Lee owes it to baseball to start Sunday, if at all possible
Posted on September 26th, 2008 – 10:07 PMBy Joe Christensen
Cleveland pitcher Cliff Lee is a safe bet to win the AL Cy Young Award, but he might miss a chance to become a unanimous selection — a la Johan Santana in 2006 — if he skips Sunday’s start against the White Sox.
I know because I have one of the 28 votes.
Lee is questionable for Sunday’s start because of a stiff neck. He played catch before Friday’s game in Chicago and told reporters the injury is still nagging him.
“I’m not putting myself in a position to get hurt any worse,” Lee told mlb.com.
He added, “It almost feels like I slept on it weird. It’s a little more sore now than before because I pitched the other night. Hopefully it’s one of those things that just fades away and isn’t serious.”
Call me cynical, but I believe Lee would be probable — not questionable — for Sunday’s start if Cleveland needed a win Sunday to reach the playoffs. I also believe he would make that start if he was trailing in the Cy Young race.
In that spirit, with the White Sox and Twins battling for a playoff spot, I believe Lee owes it to his sport to start. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he wished Lee would “start all three games [in Chicago],” but he wasn’t questioning Cleveland’s judgment.
“Goodness, he’s thrown a lot of innings this year,” Gardenhire said. “If he has a neck problem, and they are not going to pitch him, that’s a health reason. … That’s protecting your own guy for the next year.”
Obviously, I don’t think Lee should start if he could do long-term physical damage. But if this start makes his neck stiffer, he’ll be making his next start (Opening Day) on about 215 day’s rest.
I keep hearing what a competitor he is. Well, he was in the minors much of last year while Cleveland made its run to the ALCS. This year, injuries wiped out Cleveland’s playoff chances by May.
Since then, Lee has made several starts that have had zero impact on the pennant race — his five-hit shutout of the White Sox on Sept. 1 notwithstanding. Anyway, this is another chance.
I imagine if Lee doesn’t pitch, the story will be that Cleveland manager Eric Wedge made the decision for him.
“If he doesn’t want to pitch, then I don’t want him out there,” Twins right fielder Denard Span told mlb.com. “I want somebody that is going to go out there and win, Eric Wedge. … If Cliff Lee doesn’t want to win, sit on the bench.”
Listen, I’m not saying I won’t make Lee my No. 1 Cy Young choice if he doesn’t pitch Sunday, but it will factor into my decision. Roy Halladay has had a terrific season, too. On Thursday, he improved to 20-11 with his ninth complete game of the season.
CLIFF LEE
22-3, 2.54 ERA
223.1 IP, 4 CG, 2 SHO
170 K, 34 BB
1.11 WHIP, .633 opponents’ OPS
6.13 run support average
(Cleveland entered Friday 79-80)
ROY HALLADAY
20-11, 2.78 ERA
246 IP, 9 CG, 2 SHO
1.05 WHIP, .621 opponents’ OPS
4.72 run support average
(Toronto entered Friday 84-75)
Just sayin’.
42 Responses to "Lee owes it to baseball to start Sunday, if at all possible"
Way to use that leverage, Joe! I’m proud of you - that takes guts. Stick to your guns buddy.
Way to go Joe! I think Lee is just miffed that the Twins were able to beat him this year when he was virtually untouchable by AL teams.
Halladay might be the better choice anyway.
If Lee has a stiff neck, there is a chance that he compensates and throws off his mechanics enough to cause a more serious injury. Pitching a baseball is one of the most violent physical non-contact actions a person can perform, which is why pitchers are injured at a substantially higher rate than positional players. Why would you risk injury to your best starting pitcher in a meaningless game at the end of the year if he is suffering from a physical malady. Pitchers are frequently shut down for the year near the end of the season as a precautionary measure. Heck, the Twins get the benefit of avoiding Greinke this series for that precise reason. Where is the outrage there about the Royals not fielding their best team?
Moreover, why is Denard Span popping off about this subject? Take care of your own games against the putrid Royals first, which the Twins most certainly did not do tonight. This whole blog posting sounds like a petty rant written by a middle school student.
Lee owes nothing to baseball. If his neck is sore or something else is hurting, it is career first, spoiler second.
