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?
@ Horst Muhlman: Like you, I sometimes agree with Colin Cowherd and sometimes not; his observation on Lee is an interesting one. And, I don't think your hunch is all that off -- I remember having conversations with my brother last year about Lee's effect in the clubhouse and whether it was affecting Cole, specifically. Basically, I see the situation much more simply than some: Amaro always coveted Halladay; I think he saw a chance to get him -- and lock him up beyond 2010 -- and took it, while also trying to be mindful of a ballooning payroll.— AmyC822- I love watching this guy pitch. No reason to stop now...
- Nothing wrong with what he said. I'd be upset too if the team I wanted to play for didn't make a counter offer and because of that I will most likely have been on 4 different teams all in a year's span. Still a class guy. The only one who looks bad here is Amaro.— awl
- How could anyone trade Lee after what he did last year for us, and then get nothing in return? In general Amaro is very good, but to insult the intelligence of everyone in baseball to continually say it was to build the farm system back up is ridiculous. If he isn't man enough to admit his mistake by now and stop lying to himself, then he should be gone.— Whiz_Kids
- If the Phillies had won, and played the Rangers in the World Series, Cliff would have gotten a standing ovation at CBP when he was introduced.— guitarman
- great as always --and candid too -- the single best player in the post-season and it's stuborn stupidity to argue that Halladay's competency is anywhere close to Lee's greatness --Philies are unlikely to return to World Series while Lee will continue playing and winning many more WS for Rangers and/or Yanks -- Amaro will never be able to make up for this collosal mother blunder of all bunders....— warbiscuit
@advantasux came closest to what I said earlier. Forget Amaro as anything more than a front man, just as Montgomery fills a similar role. Gillick at least had talent in which to work some magic, even when constrained by management. This is all about the faceless ownership of this team we love. Ever since that carnival huckster Bill Giles took over after the Carpenter family sold out, this team has been under the ownership of a bunch of classless money counting clowns, the "teflonics" as Conlin calls them. Ruly and the Carpenters were class, and you had an accountable owner. Now, you have the men and women behind the curtain, with Amaro their willing puppet, selling a fraud to the public, to hide the agenda of one item: MAKING $$$$$$. If unloading Lee would help that cause, it was done. I love Doc, but the Phils could have had both. Amaro is merely a puppet on the string held by the ownership looking to squeeze every dollar they can from this team, and the loyal fans. Bring back ONE owner. PS: On a happier note, this Phillyboy is coming home Sunday, after ten years in the rotten apple!! I love Philly!!- When the Phillies traded for Mike Sweeney, he was quoted as saying that Lee told him in Spring Training when they were teammates with the Mariners that the Phillies had a "great team, and a better clubhouse." - - - - - So, I'm rooting for Cliff more than ever.— PhightinPhil
- @advantasux - - - - Very well put.— PhightinPhil
- Phillyboy, great post and welcome back to Philly.
Warbiscuit, always great to see you in print, especially when the topic is the boy wonder GM and his arrogance in dealing Cliff Lee and then lying about it to scam the public. Not sure if you read an earlier post from SamCrow but he had it completely right: this deal will never be forgotten, just as 5 for 1 Von Hayes isn't and just as Ryne Sandberg isn't. I know what's coming next from other posters, a challenge as to why I would want Lee for one year instead of Halladay for 3. Can people really still believe that? Did peopel really buy that from Ruben and the Inqy and Daily News boys on his payroll?— advantasux - Rangers Looks Like A Potential Dynasty, Especially If They Sign Mr. Lee ... I Would Say Cliff Lee Wins 3 Games This Series, But The Rangers Will Probably Sweep ... They Have The Eye Of The Tiger, Something We Need To Re-Find ... Dismantled The Yankees ? And Made It Look Easy ? The Cliff Lee Trade Was The Deal That Got Them There ... They Should Send Some Pink Rose's To Rube As A Back-Handed Thank You ... Halladay vs Lee Would Have Been Great, But Halladay Lost To The Giants, Not Delivering His End Of The Bargain, While Lee Shut Down The More Formidable Rays Twice And The Yankees ... Will Be Proven To Be The Worst Trade In Philly History ...
Oh Yes I'll Watch Him, Because He Should Still Be Here ... Thanks Rube— jimiburnz - Halladay had a better year.— p-diddy
He's a winner. The Phillies will be watching him pitch on TV as we go into November. End of discussion- I'll be rooting for the Texas Rangers and Cliff Lee! The Giants didn't win the NL Pennant, the Phillies simply lost it. But that said, its the Giants versus the Rangers. I hate to root for anything from State of Texas, but I think they deserve it more than San Francisco.— BaseballinReading
- Trade Victorino and Ibanez and get a young, talented, up and coming right handed bat, outfielder . . . to go with Brown and Francisco . . .— petergou
