Cliff Lee gives Phillies' rotation a boost into the stratosphere
The Philadelphia Phillies' signing of Cliff Lee wasn't the expected outcome among the People Who Cover Baseball for a Living, but there was the analysis to prove it this morning: he's back in Philadelphia as part of a starting rotation that features the Roys (Oswalt and Halladay), and Cole Hamels and somebody else. (We kid. It's Joe Blanton. Unless he's playing elsewhere.)
It's a really, really good rotation. The kind of rotation that gets seamheads talking about the glorious Baltimore Orioles rotation of the early '70s, when four guys, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, Pat Dobson and Jim Palmer each won at least 20 games. And other great rotations: the Atlanta Braves of the '90s, the Red Sox of the turn of the century, the Dodgers of the '60s, and on and on. That kind of good.
But that's no guarantee of success in the World Series. Just ask those '71 Orioles.
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Nats Journal: Even in offseason, Phillies beat Nats.
By
Cindy Boren
| December 14, 2010; 9:51 AM ET
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MLB
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The San Francisco Giants must be laughing their heads off at the stupidity of the Phillies, Yankees and Rangers.
TWO losse in the World Series proved to anyone with a brain that Cliff Lee can be beat and is being overrated by other MLB clubs.
The Phillies will rue this day!
Posted by: Hazmat77 | December 14, 2010 1:02 PM | Report abuse
In response to your poll, I answered "one," but I'm not even sure we'll see that. Pitchers simply don't win 20 games/year anymore, apart from a few lucky ones. It's a good -- potentially great -- rotation, but their measure of success will be an easy division championship, an NL pennant, and then a dominating World Series victory. Anything less will (and should) be considered failure. And I can think of 25 other teams I'll be cheering for.
Posted by: eddinska1 | December 14, 2010 1:02 PM | Report abuse
Agree on all points, eddinski1.
Posted by: Cindy Boren | December 14, 2010 1:57 PM | Report abuse
may be lee would not have been beat if he had utley ,howard , rollins, on his team.also the giants should not laugh to much with tha shakey offense they have and hopeing fat boy gets back in shape.even kurkejanian said the giants where a one year thing.lets face barry bonds is even now abetter hitter than any of the current giants
Posted by: rwest828hope | December 14, 2010 2:28 PM | Report abuse
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