Lee is a punk. He proved to be so when GoGo had the audacity to bunt on him (loser). But the playoffs are in the Twins hands. It is up to the team to take control and win the thing.
I support Joe C. and his vote for Doc.
I’m Heatonator and I approve this message.
If I remember correctly, the Twins had a pitcher once who was in the running for the ERA title. I believe we held him out of his last start, and he won the title. Anyone remember? Alan Anderson, maybe?
I hope though that if he can pitch and would pitch if the Indians season on the line that he would suck it up and pitch. Problem is nobody can be sure what to any extent he has an injury, only Cliff Lee knows. I would hope he is not playing to spite anyone or get out of a start.
Roy Halladay for Cy Young.
22 and 3 (?) is one of the best “records” I can remember witnessing unfold since I’ve been an active baseball mind.
Truth be told though, Halladay has the better “numbers” over the surprisingly impressive Lee.
I’m willing to go on record, even though its for naught, to say that Halladay is most deserving to receive CY Young in the AL.
9 complete games, 20 wins and fewer runs support by almost a buck and a half…
Not completely hands down, but my elbows are on the table and my palms are facing downward.
Halladay is one of the most consistent and deserved pitchers of the last few years. Not to mention he is a through and through competitor thats never afraid to challenge a batter or himself for that matter.
He has my vote for CY Young.
Lee hates Gomez and the Twins. He’s doing this on purpose.
Lee deserves the Cy Young. Grow up, Joe.
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What Paul said.
Good for you Joe. Paul and Kevin are a cute couple from Cleveland.
If he pitches, he gets your vote. I like that.
This subject is straight out of high school homeroom.
If the Twins can’t beat KC, its not Cliff Lee’s duty ‘TO THE SPORT’ to save their undeserving butts.
1.get an MRI
2.if negative, get chiro or osteopathic treatment
3.pitch
4.accept awards
5.go to Dysneyworld!!!!!!
Looking at those numbers, regardless of whether Lee pitches on Sunday or not, I’m inclined to say Halladay deserves it more - more CG, almost as many wins with less run support, lower WHIP with more IP…It’s just not as good a story or something because Halladay has won it before and didn’t suck before this season?
Also, you left out Halliday’s L/BB numbers.
206 K/ 29 BB
A sizable advantage over Lee.
Joe:
I hope you are writing this tongue-in-cheek. 
Cliff Lee is the Cy Young award winning this year. I get so tired on media members voting for awards (MVP, Cy Young, Heisman, etc…) with personal interest in mind. These guys work hard and perform well then some middle-aged or older guy with an East Coast bias can’t see past their personal flaws to vote for the deserving party. Cliff, if you can pitch and beat the White Sox, thank you very much and I will give you a standing applause the next time you are in town pitching to say thanks! If not, you had a great season and congratulations on your award.
Halladay has also had to pitch against the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays and Orioles frequently. As a group these teams have scored more runs than the teams Lee has had to pitch against more White Sox, Twins, Royals, Tigers.
I would vote for Halladay if Lee pitches or not. Just because his teammates have scored more runs for Lee than Halladay doesn’t make Lee the better pitcher.
To clarify, I have no problem with Joe C., or any other BBWAA member for that matter, casting their first place Cy Young vote for Halladay over Lee. A decent case can be made for either pitcher. But do it based on the complete body of work over the course of the whole season, not on a petty squabble about Lee making his final start of the year.
The Star Trib writers are already a joke among the baseball community for their crazy voting patterns - LEN3 leaving Pedro off his MVP ballot altogether in 1999, Souhan refusing to consider Matsui as a rookie in 2003, and Reusse voting Bret Boone, Roberto Alomar and Mariano Rivera (the only top-3 vote Rivera received) above Giambi in the 2001 MVP race. Joe C.’s “homer” attitude toward this year’s Cy Young race only serves to further solidify this stereotype of MSP as a baseball backwater.
Would you all rather see Lee go out and throw 138 pitches in a meaningless game (from his team’s perspective) to justify his Cy candidacy, as Bruce Bochy recently allowed Tim Lincecum to do? That is insanity, and placing the long term future of your franchise at risk in pursuit of immediate glory.
gmurray13 echoes my sentiments exactly on judging the two Cy Young candidates on who they’ve pitched against.
