A pitching rotation as hellacious as the one the Philadelphia Phillies are currently possessing rarely happens in baseball. Many of us are still wondering how the negotiating process went down. And why Cliff Lee didn't announce his decision on a one-hour special.
Everything about this negotiation suggested that Lee and Braunecker were playing perfectly in terms of maximizing the money. Now it appears money was never really a factor.
The Yankees have now found themselves in a real bind, a position that they are unaccustomed to being in. They now need to be careful and not overpay for relief pitchers or trade their top prospects.
But, the problem is the Red Sox have just positioned themselves to be AL East Champs in the future. The Yankees' championship window was already slightly cracked with aging stars Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. With the moves that the Red Sox have made, they may have slammed that window shut.
The Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Lee and Cole Hamels combination has already drawn comparisons to the 1990s Atlanta Braves.
Last season, Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels, Lee and Joe Blanton posted a overall 3.17 ERA. More than likely this will be a sign of things to come next year.
Lee's 10.82 K/BB ratio was the best in baseball. The second best mark at 7.30 K/BB is held by Lee’s new teammate Halladay. Hamels was ranked 13th at 3.46 K/BB.
Now the 2008 World Series MVP, Hamels, will move down to the No. 4 spot in the rotation. Last season, Hamels posted a 3.53 ERA with a 1.179 WHIP.
During certain times next season, it will be almost unfair to trot out such a rotation and the Phillies will certainly be in the World Series discussion. Somewhere out there in Washington, DC, Jason Werth is crying into his pillowcase stuffed with money.
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