Cliff Lee has shocked just about everyone by agreeing to a deal with the Phillies, the team he helped lead to the 2009 World Series. The race for Lee's services had reportedly been between the Yankees and Rangers until a "mystery" team entered the fold. That team is no mystery anymore. Terms of the deal were not immediately available, but the total deal should be around $120 million.
Lee's fantasy stock should be helped over the next few years by pitching in the National League. in 2009, he made 12 starts with the Phillies en route to the postseason, posting a 7-4 record with 74 Ks and 10 BBs in 79.2 innings. He posted a 3.39 ERA and 1.13 WHIP.
Clif Lee Signs with Philadelphia Phillies
After the season, the Phillies decided to roll with Roy Halladay, dealing for the Cy Young winner and trading Lee to the Mariners, who in turn traded the lefty with impeccable control to the Rangers, to help with their own postseason surge. Like in 2009, Lee's team came up short in the end.
He'll now join Haladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels to make one of the most formidable rotations in recent memory. Not since the Atlanta Braves staffs of the '90s have you been able to find such a collection of talented arms on one team, and according to FanGraphs, this group may leave those Braves in the dust.
Clif Lee Signs with Philadelphia Phillies
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