during the contract... so a offer from Texas around $143 million would virtually be the same. I havent been able to locate a dollar figure for Texas' most recent offer.

Several writers have been suggesting the past few days that Lee really enjoyed his time in Texas and that being not far from his home in Arkansas could really play a part in his decision. They say the Yankees are extremely concerned about not getting Lee.

Lee is expected to make a decision in the early part of the week.

[JoltinJoe]

You're behind the curve. Buster Olney tweeted earlier that Lee's agents has been speaking to the Yankees today. The Rangers are now talking to Beltre because they believe they are going to lose Lee.

Yanks also finalizing deal with C Russell Martin.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

some say lee is an overrated git - who, while talented - is 31 and going to burden some f'ing team stupid enough for 7 years and 20+ million/year...

[JoltinJoe]

some say lee is an overrated git - who, while talented - is 31 and going to burden some f'ing team stupid enough for 7 years and 20+ million/year...

No doubt, but if he goes to the Yanks they'll suck up the end of the deal because he gives the Yanks legit WS chances for the next 3-4 years.

[UNHWildCats]

some say lee is an overrated git - who, while talented - is 31 and going to burden some f'ing team stupid enough for 7 years and 20+ million/year...

thats what makes him perfect for New York

[Col Hogan]

some say lee is an overrated git - who, while talented - is 31 and going to burden some f'ing team stupid enough for 7 years and 20+ million/year...

Mike Lupica of the NY Daily News hit the nail on the head in his Sunday column...

The big, bad Yankees are willing to offer what is essentially the biggest pitching contract of all time to a pitcher who isn't the best pitcher in baseball. Just the best available.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseb ... o_lon.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SuperHornet]

Is there some provision in tax law that states that the location of one's team trumps one's residence for tax purposes?

Otherwise, I don't see how NY's tax code would apply to Lee even if he does sign with the dumbest team in sports.

[dbackjon]

Is there some provision in tax law that states that the location of one's team trumps one's residence for tax purposes?

Otherwise, I don't see how NY's tax code would apply to Lee even if he does sign with the dumbest team in sports.

Yes - it is called place of employment.

Yankee Stadium is located in NYC. Yankees work there. Yankees thus pay NYC and NYS income tax.


Players from other teams that play in Yankee Stadium pay NYC income tax for the games they play there.

[SuperHornet]

So what you're saying, Jon, is that a player who chooses not to move to NY gets a double whammy?

[UNHWildCats]

So what you're saying, Jon, is that a player who chooses not to move to NY gets a double whammy?

If you work in a state that has a income tax but dont live there, you still pay the tax. If you live in a state with an income tax and work in one that doesnt, most if not all of those states will charge you their income tax even if you dont work there.

If you work in state with an income tax and live in another with an income tax, the state you live in usually gives u a credit so you arent drained twice for taxes, but the state you work in gets precedent.

[UNHWildCats]

Phillies join Rangers and Yankees as Lee finalists... Phillies offering less years though. Lee enjoyed his time there and they certainly could lure him... easy to say Phillies give him better chance to win then Yankees or Rangers.

[danefan]

Is there some provision in tax law that states that the location of one's team trumps one's residence for tax purposes?

Otherwise, I don't see how NY's tax code would apply to Lee even if he does sign with the dumbest team in sports.

Yes - it is called place of employment.

Yankee Stadium is located in NYC. Yankees work there. Yankees thus pay NYC and NYS income tax.


Players from other teams that play in Yankee Stadium pay NYC income tax for the games they play there.

Close, but not entirely true.

Income is taxable in whatever state it is "earned." This is based on the Constitution theory of "Nexus." You can generally have nexus to a state if you are a resident or if you earn the money in that state. States take the position that athletes that enter their state to play a game "earn" their game-day check in that state.

NYC does not tax that way. NYC taxes on based on residence. This has been the case since 1999. So despite the fact that I earn 100% of my salary in NYC, I do not pay NYC tax. I do, however, pay NYS tax, for which I get a credit on my NJ state tax return (as Travis correctly pointed out above).

Yankees who live outside NYS pay tax in NY for the paychecks they earn in NY. Generally 81 game checks. The rest is generally attributable to where they live (e.g. NJ) or where they earn it (e.g. Florida during spring training and offseason).

It gets a little sketchy because of deferred compensation though.

[DJH]

Phillies join Rangers and Yankees as Lee finalists... Phillies offering less years though. Lee enjoyed his time there and they certainly could lure him... easy to say Phillies give him better chance to win then Yankees or Rangers.

