Tag: Cliff Lee (Page 12 of 17)

      Phillies began long-term extension talks with Lee

      December 9, 2009 /

      According to Mark J. Miller of Yahoo Sports, the Phillies have begun preliminary talks with ace Cliff Lee about a contract extension.

      The Philadelphia Phillies got Cliff Lee this summer and knew he was good, but didn’t know he’d be that good. The guy cruised through the postseason, making behind-the-back catches, stealing a base, seemingly annoying former Phils ace Cole Hamels, and, of course, racking up wins. He went 4-0 in five starts with a 1.56 ERA in the postseason after going 7-4 in 12 starts for Philadelphia in the regular season.

      The Phils would love Lee to continue doing that last one for them for a long time to come and the team and Lee’s agent have apparently entered into talks on a possible long-term contract, according to New York Newsday. Lee’s agent, Darek Braunecker, says that he and the team have had “very preliminary talks” about an extension.

      I’ve always been of the mindset that if a club trades multiple prospects for a player that they should lock said player up long-term. After all, if that player was worth giving up part of your future, then he should be worth a long-term investment.

      Lee was brilliant for the Phillies last year and there’s no reason to think that he can’t be great again over the course of a full season. Philadelphia is built to win now, so it would make sense that they lock up their ace with an extension.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      Phillies pick up Lee’s $9 million option

      November 7, 2009 /

      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      It was a pleasure to watch Cliff Lee during the playoffs. The Phillies left-hander flaunted a studly 1.56 ERA in five starts, finishing 4-0. When the Phillies aquired Lee in late July for four minor leaguers, the former Indian went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA. Given his success, it’s the no wonder the Phillies have decided to pick up his $9 million option for the 2010 season.

      The 31 year-old is a perfect fit for a Phillies club that suddenly lost it’s pitching prowess. Throughout the year, the Phillies dealt with a shaky rotation. Every pitcher on their roster was a risk factor, exluding Lee: Cole Hamels couldn’t find the groove he had in 2008; Joe Blanton lacked confidence in big games; Pedro Martinez couldn’t give you a full nine; Jamie Moyer was hurt; J.A. Happ was a sensation the team couldn’t trust; Brett Myers was still Brett Myers. Cliff Lee brings a calmness and a confidence to a Phillies team with dynasty potential.

      Although Lee’s contract expires after next season, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is open to signing the former Cy Young winner to a long-term deal similar to Yankees zillionaire CC Sabathia. The Phillies have a slew of free agents to juggle, but keeping Lee was obviously a priority. The organization needs to decide what they’re going to do with Pedro Feliz, Matt Stairs, Scott Eyre, Chan Ho Park, Myers, and Martinez. Also of concern are the the expected raises coming to Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz, Chad Durbin, and Blanton.

      I think the Phillies team of next year will look similar to the team that lost to Yankees in this recent World Series. Feliz, Moyer, Stairs, Eyre, and Myers might not be back, but the Phillies should contend for another championship.

      MLB

      Utley keeps season alive for Phillies

      November 3, 2009 /

      In the end, it wasn’t Cliff Lee who saved the Phillies’ season, but second baseman Chase Utley. Okay, so Lee definitely helped. But it was Utley who supplied most of the spark.

      Utley hit two home runs and finished with four RBI as the Phillies hung on to beat the Yankees 8-6 in Game 5 of the World Series on Monday night. Utley hit a three-run dinger in the bottom of the first inning to kick the scoring off for Philadelphia, and then later added a solo shot in the seventh to give the Phillies a much-needed scoring cushion. Only Utley and Reggie Jackson have hit five home runs in a single World Series.

      This is a game that many expected the Phillies to win with Lee on the mound. The ace wasn’t as dominant as he was in Game 1, as he allowed five runs on seven hits, but he did go seven innings to earn the win and only walked three batters.

      With two games left, the Yankees are still in a great position to wrap this series up. It’s hard to beat the same team three times in a row, nevertheless twice on their home field. The pitching matchups also favor the Yankees if the series goes seven games, because CC Sabathia would start Game 7 in New York, while Philadelphia won’t have Lee for that potentially pivotal game.

      That said, crazier things have happened and I’m sure the Phillies are taking things one game at a time. They needed three before tonight and now they only need two. Utley and Lee have given them a shot to come back.

      MLB

      Can Cliff Lee save the Phillies’ season?

      November 2, 2009 /

      The Phillies acquired Cliff Lee at the trade deadline this season to help bolster their starting pitching and help get the back to the World Series. But now that they’re back in the Fall Classic, the Phillies need one more thing from Lee: To save their season.

      Lee will pitch Game 5 against the Yankees tonight in a do-or-die game for the Phillies, who trail 3-1 in the best of seven series. So far, Lee is 3-0 in the postseason and has only allowed two earned runs on 20 hits over 33.1 innings of work. He has also fanned 30 batters, has only walked three and has a sparklingly 0.54 ERA.

      But even though he has been masterful so far, the problem is that this is the second time the Yankees will be facing Lee this week. Even though they lost, the Rockies fared a tad better against Lee in Game 4 of the NLDS than they did in Game 1. And Colorado doesn’t have near the offensive firepower as New York does.

      If the Yankees are going to be crowned world champions tonight, the top of their order must come through, unlike in Game 1 of this series. Outside of Derek Jeter, who had three hits and scored a run, Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez combined to go 1-for-12 against Lee in their first outing. While A-Rod has been on fire since then, he looked lost in all four of his at bats against Lee in New York while striking out three times.

      Time will tell if Lee can continue his dominance in the postseason, or if A.J. Burnett and the Yankees will put the final touches on their championship run.

      MLB

      Yankees take 2-1 series lead with Game 3 win

      November 1, 2009 /

      Apparently all Nick Swisher needed was a fire lit under his ass.

      Swisher, benched in Game 2, homered and doubled in the Yankees’ 8-5 win over the Phillies in Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday night. With the victory, New York takes a 2-1 lead in the best of seven series.

      Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui also went deep for the Bronx Bombers. A-Rod’s shot was memorable because it was the first call overturned by replay in the history of the World Series. He finished 1 for 2 on the night with two RBI and a walk, while Swisher went 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI.

      The Phillies got two home runs from Jayson Werth and one from Carlos Ruiz to take a 3-0 lead in the second inning. But the Yankees answered with two runs in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings on their way to victory. Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels was touched up for five runs on five hits in just 4.1 innings of work. He struck out three and walked two.

      With this win, the Yankees have the Phillies right where they want them because CC Sabathia opposes Joe Blanton tomorrow night. But a win is vital for the Bombers because if they lose, not only will Philly even the series but it’ll also have the momentum with Cliff Lee (who beat the Yankees in Game 1) starting Game 5.

      Tomorrow is critical for Joe Girardi, who decided to start Sabathia on only three days rest. If the Yankees can’t take a 3-1 series lead, then Girardi’s gamble could wind up costing his club.

      MLB

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