The Twins attempted to trade for Cliff Lee during July, but they would have been forced to move top prospect Aaron Hicks. Lee surely would have helped Minnesota in their first round series against the Yankees. "We would have loved to make the Cliff Lee deal," Twins general manager Bill Smith said Wednesday, declining to confirm which players Seattle wanted in return. "We had great interest in Cliff Lee. He's a tremendous pitcher. But one thing we can't control is how other organizations evaluate our players or other players. In the end, the Seattle Mariners' best offer was from the Texas Rangers. You tip your hat to them and move on."