Lee on Phillies: 'You kind of like seeing them lose a little bit'
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Lee on Phillies: 'You kind of like seeing them lose a little bit'
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
SAN FRANCISCO -- Ah yes, baseball is not over. They will play the World Series without the Phillies for the first time in three years.
That doesn't mean this series between the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants fails to offer intrigue for those back in Philadelphia. You know, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is starting Game 1 for the Rangers.
Some Phillies, Jayson Werth included, will be watching Cliff Lee on TV.
"I'm interested to see Cliff pitch Game 1," Werth said Monday.
Well, Lee was interested in the Phillies too. He was watching the National League Championship Series. Oh, he was watching closely.
"Kind of mixed emotions, to be honest with you," Lee said of how he watched the games. "I pulled for a lot of those guys, but it's weird, when a team gets rid of you, you kind of like seeing them lose a little bit."
Hoo boy.
"I know that's weird," Lee continued, "but part of me wanted them to win where I could face them in the World Series, too. It would have been a lot of fun."
No doubt, it would have. Instead of Lee-Tim Lincecum, it could have been Lee-Roy Halladay in Game 1 at Citizens Bank Park, with Lee -- a beloved figure in Philadelphia -- on the mound for the opposing team.
Lee said he would have enjoyed that.
"When a team gets rid of you, it's funny how you have a knack for stepping up a little more when you face them," he said. "There's a little more incentive to beat them, and that's definitely the case with me watching the game.
"I was in between. I didn't want to have to face them or want to have to face the Giants. I let that series play out, and I pulled for those guys individually, but I didn't mind seeing them get beat, either, just because they got rid of me. That is what it is."
So, Phillies fans, are you still rooting for Cliff Lee?
I hope Cliff Lee blows his arm out on the first pitch.- cahris, what part of "just because they got rid of me" did you not understand. Listen to the interview with Missanelli after he was traded and you will see how shocked and hurt he was. Still he has conducted himself with nothing but class since, complimenting the team, the organization and the fans. He was even gracious enough to acknowledge that Halladay was the better pitcher. He did a great job for us and every team he's been on since, and his present and former teammates love him. So, even with Matt Gelb's attempt to twist what he said, I will continue to root for Cliff Lee.— TMcG
Comment removed.- I would still take Cliff Lee back in a heartbeat.— Jerseymagic
- Yes I am rooting for Cliff Lee. Was it his fault he was dumped like he was garbage? I am more a Cliff Lee fan than I am a RAJ fan. And I think Cliff Lee will have no less RBI's this world series than Ryan Howard had in this year's playoffs altogether!— justacarpenter
- I respect his honesty. Hope he resigns with the Phils next season.— robertthomas
- I respect his honesty. Hope he resigns with the Phils next season.— robertthomas
- if and when he ever comes back to pitch against the Phils, he deserves a rousing standing ovation. He did his absolute best for us and, when we unceremoniously dumped him to Seattle, he was in utter shock and quite distressed to be leaving.
In his comments since, he has maintained the same position, that he loved playing here, and that it was the greatest experience he's had as a player. Additionally, when Mike Sweeney became aware that the Phils were looking to bring him in, it was Lee who told him, "go and don't look back. It was the most fun I've ever had playing major league ball."
Nothing he said here about kind of rooting against the team that dumped him should change a thing how we receive him when and if he comes back to pitch against us.— advantasux - I didn't see this comment as directed at the fans. He knows we would have loved to see him stay.— jamesiri
- I'd kill to root for this guy again. And I will pull mightily for him against Timmy and the Giants.
If he ends up with the Yanks after this season, that will just be the final death blow for Phillies fans.— advantasux - Just think Phillies fans. If they had kept Lee, we'd be talking about the imminent departures of Jayson Werth AND Cliff Lee. Wouldn't that be fun?— MCA
- Of course!! Had the Phillies retained Lee, his pitching may have covered for the woeful hitting - sorry, strike outs, taken called 3rd strikes, nub ground balls, foul pop ups, strike outs (oh, yes, I mentioned those already). Cliff Lee is a class act and earned respect and a following. Maybe the Phils can give up on Werth and sign Lee!!!!!!— billtfla
- not sure what this will be worth, if anything, but a published report came out earlier today that Lee's wife was seriously harassed by the idiot Yank fans last week. Here is part of the story:
Lee's wife put off by New York fans
If it's up to Cliff Lee's wife, Kristen, the Rangers seem to have the inside track on signing her husband in the offseason. Perhaps the Rangers' greatest sales pitch simply was having Kristen sit in the visiting family section at Yankee Stadium during the playoffs. She says there were ugly taunts. Obscenities. Cups of beer thrown. Even fans spitting from the section above. "The fans did not do good things in my heart," Kristen says. "When people are staring at you, and saying horrible things, it's hard not to take it personal."
Of course, had this happened in Philly, it would be splashed in every major newspaper and discussed non-stop on every sports talk show. What a joke! But the joke will be on the Yank-mes if Lee decides he won't go there because of this.
— advantasux - Cliff Lee's relationship with Philly amounts to, mixing metaphors here, one great one night stand. As far as Lee and the Phillies fans are concerned, the relationship was ended by the parents. Both sides wanted it to keep on going. Cliff, we hardly knew ya, but my what beautiful memories. Only the best to you.— GA in Blue Bell
- Class guy, great work ethic (and not just during the season), like the Roys'and unlike some of the Phil's position players who have been inconsistent in these areas. Yes, playing hurt and below their healthy capabilities while claiming no physical problems may be macho, but from a team perspective far from classy.— othereader
