Rangers pitcher Cliff Lee already passed his tryout for his future team beating the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALCS. Phifer went eight scoreless of two-hit ball, walking one and striking out 13. The stupendous southpaw is getting set for his second straight appearance in the World Series and his free agency price tag goes up with every start.
It’s a foregone conclusion that Lee will be wearing pinstripes next season, but New Yorkers were beginning to worry after Bob Nightengale’s feature in USA Today described the disgusting acts Yankees fans took against Lee’s wife during the ALCS. “She says there were ugly taunts. Obscenities. Cups of beer thrown. Even fans spitting from the section above.”
Well good news Yankees fans, Phifer is sensible and won’t hold it against you. Asked about the incident, he said Tuesday “Some people get a little alcohol in them and act inappropriate. There’s so many people there you can’t control them all. I know it’s been made into a big deal, but that’s really all it is, just two or three or four people just acting like fools, and 50,000, you can’t group them all together. But there’s always going to be a couple goofballs in the crowd that think they have a right to do that stuff.”
Lee may be taking the reasonable approach here, but you know there will be an extra surcharge the Yanks will have to pay as an apology for the fans’ behavior in the ALCS. I’m expecting Lee to join his buddies CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett on the Yankees next season. He’ll definitely be cashing in and helping the Yanks make a World Series run next year.
