Cliff Lee

Lore & Background

Born and raised in Benton, Arkansas, Lee's 91 mph fastball attracted the attention of MLB scouts during his senior year at Benton High School in 1997, but he rejected draft offers twice in order to play college baseball for Meridian Community College and later the Arkansas Razorbacks. Lee finally came to terms with the Expos after his selection in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB draft, and he spent two years in their farm system before a trade to Cleveland in 2002. Lee made his MLB debut with his new team that year, and made his first opening day roster in 2004. His early years in Cleveland were marked by a number of temper flares, appearing to intentionally pitch at his opponents' heads and storming off of the mound, but by 2005, he was an established part of the Indians' starting rotation. The low point of his career, when he was sent back to the minor leagues in 2007, was followed by his Cy Young-winning season, during which he led the American League with a 2.54 earned run average and all of MLB with 22 wins.

In Their Own Story

The sun hangs low over the Rockies' outfield wall, painting the artificial turf in amber. The stands at Coors Field are a deep blue, the altitude making the air feel crisp against your face. On the mound, a lefty in a Colorado uniform winds up, his delivery smooth and unhurried. The crowd has gone quiet in that particular way it does when a pitcher you trust is about to deliver. He releases. The ball leaves his hand with what looks like fastball velocity, but then it doesn't arrive where it should. The batter's swing is a blur, the bat carving empty air. The catcher settles the ball in his mitt without a hop. The umpire's fist rises: strike three. The lefty adjusts his cap, nods once, and steps back into the dirt. The crowd exhales. At this altitude, that pitch was a small miracle, and everyone in the park felt it.

Reader's Guide

The Indians sent Lee to the Phillies at the MLB trading deadline in 2009, and he helped the team reach their second consecutive World Series. There, Lee provided the team with their only two wins, including a 10-strikeout complete game, as Philadelphia lost to the New York Yankees in six games. That offseason, Philadelphia sent Lee to the Mariners as part of a larger deal to acquire Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded again that season, this time to the Rangers, with whom he reached another World Series. There, both of his matchups with fellow ace Tim Lincecum were losses for Lee, and the Rangers lost to the San Francisco Giants. After the 2010 season, Lee turned down a contract offer from the Yankees in order to rejoin the Phillies, where he became part of the 'Four Aces' starting rotation alongside Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. Although he received two more All-Star selections, the remainder of Lee's time in Philadelphia was marked by poor run support, and he did not reach the postseason again after 2011. In 2014, Lee suffered a torn common flexor tendon in his pitching arm and, despite hopes that he would recover without surgery, he did not pitch again.

Did You Know?

• Lee won the Cy Young Award in 2008 while with the Cleveland Indians, not the Philadelphia Phillies.
• He was named Clifton after his maternal grandfather, while Phifer was his mother's maiden name.
• Lee developed his cut fastball under the tutelage of Jupiter Hammerheads pitching coach Ace Adams.