Wonderphilly Cliff Lee

The big news of the (sports) day is that Cliff Lee surprised all the experts by spurning the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, and signing instead with one of his former teams - The Philadelphia Phillies. . Since I'm both a Phillies and Rangers fan, this is okay. Particularly since it means the "we don't win championships, we buy 'em" Yankees at least didn't get him. For the Phillies, it means a dynamite 1-through-4 starting rotation, and come Spring Training, they will probably be the oddsmakers' favorites to win it all next year. .

As a Texas Rangers fan, I suppose I should be upset about this, as Lee seemingly willed the Rangers to the World Series. last year. But the going price was a 7-year contract (6 years plus an option, actually), and summers can be brutal in Arlington. Lee would have been great next year as a Ranger, but for how long after that? Seriously, Texas' next major acquisition should be an indoor park. I don't see a top-flight pitcher ever signing a long-term contract with the Rangers until that happens.

Apparently not

Actually it was a great series, even if my Phillies didn't win. In the end, it came down to the bats. The Yankees' hitters came through; the Phillie hitters (with the exception of Werth and Utley) didn't. Pedro Martinez pitched good, even if he took two losses. But Hamels hasn't been dominant all year, and that continued into the post-season. . So Congratulations to the Yankees; the better team won. There is nevertheless plenty of cause for optimism for Philadelphia in 2010.