I was at last night’s Phillies-Red Sox game. The last time I went to a game in Philly, Jamie Moyer threw a one hit shutout over my beloved Braves. Last night, Cliff Lee threw a two hit shutout against Boston. Lee was masterful against the Red Sox, allowing two hits and walking two batters while striking out five over 112 pitches. He even drove in a run on a sac fly.
But last night is nothing new for Lee. In the month of June, Lee has thrown 42 innings, allowed 21 hits, walked eight, struck out 29, and allowed a grand total of one run. He’s got a streak of 32 scoreless innings. This ties Lee for the third longest scoreless streak in the last 20 years. From the end of 2008 into the beginning of 2009, Zack Greinke of the Royals went 34 innings without allowing a run. The champion was in 2007, when Brandon Webb of the Diamonbacks went 41 without allowing a run.
But back to Lee for a minute. He’s a damn good pitcher. He could finish the season with a strikeout for each inning he pitches, a miniscule walk rate, an average homer rate, and at least 230 innings pitched. The last pitcher to strike out 230, throw 230 innings, and walk 50 or less hitters was Johan Santana of the Twins, who did it in both 2005 and 2006. He finished third in Cy Young voting in 2005, and won the award in 2006, despite being the best pitcher in the league both seasons.
Will Lee fall into the same trap, and fall short of the Cy Young award? There are plenty of great pitchers in the National League, including Lee’s teammates Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson of the east division rival Braves, Tim Lincecum of the Giants, and others. This isn’t 2005 in the American League, where the best pitcher is going to finish third behind a guy with a lot of wins and a closer. Well, at least I hope it’s not.
