Indians LHP Lee named Comeback Player of the Year

Sep 30, 2008 - 6:19 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- One year after his career appeared in jeopardy, Cliff Lee earned the first honor in what should be a memorable postseason.

Lee on Tuesday was named the American League recipient of Major League Baseball's Comeback Player of the Year Award.

The Cleveland Indians' lefthander, who is a prohibitive favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award following a magnificent 22-3 campaign, was named on 24 of 30 first-place ballots, easily outdistancing New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina.

Lee posted an AL-best 2.54 ERA, which was more than 3 1/2 runs fewer than his disastrous 2007 campaign in which he finished 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA and was demoted to Class AAA Buffalo.

The 30-year-old Lee bounced back with a vengeance, winning his first six starts - allowing just five runs total - en route to being named the AL's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

Cleveland's first 20-game winner since Gaylord Perry in 1974, Lee threw four complete games and had an 11-game winning streak that spanned two months (July 11 to September 12) - the longest in baseball since 2005.

Lee tied Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the major league lead in wins. He struck out 170 batters in 223 1/3 innings, allowing just 214 hits and 34 walks.