The Philadelphia Phillies got ace Roy Halladay from Toronto and traded Cliff Lee to Seattle on Wednesday, completing a complicated, four-team deal that featured a pair of Cy Young winners.
Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and John Lackey are some of the big name players who are involved in deals that are in the works in Major League Baseball.
Cliff Lee was dominant in his postseason debut, tossing a six-hitter in the Phillies 5-1 win over the Colorado Rockies Wednesday in the opener of their National League division series.
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
The constant quest for perfection drove Cliff Lee to great feats throughout 2008.
"Even if I had won every start, I don't know if I'd be satisfied," he said near the season's end. "There's always something you can do better. I don't know how to explain it other than that. It's just the way I am, I guess."
But even Lee has to be satisfied with what took place Thursday, when the Baseball Writers' Association of America named him the American League Cy Young Award winner.
The honor was well-deserved. Lee led the AL in wins with a 22-3 record and in ERA with a 2.54 mark, posted the third-highest winning percentage (.880) for a 20-game winner in baseball history and became the Tribe's first 20-game winner since Gaylord Perry in 1974. The voters took notice. Lee received 24 of 28 first-place votes and finished with 132 points in balloting. He beat out the Jays' Roy Halladay, who finished second with 74 votes.
Lee wins 2008 AL Cy Young Award....
By Jim Molony / MLB.com
Cliff Lee, who was the American League leader in wins and ERA, and Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge, who converted 41 of 41 save opportunities to help the Phillies win a second consecutive National League East crown, are MLB.com's Comeback Player of the Year Award winners for their respective leagues.
Lee, Cleveland's first 20-game winner since 1974, landed on 26 of the 30 ballots -- one for each MLB.com team reporter -- with 24 first-place votes and two seconds for 76 points. He easily outdistanced runner-up Mike Mussina of the Yankees and third-place finisher Milton Bradley of the Rangers.
Lidge finished with 53 points and was followed by Kerry Wood of the Cubs (34), Ryan Ludwick of the Cardinals (27) and Jorge Cantu of the Marlins (23).
Lee, Lidge earn Comeback Awards....
