Still Trying to Overcome the Loss of Lee

I miss Cliff Lee. He dominated the hated Yankees. He’s got gunfighter coolness about him. He’s left-handed, like me. And he relentlessly pounds the strike zone, which keeps games moving and more exciting to watch.
If baseball followers know anything, they know that strong pitching wins. This post-steroid era proves that without performance enhancing stimulants, hitters are not nearly as potent with the long ball or even batting average. The offensive production leaders in both leagues are modest compared to the decade of decadence.
The top National League hitter is hovering just above .320 and the most homers in the Senior Circuit was 32 through Sunday. Pitching will win, even in tiny ballparks like cozy Citizens Bank Park.
Having said all of that about Lee, if Roy Oswalt can be the beast that he demonstrated on Sunday the Phillies do have a legitimate shot at returning to the World Series. I admit to being skeptical of Oswalt’s aching back and high mileage, but he’s looking strong right now. Perhaps rejuvenated by the thrill of a pennant race, the right-handed farm boy could, along with big-timer Roy Halladay, start two contests in a seven-game playoff series.
That’s comforting.
The glass half empty in me sees the odometer on Oswalt and Halladay. They’ve both endured lots of innings over lots of years. Cole Hamels caught lightning in a bottle two years ago and that’s all that matters for his legacy, especially 25 years from now when we look back from our rocking chairs on the joyous 2008 championship.
But Hamels doesn’t seem to have the mental toughness for the long haul. Those who grind it out year after year, even when they don’t always come to the stadium full of energy or if they were distracted by something at home, are the long-term winners. They are the guys who bring it almost every night.
Hamels doesn’t appear to be that type of guy. He’ll give you a stellar outing and then collapse in the third inning the next time out. Halladay and Oswalt are proven. They’ve been there and done that. It’s tough to argue with their numbers even though I miss Lee.
The excitement of the stretch run is about to overtake all baseball fans. Having guys like Halladay and Oswalt makes your favorite recliner even more comfortable. It makes the popcorn taste a bit better. Your beverage goes down a bit smoother. I guess they call that confidence.
Despite lacking fan support in the seats, the Braves won’t wilt. They’ve withstood Philadelphia’s emergence and maintain the slight edge in the NL East. They’re playing for venerable manager Bobby Cox. They’re motivated with a blend of youth and experience.
But Philadelphia can bring the big arms to the mound as well. And when their bats slump, as they are now, the games can still be won with pitching. I miss Lee because I’ve not seen such dominance since the ultimate lefthander, Steve Carlton, took to the mound in the early ‘70s.
There’s nothing more fun than pounding the strike zone with effectiveness. Carlton dropped the deceptive slider into the dirt just in front of Tim McCarver’s mitt and chest protector. Batters, often behind in the count, would flail away aimlessly.
Lee usually hits his spots. He goes in and out or high then low. And his tosses are always close enough, tempting enough, to swing at.
But he’s in Texas now. I must get over that devastating trade. But it’s tough to do that when you open the paper and see that the primary youngster the Phillies acquired for Lee was busted for cocaine possession. Ouch.
If the team doesn’t realize any payback from that trade I’m really going to be depressed. They say you never get equal value when you deal a superstar. And over time, that’s proven correct, especially in The City of Brotherly Love.
Wilt Chamberlain was traded. They shipped Charles Barkley out. Ryne Sandberg was a Phillie. Sonny Jurgenson was an Eagle. Ferguson Jenkins was a Phillie. Peter Forsberg was a young Flyer.
This is too painful. I have to stop.
The best therapy for me is for Oswalt and Halladay to continue domination. And Hamels needs more consistency. Maybe then I can get over this.
I just peaked at the American League pitching leaders and saw that Lee’s earned run average is three per game. Ouch.
Reach Rossi at joerossi61@comcast.net
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