Magnificent Lee

Friends,

After Cliff Lee's remarkable pitching performance in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, people are beginning to talk. After Lee shut down the Yankees, allowing two hits over eight innings...and following two stellar performances against the Rays in the ALDS...some are beginning to speculate that he may be on the short list all-time of great playoff pitchers. In fact, there are a lot of prisoner-of-the-moment sports folks who are already saying that he IS already the all-time best playoff pitcher. I don't know about this just yet, but I will say this -- when your name is being mentioned with the likes of Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax and Christy Mathewson, as well as Mariano Rivera, you have entered into some mighty elite company. Lee has a 7-0 record and a miniscule 1.26 ERA over eight career post-season starts. It just so happens that he is pitching for the Texas Rangers who have had zero post-season highlights in their history...that is, until this year. Now, thanks to him and his teammates' marvelous efforts, Nolan Ryan's team is but a couple of wins away from their first World Series. Now, this isn't going to be a cakewalk. After all, the Rangers are playing the Yankees...they of the 27 World Series Championships in their history, and defending MLB Champions. It may not be easy, but I do like Texas' chances. Here's to hoping that Mr. Lee gets the opportunity to pursue and win his first World Series title so that he may remove all doubt as to who is the most dominant playoff pitcher of all-time.

Blessings,
Don