SOT Holy Crap the Phillies Got Cliff Lee- Best Starting 4 Pitchers Ever??

[vintagecpa]

As a Braves fan, I've certainly heard better news before. It will be interesting to see how many wins this team will get if everyone stays healthy. I'm not the biggest oswalt fan.

[vintagesportscollector]

There has a been a lot of talking about Lee walking away from big bucks, but unless I am missing something, I don’t see how that is quite the case. IMO this was a no brainer for Lee, if he wanted to pitch in Philly. The media is spinning the less money angle, because it makes for a dramatic story, but talk about him forgoing big bucks is just not the reality. He can easily earn the amount of the Yanks contract over the 7 year period. Yankees were guaranteeing 154M for 7 years. Lee’s Philly deal is 120M for 5 years (which is more annually per year), and includes an easily reachable vesting option for a sixth year for $27M. That’s 6 years for $147M.

Yes, technically he is guaranteed more, but if he vests for the 6th year in Philly, he was only guaranteed $7M more for the 7th year – which is nothing. He can limp up to the mound in the 7th year for $7M. He can easily sign an extension or a new contract after the 5th year with the Phills and achieve as much, if not more, than the Yanks deal. If he stays healthy – this was a no brainer.

[cfc1909]

Anthony has it
Palmer-McNally-Cuellar- Dobson-4, 20 game winners. The Phillies have a chance at this-we will see.

[kcohen]

Ah Jim. Your opinion doesn't count. You're biased.

[cfc1909]

Originally Posted by kcohen

Ah Jim. Your opinion doesn't count. You're biased.

correct Ken...

[fkw]

Giants bullpen keeps them in same league as the Phillies staff, and in 3 years with those aging Phillies starters....who knows

Lets see if the Phillies even win 100 games in 2011?
Will be interesting

2001 Mariners were 116-46 .........They led the majors in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed.

[sox1903wschamp]

Originally Posted by fkw

2001 Mariners were 116-46 .........They led the majors in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed.

And then went 4-6 in the post season. Again, to Bob's point, once in the playoffs, anything can happen (87 Twins).

[tedzan]

The salary deal with the Phillies ($120M/5 years) is better than the Yankees deal. Anyhow, my guess is that the following 2 factors influenced
Lee to sign with the Phillies......

His wife really got misstreated at one of the Play-Off games at Yankee Stadium this Fall. Supposedly, some drunk characters sitting next to her
were crude & rude. And, she wasn't that fond of New York to begin with. Wives certainly make the difference when it comes to major decisions
such as this one.

More importantly, Cliff Lee's 9-year old son, Jaxon, was stricken with myeloid leukemia when he was 4 months-old. While Cliff Lee was pitching
for the Phillies, Lee and his family found a Philadelphia hospital that they were quite comfortable with in treating their son.

In any event, I hope for the best for his family, and I'm very happy that Cliff has returned to Philly.


TED Z

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by cfc1909

Anthony has it
Palmer-McNally-Cuellar- Dobson-4, 20 game winners. The Phillies have a chance at this-we will see.

Nope...when is the last time we've even had 4 20 game winners in an entire league? It'll never happen again with 5 man rotations, pitch counts and the babying of major league pitchers.

[barrysloate]

Don't we all agree that $100 million is a lot of money? Once you reach that level, you take the job that you feel will make you happiest, even if the other one pays more.

[judsonhamlin]

Barry - I agree - once you hit those kind of numbers, how much more does one need? Happiness should count at that oint.

Also, I'll see your Orioles and raise you the 1954 Indians: Feller, Lemon, Wynn and Garcia, with Hal Newhouser thrown in for kicks - that's four HOFer's on one staff.

[bbsports]

This deal having Lee going to the Phillies reminds me somewhat to the LeBron James deal to Miami. I'm sure the GM & owner of the Phillies said to Lee "How would you like to pitch with the best pitcher in baseball" meaning Roy Halliday? He went to the Phillies so he can make the Phillies one of the best pitching staffs in the game today. He never really was interested in pitching for the Yankees & Texas was most likely his second choice. Currently, is the best pitching staff with Lee, Halliday, Oswalt, & Hammels? How about the World Champion Giants pitching staff. Didn't they beat these pitchers in October? Right now the Phillies should easily win the N.L. East, but in a playoff series anything can happen.