Why would he go to Philly for less years? He's never going to get another big contract again, so if somebody is dumb enough to give him 7 years, he's gotta take it. It'd be beyond stupid for him to go to philly for less years than he could get somewhere else.

[dbackjon]

Yes - it is called place of employment.

Yankee Stadium is located in NYC. Yankees work there. Yankees thus pay NYC and NYS income tax.


Players from other teams that play in Yankee Stadium pay NYC income tax for the games they play there.

Close, but not entirely true.

Income is taxable in whatever state it is "earned." This is based on the Constitution theory of "Nexus." You can generally have nexus to a state if you are a resident or if you earn the money in that state. States take the position that athletes that enter their state to play a game "earn" their game-day check in that state.

NYC does not tax that way. NYC taxes on based on residence. This has been the case since 1999. So despite the fact that I earn 100% of my salary in NYC, I do not pay NYC tax. I do, however, pay NYS tax, for which I get a credit on my NJ state tax return (as Travis correctly pointed out above).

Yankees who live outside NYS pay tax in NY for the paychecks they earn in NY. Generally 81 game checks. The rest is generally attributable to where they live (e.g. NJ) or where they earn it (e.g. Florida during spring training and offseason).

It gets a little sketchy because of deferred compensation though.

I was close

Suprising that NYC doesn't charge an income tax on all you freeloaders that work there, but live elsewhere

[danefan]

Close, but not entirely true.

Income is taxable in whatever state it is "earned." This is based on the Constitution theory of "Nexus." You can generally have nexus to a state if you are a resident or if you earn the money in that state. States take the position that athletes that enter their state to play a game "earn" their game-day check in that state.

NYC does not tax that way. NYC taxes on based on residence. This has been the case since 1999. So despite the fact that I earn 100% of my salary in NYC, I do not pay NYC tax. I do, however, pay NYS tax, for which I get a credit on my NJ state tax return (as Travis correctly pointed out above).

Yankees who live outside NYS pay tax in NY for the paychecks they earn in NY. Generally 81 game checks. The rest is generally attributable to where they live (e.g. NJ) or where they earn it (e.g. Florida during spring training and offseason).

It gets a little sketchy because of deferred compensation though.

I was close

Suprising that NYC doesn't charge an income tax on all you freeloaders that work there, but live elsewhere

Its arguably unconstitution under the NYS Constitution and would get challenged immediately by guys like my boss who would end up paying an additional $250,000+ a year in NYC tax. Plus it would have to be passed by the NYS Legislature (not just the NYC Gov't) and there is a strong enough lobby outside the City to avoid it.

There are other cities that do have a commuter tax (Philly and DC).

[UNHWildCats]

word starting to spread that Lee is choosing Philadelphia over NY and Tex.

[93henfan]

word starting to spread that Lee is choosing Philadelphia over NY and Tex.

Halladay
Lee
Hamels
Oswalt
Do a little dance
Make a little love
Get down tonight!

[SuperHornet]

So what you're saying, Jon, is that a player who chooses not to move to NY gets a double whammy?

If you work in a state that has a income tax but dont live there, you still pay the tax. If you live in a state with an income tax and work in one that doesnt, most if not all of those states will charge you their income tax even if you dont work there.

If you work in state with an income tax and live in another with an income tax, the state you live in usually gives u a credit so you arent drained twice for taxes, but the state you work in gets precedent.

An argument could be made that each MLB player earns $$ in something like 16 states, one or two provinces, and D.C. Based on your argument, every one of them could charge tax on every MLB player, manager, etc.

[89Hen]

Halladay
Lee
Hamels
Oswalt

Would make the Heat seem pedestrian.

[DJH]

Halladay
Lee
Hamels
Oswalt

Would make the Heat seem pedestrian.

The Heat are pedestrian.

[UNHWildCats]

nevermind... MLBTradeRumors retweeted a fake Ken Rosenthal account tweet.

[GannonFan]

Reuben Amaro is on the precipice of becoming the greatest GM perhaps in the history of the game. Going from a team in '08 that had a rotation of Hamels, Myers, Blanton, Moyer, and god knows who else to one that has Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, and Hamels, and not trading a single major league ready player...well, that's not too bad at all.

Not holding my breath though.

[93henfan]

Not holding my breath though.

Me neither. I still think he stays in Texas.

[UNHWildCats]

Lee is returning to Philaldephia

[UNHWildCats]

It will be a 5 year deal and Lee has already informed Texas and New York he wont be signing with them.