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Do IT this week: Layering
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
POSTED: 06:20 p.m. EDT, Jul 22, 2009
If being professional means doing your best when things are their worst, then Cliff Lee has held up his end of the bargain.
The Indians are struggling through a depressingly dismal season, but Lee just keeps on keeping on.
He threw his second complete game in a row Tuesday night, and he did something that he had only done one other time this season: Win when the Indians scored fewer than three runs.
The two-run total was the 14th time this season that the Indians scored three runs or fewer in a game that Lee started.
All of Lee's losses have come in those games.
If you don't think that's discouraging to a pitcher, then you believe Ben Roethlisberger is walking on air these days.
Lee has been stellar in a dismal season.
In fact, the case could be made that he's almost as good as he was a year ago, when he won the Cy Young Award.
Lee ranks sixth in the American League in ERA (3.17), first in innings pitched (145), ninth in strikeouts (103) and third in complete games (three).
Only once has Lee lasted fewer than five innings. He's lost games by scores of 2-0, 3-1, 3-1, 1-0, 4-3, 3-1 and 3-2.
But for two bad outings — yes, it would have been lovely in Johnstown that day but for the rain — Lee would be right where he was a year ago.
In two of his starts, the opener against the Texas Rangers and a June game against the Chicago White Sox, Lee threw eight innings and gave up 14 runs.
Eliminate those two quagmires from the equation and his ERA for the season is 2.54, which is right at his 2.54 ERA of the Cy Young season.
The only difference in the Lee of 2009 from the Lee of 2008 is the win total, which is caused by the team around him.
A year ago, the Indians averaged 4.9 runs in his starts. This season, they're averaging 2.9. That's the difference between being a Cy Young winner and being 6-9.
It did not seem possible that Lee could repeat his '08 season, but he's come awful close.
He has become one of the most effective No. 1 starters in baseball. Consider his durability. In 2007, he was injured early in the season and struggled late. That has been the only blip since 2004.
Every other year, he started at least 30 games, which he figures to do again this year.
Last season, Lee's strikeout-to-walk ratio was off the charts at 5.00.
This season, he's at 3.12, which is still outstanding — and more than a third higher than the league average of 1.96. CC Sabathia's ratio: 2.41.
In short, the Indians have quite a pitcher on their hands.
And he is under contract through the end of next season for $8 million, about one-third of what Sabathia will earn to be about as effective with the New York Yankees.
So when you read on Yahoo! Sports about Philadelphia Phillies scouts being in Toronto to check out Lee, and you hear his name bandied about in every trade rumor from Toronto to Tasmania, you pause.
Because trading him would turn the lake into a dry bed with spots of water.
There are a lot of factors at play with Lee.
Will he stay long term with the Indians? The trend certainly has been against it. Guys prove themselves in Cleveland, then go for the big money elsewhere. The Indians got nothing for Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez, so they traded Sabathia.
He got the big money in New York.
It's a safe bet that Lee, who was sent to the minors in 2007, will go for the big payday.
How long can he pitch this well?
His durability is impressive, but he's 31, which is usually a point when a pitcher is at the end of his prime.
Is he now at his peak when it comes to trade value?
There's not much doubt when answering that question.
How does the economy affect the long-term planning?
This season will take a large toll on the Indians' finances, which might mean a lower payroll next season and less money to spend down the road. Every other team might suffer as well, but the inequity in baseball's system means that the larger-market teams will always have more money to spend.
Starting pitchers like Lee do not come around often.
The Indians traded one of them last season — for reasons that stunk but were real and understandable.
If they decide to trade another, the return best be something that's tangible and real.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohio.com/mcmanamon/. Follow Pat on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/patmcmanamon.
If being professional means doing your best when things are their worst, then Cliff Lee has held up his end of the bargain.
The Indians are struggling through a depressingly dismal season, but Lee just keeps on keeping on.
He threw his second complete game in a row Tuesday night, and he did something that he had only done one other time this season: Win when the Indians scored fewer than three runs.
The two-run total was the 14th time this season that the Indians scored three runs or fewer in a game that Lee started.
All of Lee's losses have come in those games.
If you don't think that's discouraging to a pitcher, then you believe Ben Roethlisberger is walking on air these days.
Lee has been stellar in a dismal season.
In fact, the case could be made that he's almost as good as he was a year ago, when he won the Cy Young Award.
Lee ranks sixth in the American League in ERA (3.17), first in innings pitched (145), ninth in strikeouts (103) and third in complete games (three).
