Cliff Lee

Cliff Lee

Clifton Phifer Lee (born August 30, 1978) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for four teams during that time, most notably the Philadelphia Phillies, between 2002 and 2014 before an elbow injury forced him into retirement. During his professional baseball career, Lee was a member of five All-Star teams, won the Cy Young Award, and had consecutive World Series appearances in 2009 and 2010 with the Phillies and Texas Rangers. Born and raised in Benton, Arkansas, Lee's fastball speed attracted the attention of MLB scouts during his senior year at Benton High School in 1997, but he rejected draft offers twice in order to play college baseball for Meridian Community College and later the Arkansas Razorbacks. Lee finally came to terms with the Expos after his selection in the fourth round of the 2000 MLB Draft, and he spent two years in their farm system before a trade to Cleveland in 2002. Lee made his MLB debut with his new team that year, but did not make an opening day roster until 2004. His early years in Cleveland were marked by a number of temper flares, intentionally pitching at his opponents' heads and storming off of the mound, but by 2005, he was an established part of the Indians' starting rotation. The low point of his career, when he was sent back to the minor leagues in 2007, was followed by his Cy Young-winning season, during which he led the American League in earned run average and all of MLB in wins. The Indians sent Lee to the Phillies at the MLB trading deadline in 2009, and he helped the team reach their second consecutive World Series. Despite two strong performances from Lee, including a 10-strikeout complete game, the Phillies lost the series in six games to the New York Yankees. During the offseason, Philadelphia sent Lee to the Mariners as part of a larger deal to acquire Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded again that season, this time to the Rangers, with whom he reached another. There, both of his matchups with fellow ace Tim Lincecum were losses for Lee, and the Rangers lost to the San Francisco Giants. After the 2010 season, Lee turned down a contract offer from the Yankees in order to rejoin the Phillies, where he became part of the "Four Aces" starting rotation alongside Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. Although he received two more All-Star selections, the remainder of Lee's time in Philadelphia was marked by poor run support, and he did not reach the postseason again after 2011. In 2014, Lee suffered a torn common flexor tendon in his pitching arm, and despite hopes that he would recover without surgery, he did not pitch again. Lee's professional baseball tenure was marked by his strong pitch command despite a comparatively low velocity, as well as by his poise and level-headedness on the mound.

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