Lee Does it Again

Lee finished his MLB-leading 5th complete game Wednesday night.

Cliff Lee showed, once again, why the Phillies lucked out when the Toronto Blue Jays rejected their bid for Roy Halladay. Cliff Lee is 7-0 in his last 7 starts, including 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA with the Phils. And, oh yeah, they got to keep J.A. Happ, who is now 9-2 with a 2.66 ERA on the year, MLB's leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Lee, of course, has room for improvement-- but not much. He hasn't thrown any shutouts or perfect games yet, but there's still time. Meanwhile, he's been tremendous with the bat, hitting .385 with 2 multi-hit games in his 1st 4 as a Phil.

The Phils slugging crew did collateral damage, hitting 4 home runs, 3 off of Dan Haren, an All-Star pitcher this season, who came in with a 2.50 ERA, which ranked 4th in the NL. Jayson Werth added to his career highs (27 HRs and 74 RBIs) with 2 more dingers in support of Charlie Manuel's All-Star selection of him. Chase Utley hit his 25th of the year and Ryan Howard slammed his 5th home run in 6 games!

"We can manufacture some runs, especially when we are really good, playing good," stated Charlie Manuel. "We don't have to hit home runs to score runs. But at the same time, we are built to hit home runs. We've got power."

The Phillies posses a 5.5 game lead in the NL East and are now 1.5 games back of the Dodgers for the NL's best record! That's amazing, and I don't think there's a baseball mind alive that doesn't think the Phils are favorites to win the NL at this point. There's a lot of baseball left to play, but with the Dodgers 2 best pitchers injured and faltering and their record tumbling, L.A.'s annual 2nd-half fade has officially commenced.

So, the Phils couldn't hand-off Happ and consequently they have his 2.66 ERA (ranked 5th in the NL) nestled in a rotation fronted by currently unhittable Cliff Lee, 2.72 ERA (6th in the NL).

Their postseason rotation appears more menacing than ever:

1) Cliff Lee (4-0, 0.82 ERA, a 'perfect 10' so far as a Phil)
2) Joe Blanton (3.88 ERA; 1.21 July/2.61 August, allowed more than 3 runs ONCE since 5/21)
3) J.A. Happ (9-2, 2.66)
4) Cole Hamels (2008's Mr. October and reigning postseason Boy Wonder MVP)

The only real question mark the team has is at closer (for more on that, read below:)