Only once has Lee lasted fewer than five innings. He's lost games by scores of 2-0, 3-1, 3-1, 1-0, 4-3, 3-1 and 3-2.
But for two bad outings — yes, it would have been lovely in Johnstown that day but for the rain — Lee would be right where he was a year ago.
In two of his starts, the opener against the Texas Rangers and a June game against the Chicago White Sox, Lee threw eight innings and gave up 14 runs.
Eliminate those two quagmires from the equation and his ERA for the season is 2.54, which is right at his 2.54 ERA of the Cy Young season.
The only difference in the Lee of 2009 from the Lee of 2008 is the win total, which is caused by the team around him.
A year ago, the Indians averaged 4.9 runs in his starts. This season, they're averaging 2.9. That's the difference between being a Cy Young winner and being 6-9.
It did not seem possible that Lee could repeat his '08 season, but he's come awful close.
He has become one of the most effective No. 1 starters in baseball. Consider his durability. In 2007, he was injured early in the season and struggled late. That has been the only blip since 2004.
Every other year, he started at least 30 games, which he figures to do again this year.
Last season, Lee's strikeout-to-walk ratio was off the charts at 5.00.
This season, he's at 3.12, which is still outstanding — and more than a third higher than the league average of 1.96. CC Sabathia's ratio: 2.41.
In short, the Indians have quite a pitcher on their hands.
And he is under contract through the end of next season for $8 million, about one-third of what Sabathia will earn to be about as effective with the New York Yankees.
So when you read on Yahoo! Sports about Philadelphia Phillies scouts being in Toronto to check out Lee, and you hear his name bandied about in every trade rumor from Toronto to Tasmania, you pause.
Because trading him would turn the lake into a dry bed with spots of water.
There are a lot of factors at play with Lee.
Will he stay long term with the Indians? The trend certainly has been against it. Guys prove themselves in Cleveland, then go for the big money elsewhere. The Indians got nothing for Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez, so they traded Sabathia.
He got the big money in New York.
It's a safe bet that Lee, who was sent to the minors in 2007, will go for the big payday.
How long can he pitch this well?
His durability is impressive, but he's 31, which is usually a point when a pitcher is at the end of his prime.
Is he now at his peak when it comes to trade value?
There's not much doubt when answering that question.
How does the economy affect the long-term planning?
This season will take a large toll on the Indians' finances, which might mean a lower payroll next season and less money to spend down the road. Every other team might suffer as well, but the inequity in baseball's system means that the larger-market teams will always have more money to spend.
Starting pitchers like Lee do not come around often.
The Indians traded one of them last season — for reasons that stunk but were real and understandable.
If they decide to trade another, the return best be something that's tangible and real.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohio.com/mcmanamon/. Follow Pat on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/patmcmanamon.
Comments
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Paradise, Oh
Posted 06:41 PM, 07/22/2009
I hate being a farm team for major league teams!
It really blows!
Akron, OH
Posted 06:46 PM, 07/22/2009
Mr Patrick M
I like your analysis. But, what are Shapiro and Dolan going to do about Lee. They are going to treat him as a piece of meat. I wish that those two guys were not around.
Canton, OH
Posted 06:57 PM, 07/22/2009
Major League BaseBall needs to change the way in which they conduct business. . They need a salary cap. . If not, we will keep getting what we are getting : BoSox, Yankees, Dodgers, Angels do well. .Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Kansas City, etc. ( Small Market Teams ) keep being groomers & providers of talent to the aforementioned rich clubs. . .
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 10:08 PM, 07/22/2009
try trading wedge...then the team might improve
both martinez and lee need to be the core for the future
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 07:36 AM, 07/23/2009
We all know Lee will be gone by July 31st. Cheapskate Dolan is ripping this team apart because he can't afford to be an owner of a potential championship team with good quality players who earn a good dollar. This is just so sad for Tribe fans. Martinez was almost gone to Boston too, but he'll proably be gone too.
Naples, FL
Posted 08:27 AM, 07/23/2009
Until MLB changes the inequities of its salary structure and establishes a salary cap, the Indians will always be a "farm team for major league teams". I don't blame the Dolans, who don't have the cash that other owners do, nor do I blame the Steinbrenners or the other wealthy owners for playing within the existing rules. The blame is on all the owners and the MLBPA for their greed and for the fans for allowing it by supporting it, myself included as I pay my $200 a year for the MLB package to watch this poor Indians team from Florida.
Posted 01:04 PM, 07/23/2009
GO AWAY GRUMP.
