Lee's Twisted Path To Dominance

Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee has shocked the baseball world this season, as he is 6-0 with a 0.67 ERA. Lee has allowed just 4 walks, 32 hits, and 1 home run in 53.2 innings this year. Lee also has struck out 44 hitters this year. But behind his unbelievable start, Lee has a secret. It wasn't always this way for Lee.

In 2005, Lee finished in fourth place in the AL Cy Young race, with an 18-5 record and a 3.79 ERA. At that point of his career, many baseball experts considered the 26 year old Lee to be one of the game's rising starts. However, the next season, Lee took a slight step back, finishing 14-11 with a 4.40 ERA. Many people still thought he would be able to bounce back in 2007, but that was not the case.

2007 was easily the worst year of Lee's career. Through July, Lee was just 5-8, with his ERA skyrocketing to 6.29. The Indians were baffled. They decided to send Lee to Triple-A Buffalo, where they hoped he would be able to refind his 2005 form. Though he was not exuberant about pitching in the Minor Leagues, Lee worked hard to add some consistency to his delivery and fastball. The hard work would show one year later.

In Spring Training of 2008, Lee was battling with young Indians pitchers Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey. After a solid spring, Lee won the fifth starter job for Cleveland and has yet to look back. Lee has allowed an earned run in just two of his seven starts, and if he could have gotten more run support in his last outing against Toronto (Lee went 9 shutout innings- Cleveland lost in the 10th inning), he would be 7-0. If he continues to put zeroes on the scoreboard, Lee could end up approaching a season similar to that of Bob Gibson's remarkable 1968 campaign. Baseball fans around the country should tune in whenever this lefty takes the hill, as he could be turning in a season for the ages.