Cliff Lee took his first loss of the season yesterday in a thorough roughing up at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds.
Lee pitched 5.2 innings to strike out two and walk one, and gave up ten hits and six runs (one of them unearned), which was enough for the Reds to hold on to for the 6-4 win over Cleveland. The final batter Lee faced was Joey Votto, who hadn’t started in the game but who pinch hit for Reds starter Edinson Volquez, and who promptly blasted a two-run home run (his ninth homer of the season) to chase Lee from the game.
Those five earned runs were enough to bring Lee’s ERA to 1.37, and the hits and walks to bring his WHIP to 0.79, which again reminds everyone how unbelievably good he has been this season. He’s still enjoying a .243 BABIP, and is throwing 6.98 K/9 and 0.76 BB/9 (he’s never thrown under 2.32 BB/9 in his seven seasons in the major leagues.
As for Volquez, he went six innings and held the Indians to four hits, while walking four and striking out nine, and was charged for two of Cleveland’s runs. Volquez, like Lee, has a phenomenal start to thank for the fact that this outing raised his ERA to 1.33 and his WHIP to 1.27. He may be riding somewhat on a .289
BABIP, but nevertheless is posting a 10.27 K/9 and 4.97 BB/9.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Kevin // May 19, 2008 at 9:28 am
Both of these guys are in for a major correction. The first place guy in my league has both of them and it is disgusting.
2 Rob // May 19, 2008 at 9:55 am
So is Lee about to come crashing down to mediocrity then?
I’ve got him on my team and I’m just going to hold because there’s no chance I get value back for him in a trade. Nobody believes in him.
3 Mike Podhorzer // May 19, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Rob, I don’t think Lee is ready to return to mediocrity. A 46/5 K/BB ratio can’t be a complete fluke. His xFIP is still an excellent 3.00, but that’s driven by that ridiculous K/BB ratio which can’t possibly be sustained.
Why not at least try shopping him around to see what kind of offers you get? Or better yet, cross your fingers and pray next start is a good one to bring his value back up. After his last outing, I’m sure everyone believes that’s just the beginning of the end for Lee and won’t give you much.
4 Rob // May 19, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I’m going to have to hold because EVERY baseball site is predicting this to be the beginning of the end for Lee and everyone reading must agree. I’ve floated him out to guys in offers but they’re laughing at me. They don’t believe in the guy.
I’ll just hold because like you said, his control is ridiculous right now. I’ll gladly take his 2005 numbers in 2008.
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