With two former Indians Cy Young winners taking the hill for the first game of the World Series last night—for other teams—we couldn't help but wonder what it must have been like to be a Cleveland sports fan on that night. They've been through so much already, perhaps more even than Philly fans before we got our most recent parade. So, we checked in with Scott from the great Cleveland blog Waiting For Next Year. Here's what he had to say...
My football team has scored no more than six points in four of seven games. My basketball team is sputtering out of the gate. And my baseball team had been mathematically eliminated before the 4th of July. So what do I have to watch? What do I have to cheer for? I have Cliff Lee.
Admittedly, it is tough to watch the initial game of the fall classic take place with two former Indians on the hill. Two Cy Young award winners, and back-to-back at that. But while watching Cliff Lee toss (yet another) complete game gem, I cannot help but smile.
Why Lee and not Sabathia? A multitude of reasons, really.
Sabathia did an amazing job while he was here, no doubt. But he was offered a ton of money in terms of an extension. Yet all he managed to give back to the Indians – outside of an awful postseason track record – was a full page “Thank You” in the Plain Dealer. Sabathia had his shot in 2007, but could not seal the deal. He was not alone in the collapse, but one player who was not with him in the whole one-game-out journey was Cliff Lee. He was left off of the postseason roster.
After fighting for and winning the fifth spot in the 2008 rotation, Lee went on to win the abovementioned Cy Young. He then desired to open up discussions to have his contract extended. In typical Indians fashion, the front office wanted to wait until the end of the 2009 season to open up said discussions. And it was too late. The Indians imploded, Lee was unhappy. The Indians had their chance to make things right with Lee after brushing him off in the playoffs and then getting a Cy Young performance for pennies on the relative dollar. They had their chance, and then they blew it.
We won’t know what the Lee-to-Philly trade will wind up meaning for the Indians down the road for at least a few seasons. But what I do know is that it is very sweet watching Clifton Phifer Lee mow down the all-too pompous Yankees in their own house. Alex Rodriguez, take a seat. Mark Teixeira was the huge bat added to the absurd New York payroll, but Lee made him look just as silly as the rest of them.
If anything, I’m a bit upset that Lee is just starting to get his long-overdue recognition from the mainstream outlets. I mean, now Lee gets “universal respect?” Many thought that Lee’s 2008 season was a fluke, and I’m sure that there were a handful of Philly fans upset that their team couldn’t swing a deal for Roy Halladay. But anyone that watched him deal last year, and most of his stay in Cleveland – just with woeful run support – knows that Lee has been this “cool” since he came into the bigs.
Trust me when I say that you’re in good hands with Cliff. And I can’t wait to see him get another crack at a repeat performance in Game 4. Lee deserves better than what he was given in Cleveland. Lee deserves that ring.
Cleveland: Living vicariously through others since 1997.
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/10/wo...
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October 28, 2009
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