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Scouts watching Lee last night, via (@M_Coca_COLA)

Jerry Crasnick, writing for ESPN.com, reports on the nine teams Cliff Lee can be traded to without his consent:

Lee’s deal also includes a limited no-trade clause that allows him to block trades to 20 teams. According to a baseball source, Lee has listed Atlanta, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, Minnesota, the New York Mets, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Washington as the nine teams he can be traded to without his consent.

Against that backdrop, the Tigers, Pirates, Orioles, Mariners, Angels, Royals, Blue Jays and Giants — contenders all — were among a dozen teams that had scouts at Monday’s game. No one can say for sure who was on hand to expressly scout Lee, in part because the Phillies have so many other tradable commodities on their roster.

Good reporting there. These lists often aren’t ever made public. But, it doesn’t mean much. Typically when players have a limited no-trade clause and are able to select teams to which they’d accept a trade, they choose small market franchises and division rivals. Why? Because the small market teams can’t afford them and there’s little chance a franchise would want to see a traded star a dozen times per season. So, with the exception of Cleveland, Lee’s former team, this list basically represents the teams Lee would never get dealt to. But that doesn’t mean Lee couldn’t or wouldn’t waive his NTC to go the Yankees, Giants, Orioles, Angels or whomever else. Listing unlikely suitors just means that he’ll get to have a say in all al this. Hashtag themoreyouknow.