Where would this Phillies team be without Cliff Lee?
Roy Halladay is on the shelf and may not pitch again this year with a sore right shoulder.
Cole Hamels is suffering the same disease that afflicted Lee last year - lack of support. He should sue.
In the meantime, Lee has reclaimed the mantle of staff ace. Last night, on a night when the Phillies battered bullpen was depleted, the team desperately needed their starting pitcher to go deep into the game.
Enter Cliff Lee. He slayed the Monster. And the Red Sox while he was at it.
Lee went eight strong innings, giving up just one run while scattering four hits and striking out eight. Jonathan Papelbon again slammed the door on his ex-mates with a 16-pitch perfect ninth inning. Dennis Deitch has the details.
Dom Brown, fresh off being named NL Player of the Week, hit his 11th home run of the season for an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Jack McCaffery writes about Brown's status as a potential star.
But it's Lee who has suddenly become the backbone of Charlie Manuel's club. His record now stands at 6-2 with a sparkling 2.34 ERA.
In the meantime, the Phils clawed back to just two games under .500. Where they would be without Lee is difficult to ponder.
Maybe we should remember that the next time someone casually tosses Lee's name out there as possible trade bait. No doubt if this team does not get hot and start whittling away at that 6.5-game gap between them and the Braves, changes will be made at the trading deadline.
It's just hard to fathom where this team would be without Lee.
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