Philadelphia Phillies

Lee wants to win but may be smiling just like this if he picks up NL Cy Young hardware in 2013. Cliff Lee picked up his ninth win of the year last night, holding the Nationals to a pair of solo homers, striking out nine, and walking none. Lee baffled Nats hitters all night and did so while pitching with a blister on his hand. Lee’s ERA decreased to 2.53 and his xFIP fell to 3.15. Lee’s excellence has put him in firmly in the 2013 NL Cy Young Race. Traditional stats indicate Lee is among the best pitchers in the National League – Lee is ranked ninth in the NL in ERA, sixth in the NL in Ks, and tied for second in the (meaningless) wins category. The advanced stats hold up well, too: Lee ranks third in BB/9 IP, 18th in K/9 IP, second in K/BB, third in FIP, and seventh in xFIP. Right now, Adam Wainwright (10-3, 2.37 ERA) and Matt Harvey (6-1, 2.15 ERA) are far and away in the top tier of contenders for the Cy Young and lead Lee in most of the standard and advanced categories. In Lee’s class are Patrick Corbin (9-0, 2.28 ERA) and Jordan Zimmerann (9-3, 2.44 ERA) – but Lee has more strikeouts, less walks per 9 IP, and has done so as being the workhorse of the NL, currently tied with Wainwright for most innings pitched. Your thoughts? Is this Cliff Lee’s year to win the Cy Young?

Here’s a rundown on how the Phillies’ minor league teams fared on Tuesday, June 18.

Rest of the season could signa the return or the departure of the Phillies’ free-agent-to-be catcher.

Former Neumann-Goretti star is flourishing following 50-game suspension for using Adderall.

Cliff Lee picked up his ninth win as he cruised after a rain-delayed start to propel the Phillies in a 4-2 win over the Nationals and into a tie in the NL East with Washington. At this point last season, Lee was still searching for his first win. But after eight frames of two-run ball, to go with five hits allowed, nine strikeouts and no walks, Lee is now 9-2 this year with still nearly a month to go until...

Tuesday night's game with the Washington Nationals was delayed by rain for an hour and 10 minutes. Phillies lefthander Cliff Lee pitched as if he was making up for lost time.

The Phillies beat the Nationals 4-2, at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Cliff Lee struck out nine in eight impressive innings, Michael Young tied a career high with three doubles and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 Tuesday night. Read more Cliff Lee news

LAKEWOOD, N.J. - A potential cache of Phillies trade prospects waited out the rain at the South Atlantic League All-Star Game Tuesday night. The Phillies, too, are waiting.

One hundred ten pitches. Nine strikeouts. No walks. Five hits. Two runs. Cliff Lee. Tonight's offense included doubles of an unusual sort from Michael Young -- they did not include "play' at the end. Ben Revere started a rally with an excellent bunt hit and a fabulous read and run on one of Michael Young's doubles. Kevin Frandsen bailed out Domonic Brown and Delmon Young, who both whiffed with the bases loaded with nobody out in the sixth inning when he singled in the two runs that made the margin of victory in the game. Ryan Howard hit a STAND UP TRIPLE. But...Cliff Lee. During a year when the Phillies have left my 11 year old kid crying on a bunch of nights...Cliff Lee. He makes it fun to watch baseball again. He was magnificent. Sure, he gave up two homers, but they were in situations where nobody was on base, because, y'know, he doesn't walk anyone. He singled in the fifth, but Delmon Young was thrown out at the plate following a bad decision to send him by Sendberg. (H/T Pat Gallon via Joecatz). He had good at bats. He made some hitters look silly (Ryan Zimmerman's strikeout in the 6th was a beauty). It was classic, epic Cliff Lee. Jayson Werth had a homer. Good for you, WFC. Enjoy your empty night of losing stat-padding. Yeah. Take that. And shave. Jonathan Papelbon came in to save the game in the 9th with Lee at 110 pitches, but it was ok, since the win expectancy was at 93%. Charlie Manuel did the right things by subbing in defensive players (Freddy Galvis and John Mayberry) at appropriate points in the game. Papelbon did his usual baboonish fist-pumping schtick. One of the real saving graces of this year is, if the Phillies continue to be kind of out of it, that Papelbon is likely to be traded. While he is useful, he is aesthetically unacceptable in my world. I would not be unhappy to see him go. Maybe Amaro could trade him for a useful outfielder like maybe Nate Schierholtz. I wonder what team might have to do to get a good player like that. Best feel-good at-bat of the night? Delmon Young getting hit. All possible good outcomes occured there. Cringeworthy Wheels quote of the night? Discussing Mick Jagger's athleticism. Just...yuck. Fangraph of Destiny: Source: FanGraphs