Q&A: Pitcher Cliff Lee

Bill Eichenberger - SportingNews.com

Acquired from the Indians in a trading deadline deal, Lee has sparkled as the new ace of the Phillies' staff, throwing two complete games and winning his first five starts. Lee recently spoke with Sporting News' Bill Eichenberger about his new team, his old team, the transition from the A.L. to the N.L. and more.

Sporting News: How goes the transition from the Indians to the Phillies?

Cliff Lee: No complaints so far. We're playing good. The transition's been smooth. All the guys here are nice, friendly and good teammates. Everything's good.

SN: Given that the Indians seemed determined to trade you, was coming to the Phillies a best-case scenario for you?

CL: Where I'm traded is obviously something that was out of my control. But I certainly went to a better team. There's no question about that. I like where I'm at, on a good team in a good spot.

SN: What went wrong in Cleveland the past couple of years? You guys were a win away from the World Series in 2007, then everything seemed to fall apart.

CL: Injuries, guys leaving the team for whatever reason. That's it. There was a pretty good unit there together, and it's slowly fallen apart as far as the core group of guys. It's developed into more of a younger team. I enjoyed my time there. They gave me the first opportunity in the big leagues. And I wish all the best for them and their organization. But now I am a Phillie, and my concern and concentration is here.

SN: What is the biggest adjustment you've had to make, going from the American to the National League?

CL: Having to hit. But I enjoy that. So it's been fun.

SN: How much does your daily routine have to do with the success you've had over the past couple of seasons?

CL: For me, that is the biggest reason for the success I've had. Everybody's different. Others may need to take a more complicated approach and have things broken down for them. But I'm a keep-it-simple guy, and that works for me. I've had a routine that works for me for a while, so I'm going to stick with it. There's no sense in me changing it until I see that I need to make an adjustment. Otherwise, if something is working, why change it?

SN: Do you look forward to facing any particular hitters now that you are in the N.L.?

CL: I don't get into individual matchups. I worry about the team I'm facing next. And when I get past that game, I move to the next one. I don't really complicate things, like I said. That's where my concern and focus is. I'm not thinking, I can't wait until I face so-and-so. The next game is where my thoughts and concerns are.

SN: You had incredible control recently, throwing 81 of 106 pitches for strikes in a complete-game victory over the Diamondbacks. How central is that to your success?

CL: If you are up there throwing balls and getting behind in the count, bad things are going to happen. You want to throw strike one, then work ahead and stay ahead. Otherwise, you are going to be out of the game in the fourth or fifth inning and leave the team in a bad spot. So to get deep in the game and give your team a chance, you have to throw strikes and make hitters swing their way on base. It's easier said than done, but that is really what you have to do to be successful.

SN: Have you had a chance to talk pitching with veterans like Jamie Moyer and Pedro Martinez? Have you gleaned any wisdom from them?

CL: Yeah, a little bit. Any time you get an opportunity to be around pitchers like that, I think you would be a fool not to try to get some information and pay attention to how they go about their business and try to learn what made their careers so successful, and try to apply it to your game.

SN: What is the chemistry like on this team?

CL: It's loose. There are a lot of funny characters and different guys. It's a good mix. They are a lot of fun to play with. Everything is relaxed. Everybody gets along. There are not little cliques here and there. So far, so good for me.

SN: What about Charlie Manuel as a manager?

CL: He just lets the guys play. He doesn't try to do too much. He lets the game develop. Obviously, managing a team like this is a lot easier because you have so many good players that a lot of the decisions are going to take care of themselves. I think he understands that and lets us play.

Bill Eichenberger is a staff writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at beichenberger@sportingnews.com.

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