GUEST EDITORIAL : Bravo, Cliff
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Hollywood probably won’t make a movie out of Cliff Lee’s amazing 2008 season for Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians.
Lee’s comeback story, however, is one worth recounting here.
It’s one that we can all feel good about, and not just because he’s a native Arkansan who once pitched for the Razorbacks.
As announced last week, Lee was the runaway winner of this year’s American League Cy Young Award.
There was no question he deserved it after leading the league in wins (22 ) and earned run average (2. 54 ).
Lee has seen his share of ups and downs over the course of his seven-year Major League career. In 2005 he won 18 games, but he turned in mediocre numbers in 2006.
The next year was much worse; injuries nagged him from the start, and hitters knocked him around mercilessly.
The home crowd booed him. Midway through the 2007 season, he was demoted to the minors.
Frankly, his best days seemed to be behind him.
But Lee, a Benton native, never lost faith in his ability, and if he was discouraged by his demotion, he didn’t let it show.
Instead, he worked hard during the last offseason and in spring training won the last spot in the Indians’ pitching rotation. And suddenly, Lee could do no wrong. He just kept winning games. One year after being sent to the minors, he was starting the All-Star Game for the American League. (He pitched two scoreless innings. ) He was remarkably, consistently good throughout the season. Besides the Cy Young, Lee also won the Comeback Player of the Year Award. So congratulations to you, Cliff. Your hard work and patience paid off. Now go get that World Series ring.
—Benton County Daily Record
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