Cliff Lee called the Phillies rotation he is joining “historic” and said he was “anxious” to start the season in a Wednesday press conference.
The lefty was introduced as the newest member of an already-formidable Phillies starting rotation at Citizens Bank Park, and told reporters that he was happy to be back in Philadelphia, where he spent part of the 2009 season, according to a live stream of the press conference broadcast on MLB.com.
“Feels great to land back here in Philadelphia,” he said, adding, “I never wanted to leave in the first place.”
Lee was traded away last offseason by the Phillies to make room for the club’s acquisition of 2010 NL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay.
Halladay and Lee will now be team-mates on a staff that includes a World Series MVP (Cole Hamels) and an All-Star and NLCS MVP (Roy Oswalt).
Since Halladay already wears his number 34, Lee will wear number 33 with his newest stint with the Phillies.
The 6’3” southpaw, who was also courted by the Yankees and Rangers over the offseason, said he jumped at the chance to be in Philadelphia again.
“From the moment I got here, I knew it was something special ... getting a chance to be part of this team was a no-brainer,” he said.
Lee didn’t hide his excitement for the 2011 season, saying he “can’t wait to get to spring training” and is “anxious to get this thing going.”
The former Ranger, Mariner, and Indian signed with Philadelphia for five years and $120 million, according to MLB.com, spurning longer and more lucrative offers from Texas and the New York Yankees.
When asked why he left money on the talk, he responded, “When you hit a certain point, enough’s enough.”
In 12 starts with the Phillies in 2009, Lee went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. The 2008 AL Cy Young winner and AL Comeback Player of the Year also has a 7-2 record with a 2.13 ERA in 10 postseason starts the past two seasons.
“This is it,” he said about what could be his final big haul in free agency. “Hopefully this is where I end my career.”
The lefty was introduced as the newest member of an already-formidable Phillies starting rotation at Citizens Bank Park, and told reporters that he was happy to be back in Philadelphia, where he spent part of the 2009 season, according to a live stream of the press conference broadcast on MLB.com.
“Feels great to land back here in Philadelphia,” he said, adding, “I never wanted to leave in the first place.”
Lee was traded away last offseason by the Phillies to make room for the club’s acquisition of 2010 NL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay.
Halladay and Lee will now be team-mates on a staff that includes a World Series MVP (Cole Hamels) and an All-Star and NLCS MVP (Roy Oswalt).
Since Halladay already wears his number 34, Lee will wear number 33 with his newest stint with the Phillies.
The 6’3” southpaw, who was also courted by the Yankees and Rangers over the offseason, said he jumped at the chance to be in Philadelphia again.
“From the moment I got here, I knew it was something special ... getting a chance to be part of this team was a no-brainer,” he said.
Lee didn’t hide his excitement for the 2011 season, saying he “can’t wait to get to spring training” and is “anxious to get this thing going.”
The former Ranger, Mariner, and Indian signed with Philadelphia for five years and $120 million, according to MLB.com, spurning longer and more lucrative offers from Texas and the New York Yankees.
When asked why he left money on the talk, he responded, “When you hit a certain point, enough’s enough.”
In 12 starts with the Phillies in 2009, Lee went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. The 2008 AL Cy Young winner and AL Comeback Player of the Year also has a 7-2 record with a 2.13 ERA in 10 postseason starts the past two seasons.
“This is it,” he said about what could be his final big haul in free agency. “Hopefully this is where I end my career.”
