Last year the reigning AL Cy Young winner, CC Sabathia, was traded by the Indians prior to the trade deadline. CC performed magnificently, going 11-2 with seven complete games in 17 starts for the Brewers, frequently pitching on three days rest towards the end of the season. Sabathia posted a 1.65 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP in his 130.2 innings for the Brew Crew while almost single-handedly pitching them into the playoffs before he ran out of steam in the first round against the Phillies. This time around, it was the Phillies making the pre-deadline acquisition of the reigning AL Cy Young winner, also striking up a deal with the Indians.
Cliff Lee went from Cleveland to Philadelphia along with Ben Francisco in exchange for four minor leaguers. In four starts with the Phillies, Lee has gone 4-0 allowing only one run in each one of his starts, one of which wasn’t earned. The dude has been an absolute stud, posting his second complete game win in four starts with his new team. He’s 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and a 34/6 K to BB ratio. Likewise, CC was 4-0 in his first four starts with the Brewers, posting three complete games. Sabathia had a 1.35 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and a 31/6 K to BB ratio.
Both pitchers were awesome their first four starts with their new team and Sabathia continued his masterful ways. The Phillies are hoping for the same outcome in the regular season, but a different one in the playoffs. I must also give the Phillies more credit for acquiring Lee than I initially did because I was so fixated on them not getting Roy Halladay. First off, Halladay would have had a tough time out-pitching Lee. Secondly, none of the prospects the Blue Jays wanted were involved in the Cleveland deal — the Phillies could have had both! Could you imagine their rotation with Hamels, Lee, Halladay, Happ, and Blanton? My goodness.
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being an Indians fan, it eats away at my sole that we have to trade guys like Victor and Cliff to cover our own draft blunders. But the only positive is that these guys will get recognition they deserve. Before the deadline, most fans I conversed with (mostly BOS fans), wanted to talk about how overrated Victor and Lee were. Lee was not even close to Halladay, and would be a ‘fail’ move. Now the country gets to see the real Cliff Lee, he’s not a one year wonder, and will continue to dominate, especially in the NL.