Teddy Ballgame pointed out to me over the phone the importance of Cliff Lee’s 2008 season. Here we are just entering September and the Tribe hurler has already hit the 20 win mark with only 2 losses. Teddy asked me if I knew who the last Cleveland pitcher to get 20 wins was. I admitted ignorance.
According to Tedd, it was the ol’ spitballer himself, Gaylord Perry. I looked it up and Tedd was right (he always is). The last Indian pitcher with 20+ wins before this year was Perry in 1974 when he had 21.
As of today, Lee has the highest Win % of all pitchers with 20+ wins. Here are the Top Five:
1 Cliff Lee .909 20-2 2008 CLE* 2 Ron Guidry .893 25-3 1978 NYY 3 Lefty Grove .886 31-4 1931 PHA 4 Preacher Roe .880 22-3 1951 BRO 5 Joe Wood .872 34-5 1912 BOS
*as of Sept 3, 2008
Tedd noted that Cleveland acquired Lee as a prospect which sent Bartolo Colon to the Expos. Oh, the Tribe got one other prospect in the deal. Who would that be?
Grady Sizemore.
As Tedd said, "The Indians did their homework".