Texas has Lee to Thank for 2011 Success

Cliff Lee may be the most influential player in Texas Rangers history since Nolan Ryan, even if he only spent a few months in the dugout. By Josh Hyber 

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

     With five all-stars on the Texas Rangers roster (not to mention superstars Neftali Feliz, Ian Kinsler, and Elvis Andrus), the key player in Texas’ success this season may not have pitched a single inning for the Blue Crew. Right now he is sitting on a couch in Philadelphia. His name is Cliff Lee.  
     On July 9 last year, the Rangers, who sat five and a half games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels for first place in the AL West, acquired the lefty pitcher from the Seattle Mariners. By season’s end, the Rangers led the division by nine games and won the franchise's first AL pennant. Lee’s success was short-lived, though, as he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in the offseason.   

     Lee’s half-season in Texas was not just a four-month joy ride for the Texas organization, which still feels his presence. Having not made the playoffs in 11 years, Lee gave Texas a legitimate ace and therefore credibility as a post-season contender. The culture in Texas changed with the additions of Lee, Jorge Cantu, and Bengie Molina, igniting a sense of belief at Ameriquest Field for the first time since the Pudge Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez era. It also gave the inexperienced pitching staff some much needed postseason and World Series experience. Texas’ 2010 staff of C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, and Matt Harrison averaged just 27 years of age before the arrival of the then 32-year-old Lee. 
     Kevin Turner of WFAA-Channel 8 in Dallas wrote about Lee's effect on the franchise on September 10:

“Every time you saw Cliff Lee in the dugout, it seemed like Wilson was right by his side. Lee, known as the ultimate creature of habit, always jogs off the mound to the dugout after each inning. Not too long after Lee was acquired, Wilson could also be found gliding off the field after each inning of work.”

     Most importantly, the lefty helped the young pitchers like Holland and Harrison mature. “He’s very communicative. He talks to all the pitchers. He’s trying to share the wealth,” Rangers bullpen coach Andy Hawkins told Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas last August. 
     Lee guided the Rangers into the playoffs, where the team won the first home playoff game in the franchise's 50-year history--dating back to the days of the Washington Senators. Despite losing Lee to free agency, the front office used the money the loss freed up to add Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli, key components of Texas’ lineup this season.  
     Wilson’s 2011 post-season dominance may go a step further than Lee’s in 2010, giving the Rangers their first ever World Series title. Unfortunately for Rangers brass, it may lead their ace in a similar direction: big money on the free-agent market.