Lee Getting Stronger As Season Winds Down
While it hasn’t been the season he had envisioned, Phillies lefthander Cliff Lee been pitching some of his best baseball of late.
Lee Getting Stronger As Season Winds Down
Marc Narducci
While it hasn’t been the season he had envisioned, Phillies lefthander Cliff Lee been pitching some of his best baseball of late.
Lee didn’t earn the decision in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies, but that is nothing new.
It was his 14th no-decision of the year.
Yet this was one of those times in which he left with the Phillies trailing 2-0 and settled for a no-decision.
Lee allowed two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings, the fourth consecutive start that he has given up two or fewer earned runs.
The streak began when he surrendered two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings and earned no decision in a 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 21.
In his next start, Lee allowed one earned run in seven innings during a 4-1 win over the Washington Nationals. The left-hander followed that performance with last Saturday’s 5-1 win in Atlanta in which he pitched seven shutout innings.
On Friday against Colorado, Lee had seven strikeouts while not allowing a walk. He surrendered eight hits in 6 1/3 innings and threw 104 pitches, 72 for strikes.
In his last four starts he has struck out 26 and walked two.
Even though Lee is just 4-7 this season, his ERA is a respectable 3.50.
“For the most part I felt pretty good all year but the last three or four starts have really gone well, I feel like I am locating better,” Lee said.
Lee hasn’t suffered a loss since Aug. 11 when he dropped a 4-1 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lee has thrown 175 innings and certainly doesn’t seem to be wearing down as the season concludes, which is not surprising.
Since 2008 Lee is 35-14 (.714) in 66 post all-star break starts, the fourth most wins and fourth best win percentage in the majors over that span.
He relies on pinpoint control and especially lately, has been hitting his spots. Lee entered the game leading Major League starters in percentage of first pitch strikes (71 percent this season).
“I feel like I have been giving the team a chance to win and that is my job,” Lee said.
Actually for most of the year he has been competitive. In 13 of his 25 starts he has allowed two or fewer earned runs.
What has hurt Lee is the long ball. He has allowed 22 home runs this year after surrendering 18 in 232 2/3 innings a year ago.
Friday was the fourth consecutive game that Lee has not allowed a home run.
Lee continues to give the Phillies a chance to be competitive when he takes the mound, regardless of his won-loss record.
Gotta keep Cole, Doc, and Cliff.— phillyinsd- You've got to credit Amaro for keeping Lee, at least a little, as you KNOW he really wanted to trade him again for a bat. The ONLY thing that kept him from doing so was the resultant backlash he knew he would have gotten from the fans and he really wants to keep his job. Moving Lee would have been occupational suicide for Amaro and he knew it. I can just imagine how giving in to the fan's wishes rubbed him the wrong way, as smug as he is. Still, never say never. Amaro may still get that bug up his a** and trade Lee in the off-season. He can't help himself. Yet, Amaro arrogantly keeps Martinez at the major league level. Why? bBcause Martinez was one of Amaro's Rule 5 draft picks. He has done the same thing with Herndon. This alone proves Amaro doesn't have the team's best interests at heart. It took him forever to get rid of Danys Baez. I'm shocked he was able to bring himself to cut those ties.— ghost of callison
- 168Ks to 26 BBs...Cliff still has it...give him three days out in the woods, and dude will be good to go next year...If RAJ doesn't find a taker,that is.— bearsfriend
- Lee is great from the windup...not so good from the stretch...not so good in the first inning.— fafink
Still no support for this guy - avg 3 runs per game for him - despite LO K/BB ratio as pointed out above. His moxie, mojo are back matching the command and control.
If the Phils don't keep L33,34,35 together next year as a core given all the pieces they need to implant, replant, replace, import and export it would simply boggle the mind. Personally, I don't care about the money and no one else should either. It is a contract that is in place. They print money down at CBP thanks to all of us so I expect improved product all over the field. And replacing L33 with a lesser pitcher or two isn't addition by subtraction. There are other contracts I would shed before his given value, skill decline and replacement opportunities.— 24sDad- That so many fans buy into the media driven histrionics over the money amazes me. They, the Phillies and their owners, have the money. People act like Lee's contract, like Hamel's free agency, the aging core and lousy bullpen were all shocking developments sprung on an unsuspecting Amaro this season rather than issues he was aware of when he aggressively pursued Lee in free agency. The media pushes the idea that they have to "dump" Lee's contract because they will make a meal of that storyline for years to come and that's all they really care about.
