The talk surrounding free agent lefty Cliff Lee continues to build. Initially, it was expected that the Rangers would offer him a five-year contract, while the Yankees would go six. Then it was reported that Lee would re-sign with the Rangers if they offered him six guaranteed years. Now, according to Ken Rosenthal, things may be reaching another level once more.

Rosenthal writes:

Lee, the prized free-agent left-hander, will receive a seven-year offer, according to major-league sources.

What's unclear is just who would be willing to make such an offer. Rosenthal says that one team has "expressed a willingness" to go to seven years, but he also says that, barring surprise, it won't be the Yankees. And the Rangers are reportedly reluctant to go longer than five.

So we're left considering the possibility that there's a mystery team involved - a team who would have to make a larger offer to sway Lee away from his two preferred destinations. Either that, or the Rangers and/or Yankees have been misleading us for a while, now. Or, you know, Rosenthal could just be wrong.

This sweepstakes will not be boring.