Published on June 29, 2011 by Sport Team · No Comments
Back on May 31st, Philadelphia Phillies lefthander Cliff Lee looked downright average, with a 4-5 record and a 3.94 ERA. That wasn’t exactly what the Phillies had in mind when they signed Lee as a free agent in the off season. No worries: as the weather heated up, so did Lee. Lee was sizzling hot in June, with five victories in five starts, and threw three straight complete game shutouts in his last three June starts. He allowed just one run in 42 innings pitched. It doesn’t get much better than that. His record stood at 9-5 with a 2.66 ERA after beating the Boston Red Sox 5-0 on June 28th.
Lee’s ninth win also was the 50th victory of the season for the Phillies against 30 losses, and was the best record in baseball. When Philadelphia signed Lee, the Phillies were expected to be dominant with a starting rotation of Lee, Roy Halladay, Cole Hammels, Roy Oswalt, and some warm body as the fifth starter. Despite some injury issues with Oswalt, it’s all working out according to plan. As we say here at Fikkle Fame, sometimes you’re hot, sometimes you’re not and Cliff Lee is about as hot as it gets right now.