Meanwhile, Jeff Francis came into the game with an ERA near 6.00 and the offense could not manage to score a run stranding a small army of base runners. Juan Pierre often looks like a professional playing with a bunch of little leaguers. Frustrating to watch.— fhs77 - It's not a matter if they "have the money"...It's the fact that HE WAS offered at the break...so it's not outrageous to assume (especially when he's picked up HIS performance some, hopefully re-cementing some value) he'll be offered around to certain teams again, if the price is right. If perceived value is on the horizon in the form of minimum starting pitchers (Adam Morgan,Jesse Biddle...Tyler Cloyd,Jon Pettibone), then the Phils will examine it. — bearsfriend
- Hard to figure why they kept MM except until Frandsen arrived none of utility players could replace SS if need arose. Dont buy that Lee can't pitch from windup. All stats point to this as correct but what about 6 previous years when it wesn't an issue. Lee still an elite pitcher who could have won 10-12 games with any support. He had down spell when he somehow reached midway and no wins. He could have felt pressure from this and things snowballed on him. Probabaly not among top 3 pitcher in game still capable of 16-18 wins even being nos. 1 on staff.— Don w
- Totally agree with 24sDad.
The main thing is that Lee did not get any support this year. Very similar to Cole a few years back. At one point, I was afraid that Lee might go diva and rip the team but he held it together. I think sometimes he gets bored and frustrated. He throws strikes at will and just wants the game to move along. The thing I like the best is when he is batting, he is totally focused to help and compete. He doesn't want to give the ab away. If Cloyd & Worley & eventually May & Pettibone want to succeed in the majors. It can't hurt to keep the 3 Aces together to show them how professionals win, lose and compete in the Show.— PhillyinBmore - A day late and a dollar short. I know Lee hasn't gotten much run support but he also hasn't pitched that great this year. We don't hear much about injuries or what he's doing differently good and bad so I hope he figures something out before next season.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- Its a very unusual season for Lee indeed. How does a starting pitcher have an ERA of around 3.50 and only 4 wins at this point in the season? Its not hard to figure out in Lee's case. Lack of offensive support and a bullpen that has blown several leads for him.
If the Phillies get a hitter or two over the winter and shore up the bullpen, Lee will be back to winning 16-18 games next year.— SteveS11 - The last two seasons have been odd...2011 was the "every other month" deal where he was lights out...I enjoy games when he pitches the most, as his pace is superb, he fields, he hits, he runs...Just a true baseball player. — bearsfriend
- lee has been one of the most unlucky pitchers i've ever seen! it would not surprise me if he won 16-20 games next year with some run support! heck jamie moyer won 16 and his era was right around or over 5.00— Ryne Duren
- Another great display of hypocrisy from some of you guys. Six weeks ago, at least half of you posters wanted Lee gone. 'Get what we can for him...save the money...' Perhaps many of the same guys that said Pierre was worthless. Be men and acknowledge you were a bit hasty in your, so-call, expert analysis.— dirttracker
- I never wanted Lee gone, so what you talkin bout WILLIS? I dont think Lee will have a season like this next year, and you can bet the farm on it.
— huntnmike3666 - Lee has better stats across the board than Sabathia who's 13-4 going tonight; presumably Lee would have a simlar record had he taken the Yankees or Rangers offer...as I've been saying all season stop dumping on Lee for the idiotic manager and g.m.— warbiscuit
- PEOPLE ...Look back at his seasons before he won the Cy Young.Cliff was a medicore pitcher.He is still a medicore pitcher very good at times and just as bad at other times.— tobyjoe
- Cliff due for bounceback year next year. Big Piece too. Fill in OF and third base with solid players, don't need superstars. Do need bullpen, although some of the arms from the farm look promising. If only we had the DH, Ruf might be ready. Or trade to AL?— Eephus
