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In 2007, Lee as bad as he's been good in '08
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
Published on Tuesday, Sep 02, 2008
CLEVELAND: One year to the day after he was recalled from the minors to sit in the bullpen and watch his team in a pennant race, Cliff Lee became an Indians all-timer.
Lee barely labored on a holiday Monday evening, becoming the Indians' first 20-game winner in 34 years.
While Gaylord Perry twice won 20 games for the Indians by . . . ahem . . . placing a foreign substance on the ball, Lee did it more simply.
Work fast. Throw strikes. Keep the ball in play.
''Locate, work ahead and change speeds,'' a subdued but grateful Lee said after the game, a 5-0 win. ''I think that's the key to pitching.''
For the record, Lee said he does not throw a spitball, but he did joke that Perry could teach him one.
The first inning ended with a line-drive double play
that got Lee out of a jam, the last with a ground-ball double play. Between, Lee owned the White Sox.
He blew through Chicago's lineup just like he's been going through every other lineup he's faced all season long.
The ''chirping'' (Lee's word) of Chicago's A.J. Pierzynski from the dugout only motivated Lee and gave the Indians left-hander some extra energy.
''I appreciate that,'' Lee said.
Lee's transformation from a year ago has been evident since April, but it borders on the remarkable.
In 2007, he was as bad as he's been good this season.
After giving up seven runs in three consecutive starts — the first Indians pitchers to do so since 1933 — he was booed off the mound. On his way off the field he tipped his cap — and he didn't do so fondly.
Soon after, he was sent to the minors. He never grasped why, but he went.
He returned in September, but sat in the bullpen except for the rare mop-up appearance. When the playoffs came, he was not even on the roster — and it's hard to believe the discussion about including him took very long.
In the offseason, his name frequently came up in trade talks. The Indians had plenty of starting pitchers, and he had fought the advice given him. The team was ready to send him shipping.
The trades never came to fruition, but not because the Indians were unwilling to part with Lee.
He arrived in spring training and had to win a job as the team's fifth starter.
By Labor Day, he has won 20 games and is the leading candidate to win the Cy Young Award.
Lee's 20th win gave the Indians 66 for the season, meaning he has personally accounted for 30.3 percent of the Indians' victories.
In 1974, Perry accounted for 27 percent of the Indians' wins.
The Indians' list of 20-game winners includes some illustrious names — Addie Joss, Stan Coveleski, Wes Ferrell, Bob Feller, Mike Garcia, Early Wynn and Herb Score.
It also includes some anomalies, like Dick Donovan in 1962. Where will Lee fall?
His 20 wins come from nowhere only in the context of 2007, but he did win 18 games in 2005 and 14 in '04 and '06. For his career, he has won 74 games and lost 38.
Because he forgot how to pitch for one year obviously does not mean he did not know how to pitch.
Lee's 20 wins will not change the Indians' 66-70 record, but his season will match up to any of the best — in all of baseball.
He's the only Indians left-hander to start the All-Star Game; he leads the majors in wins and ERA (2.32).
He also has a chance to have the highest winning percentage of any 20-game winner in baseball history.
His 20-2 mark equals a .909 percentage.
In 1978, Ron Guidry went 25-3 for the Yankees — .893.
In deference to the achievement and in recognition of the way he pitched, Manager Eric Wedge let Lee finish.
He had to end the game by facing Carlos Quentin (36 home runs, 100 RBI). Lee's 109th pitch was his 77th strike, which led to Quentin grounding into a game-ending double play.
Lee pumped his fist and hugged catcher Kelly Shoppach. He then seemed to point to the White Sox dugout.
Wedge described Lee's achievement as ''one of the toughest things to do in the game of baseball right now.''
As the late innings went on, fans started to realize they were seeing a piece of Indians history. The cheers got louder and louder.
As Lee trotted off the mound after each half inning, more and more stood to cheer.
When he raced out to the mound for the top of the ninth, the cheering was robust.
When the game ended, fans gave Lee a standing ovation.
Lee did not tip his cap as he left the field, but waved his glove in recognition, the contrast to a year ago summed up in the way he left the field.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/.
CLEVELAND: One year to the day after he was recalled from the minors to sit in the bullpen and watch his team in a pennant race, Cliff Lee became an Indians all-timer.
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