Lee does owe it to baseball, the sport responsible for him being financially set for life, to make the start on Sunday IF he’s healthy. Get out there and if he doesn’t have it, have Wedge come get ya.
Wade, where did you read in Joe’s posting that he IS voting for Halladay for sure? He’s making discussion and chiming in with his opinion. Doesn’t look like he’s committed. He makes a good point about Halladay’s season. If you were starting a team, would you rather have Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee as your #1 starter. I’d be willing to bet that anyone outside the state of Ohio would take Halladay.
“I’d like to have shoe-horn hands”
I want Cliff Lee to pitch on Sunday as much as anyone, but if he “owes it to baseball”, then Zach Grienke “owes it to baseball” to pitch against the Twins. The White Sox have as much reason to be annoyed with him as Twins fan do to be annoyed with Lee.
All our Twins MadDog JunkYard Mutts have to do is win the next 2, and let the chips fall where they may elsewhere. OUR magic number is 3. LET’S GO PUPS!!!! WIN TWINS!!!!
Kevin, re-read Joe’s post:
“Cleveland pitcher Cliff Lee is a safe bet to win the AL Cy Young Award, but he might miss a chance to become a unanimous selection — a la Johan Santana in 2006 — if he skips Sunday’s start against the White Sox. I know because I have one of the 28 votes.”
“Listen, I’m not saying I won’t make Lee my No. 1 Cy Young choice if he doesn’t pitch Sunday, but it WILL factor into my decision.” (emphasis added)
I never assumed that Joe C. would definitely vote for Halladay, but he is strongly implying he would if Lee skips this final start. Again, I don’t care which of the two wins the Cy Young, and I would take Halladay in a heartbeat to start a must-win game. Just don’t make your selection based on a petty, emotional response. The Strib writers should be professional enough to keep their hometown rooting interests in check when handing out postseason hardware.
“Listen, I’m not saying I won’t make Lee my No. 1 Cy Young choice if he doesn’t pitch Sunday, but it WILL factor into my decision.” (emphasis added)
That’s your emphasis added, not Joe’s
We have enough political candidates twisting words around lately, don’t join the fray.
in the final analysis, these awards are pretty ridiculous. i have a friend in the biz who won’t vote blyleven for hof because of his churlish personality (fart jokes, etc.) and endless self-promotion. relatively speaking, that means mozart wouldn’t make the classical music hof.
“in the final analysis, these awards are pretty ridiculous. i have a friend in the biz who won’t vote blyleven for hof because of his churlish personality (fart jokes, etc.) and endless self-promotion. relatively speaking, that means mozart wouldn’t make the classical music hof.”
Or how about Jack Morris not making the HOF in part because of his less than jovial nature with the media during his career?
What about K-Rod for Cy-Young? He is a record-spashing pitcher and has had a better year. If the Cy-Young isn’t for the best pitcher, MLB should make up a new award for best starting pitcher ala the Rolaids Releif Pitcher of the Year. Maybe they could create the Dole Salads Starting Pitcher of the Year award?
@ Kevin Luckow:
“Or how about Jack Morris not making the HOF in part because of his less than jovial nature with the media during his career?”
Jack Morris is not in the HOF because of his 3.90 lifetime ERA (with nary a single season below 3.00), not because of his surly disposition with the media. Jack was a very good pitcher over an extended period, yes, but never a dominant force deserving of enshrinement in Cooperstown.
And since when is emphasizing one word in a direct, complete quote considered “twisting” of words? The emphasis is to show that Joe C. said he will definitely (not maybe) consider Lee’s final turn, or lack thereof, in his voting. In no way did I take that quote out of context.
Wade, you don’t have to agree with Joe’s position, but it is not clear Lee is actually hurt. At one point, Wedge was quoted as saying Lee would pitch is the division was not decided. But I’m not sure how much stock one can put in Wedge’s words anyway. Apparently, Lee just wants to start his vacation. His reaction to Gomez’ bunts is an indication of his character. Glad you are on his side.
