Catching up with Cliff Lee
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Catching up with Cliff Lee
Andy Martino
PEORIA, Ariz.—Today was an important one for the most popular ex-Phillie of the moment, Cliff Lee. He threw his first bullpen session for the Seattle Mariners this morning, after undergoing minor foot surgery this winter. He threw about 45 pitches, and said his foot felt fine.
Of greater potential interest to Phillies Zone readers, Lee reflected beforehand on his time in Philly, and the December trade. Before sitting down and writing the story, I thought I’d pass along some of what he said.
Was he aware how strong of reaction the trade caused in Philadelphia, and how much fans seem to miss him?
“I think that the fans and Philly wanted me and Halladay there, but it’s out of my control, out of my hands. I’m here now, so…Yeah, I guess in a way that makes you feel good that the fans wanted you here.”
How long did it take him to get over the shock?
“A couple days, whatever. It’s not like I was that out of whack about it. It just caught me off guard, really..It just goes to show that you never know what’s going to happen in this game, and that’s part of it. You’re at the mercy of the team. That’s the nature of the game; there’s no way around it. So you’ve got to try to stay positive no matter where you’re at, and try to help the team that you’re on win. That’s it. There’s really nothing you can do.
What did he remember most about being a Phillie?
“Probably just enjoying my time with teammates, the staff there. I enjoyed it. It was a good group of guys. It was a lot of fun, it was something I’ll remember forever.”
Looking back, what did he remember about that transcendant World Series game 1 performance at Yankee Stadium?
“I don’t know. It was just one of those games where it seemed like everything went my way. Everything that could have happened positive did. The behind-the-back play was just a reaction-type deal. I don’t know, it just seemed like the stars where aligned or something. I don’t’ know what was going on there, but it seems like everything that could gone good did.
“It was just something that happened. I was confident and calm, and I felt like I put the work in to get ready, so I just went out there and let it all hang out, and that’s what happened. It was just one of those days when I was able to throw pitches that I wanted to throw in the spots that I wanted to throw them. Everything was just kind of clicking that day, I don’t know."
So it’s kind of hard to explain?
“Yeah, it really is. I really don’t know how to explain it except that everything was working.”
Would he leave open the possibility of returning to the Phils as a free agent after this season?
“That’s a long way from now. Right now I’m a Mariner and it’s hard to sit here and talk about another organization or whatever. For right now, I’m a Mariner and I’m going to make the best of the situation. I’m excited about the guys we’ve got in this clubhouse, and it looks like we’re going to be a pretty good team.
Who has he kept in touch with since the trade?
“I talked to Werth several times throughout the offseason. Victorino a little bit. That’s really it. I didn’t have a whole lot of the guys’ numbers. I wasn’t expecting the last time I saw everybody to be the last time I’d see them in a while. If I would have known it was going to happen this way, I probably would have gotten a few more phone numbers.
Comments (59)
Here's to hoping you return to Philly in 2011!— Philly Jinx- Pure class. Sorry to see him go and wish RAJ would have at least held out a month or so to maximize the Phillies' return, but I've moved on and like Mr Lee, I'm focusing on THIS sesaon and THIS roster. Go Fightins!— dri_as_a_bone
- The pitching rotation we have NOW is possibly the best we have had since Carlton was mowing teams down. The lineup is the best in my memory. I anxiously await the start of the season KNOWING we are the best team in the National League, possibly in all of Baseball.......and yet, ....and yet IT just refuses to leave my mind, IT dances around and whispers "Can't ya see IT??"....I see IT behind my eyelids, and I hear about IT when I speak with like-minded folks! IT would be The General striding out to the mound on the second day of the season! IT would be the absolute BEST team in Baseball! IT would be the certainty of another parade! IT would be the season long watching of the best Phillies team EVER! I must let IT go though....as we all must. Because not to do so would be to slight the wonderful team that the Fightin's will prove to be. Playoff team? More than probably. Division Winner? Probably. Advance beyond the first round of playoffs? Who knows...this is still baseball, but if we had IT...ohhh, if ONLY we had IT(!) Hope The General wins a ton of games for The M's, and I hope the fans love him as much as we do!— TBear
- Come back, Cliff Lee.— ermatt
- I am praying for a miracle to bring him back in 2010. You never know.— ermatt
- i get it. i really do get the baseball/business facts. but i still have hard time accepting passing up that starting rotation that coulda been...— MdeanL
- Cliff Lee was a class act. He was giving the chance to sign but declined. Actually if the GM doesn't sign Moyer for 2 yrs we probably could afford both. Ruben's done a great job but that wasn't his best move. Go Fightins!!— topsul
- Last week a piece on Doug Drabek, and now a piece on Cliff Lee? I can't wait until we start playing games so that you sportswriters have something other than former Phillies to write about ...— chris duckworth
- There is so much more to this than we've been told. It's not about stocking the farm system when they got three guys who may never play in the big leagues and they would have had two first round picks for letting him go in free agency.— Bake McBride
- TBear, you speak, and eloquently so, for the masses!— dasher
- Agree with those above, Lee is a class act. I may actually start keeping an eye on the Mariners games, and become a secondary fan. Never really rooted for an American League team before......— dlscholt
- In the best of all worlds Lee will be returning to the Phillies and this was just away to stock pile. No matter what the Phillies management try to say, trading Lee did not make sense. Moving foward I hope that this does not come back to haunt us. If Lee somehow winds up a Met or Yankee we are screwed.— LCBline
- Stupid trade. YYSSW. Still a stupid trade.
a piece on Doug Drabek?? The Pirates pitcher from the 80's?? Hey Duckworth, what are you smoking that you read a piece on doug Drabek? You must mean Philles "untouchable" prospect, KYLE Drabek. Who we simply couldn't deal last season for Halladay, yet strangely enough, is now wearing Toronto blue. Along with the rest of our promising farm team. Keeping Dominic Brown over Drabek will prove to be another foolish move by Ruben. Aka, Mr. Low Risk/High Reward.— mikestef100- Dickie Thon— Futurama
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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