By the way, after Allan Anderson sat out, he was never the same. Karma…meet Cliff Lee.
As for Span, how can you criticize him? All he said was if Lee doesn’t want to win, he can sit. If the shoe fits…
@Wade. Read my posts a little better, will ya? Did you not read the part and I will emphasize it for you
“Or how about Jack Morris not making the HOF IN PART because of his less than jovial nature with the media during his career?”
He was judged by many to be the best pitcher in the 1980’s and has 4 World Series rings, 3 of them he had a large part in getting. I guess you must’ve taken my statement out of context too.
Fans and writers have to stop putting so much credence on wins and losses and look deeper at the stats. Joe brings up very valid points.
Remember a few years ago when Colon got the Cy over Johan, because he had what, 21 wins? WE all know Johan was considerably better - in fact many thought he pitched better that year, than the year before when he DID win the CY.
It is NOT hands down Lee’s award. Hell, six plus runs a game and you’d BETTER win a whole bunch of games. Look at Matsuzaka.
And it IS important to the integrity of the game, if you can pitch, but sit. It is remembered.
Yes, it was Alan Anderson that sat out his last start to win the ERA title. Unfortunately, he was a young kid at the time and out very own Bert Blyleven (his teammate) talked him out of the start.
“He was judged by many to be the best pitcher in the 1980’s”
Jack Morris was the “winningest” pitcher of the 1980’s, due to the fact that he played on some awesome Tigers teams, but anyone who thinks Morris was the BEST pitcher of that (or any other) decade is flat-out smoking crack. There are about a dozen pitchers who pitched the full decade span who compiled a much better ERA than Morris, such as Fernando, Dave Stieb, Mike Scott, and even Joe Niekro. Removing the arbitrary cutoff point of having started prior to 1980, you can include pitchers like Doc Gooden, Clemens and Hershiser, who were all FAR better pitchers during the latter half of the decade.
And as far as Morris being this ultimate champion with a fistful of WS rings, not once was he the true “ace” on any of the three teams where he played a significant role. Dan Petry had better numbers in 1984… both Scott Erickson and Kevin Tapani were better pitchers during the 1991 regular season… and Juan Guzman was far superior to Morris on the 1992 Jays. The fact that Morris was on so many of these WS squads does not prove squat. He was a mercenary who wanted to go play for good teams on high dollar, short term contracts. I would compare him to Charles Haley in football or Robert Horry in basketball - very good players who were excellent at their role and seemed to bring extra intangibles to push their teams over the top to a championship. But does this place them among the elite players of their generation? Not in the least.
Right on, Joe. Stiff neck? You are a big leaguer-get a freakin’ rubdown, MAN UP and get your ass out there. It’s a stiff neck, people, not pain in his elbow! Redmond walked around last season w/a broken finger in a cup of ice for a month! He wouldn’t let team doctors even look at the thing, he insisted on playing. Poor pampered pitcher, afraid he will be tagged w/a loss and his winning percentage will go down and he will not make history. Lee is a baby-remember when Gomez dared to bunt on him w/2 strikes? The game nor the opponent caters to your whims.
Way to take one for the team, Joe. Halladay is more worthy in every other stat except W-L.
Oh Wade, you are so precious. Morris, a mercenary? I see your point there, but it goes to show you how great Morris is in that he was able to look beyond the Twins 74-88 1990 record and see a team that would win him a World Series ring the next season.
Tapani and Erickson were better in 1991? Were you watching the same year I was? Erickson was a one trick pony, a pony that was average at best the last half of the season, Tapani was decent, but when it came down to it when the Twins needed a big win, it was Morris delivering it. How did the careers of Tapani and Erickson go after 1991, seems to me once Morris left, neither were the same again.
Well, where can I send my get well card to Cliff Lee? Then again, in all fairness I should be cranking one out to Zach Greinke. I wish I had a job where I got paid whether I went out and did my job or not.
[…] enough, otherwise they would’ve been crowned champs by now; and no matter how many weak veiled threats to take it out on Cliff Lee only because he didn’t pitch are thrown out, they still lost to […]
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times said on Baseball Tonight that he’s voting for Roy Halladay for Cy Young based on alot of the statistical reasons pointed out on here.
