With little Phillies news available we went out looking for Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee is one of the greatest pitchers to ever step foot on the mound in a Philadelphia Phillies jersey, there is no debating this. Across five seasons with the Phils, Lee won 48 total games, threw eight shutouts, pitched 12 complete games, held an ERA of 2.94, and, of course, helped carry the team to a World Series appearance in 2009.
While Lee is unquestionably one of the all-time Phillies greats, his legacy in the City of Brotherly Love ended with quite a bit of confusion. While most ex-Phillies tend to stay relatively plugged in with the organization after they retire (Jimmy Rollins doing commentary, Ryan Howard helping out in spring training, etc.), Lee somewhat disappeared following his own retirement in 2016.
This has left many baseball fans asking the simple question: “What ever happened to Cliff Lee?”
Lee was one of the last members to go from that famed Phillies squad of 2011. Lasting all the way into the mid-2010s, Lee made 13 starts during the 2014 season, before eventually getting shut down due to an elbow injury. Lee’s injury struggles would carry into the following year, causing him to miss the entirety of the 2015 campaign due to being placed on the diasbled list.
The Phillies went 63-99 in 2015, their worst season in over 20 years. With the front office already having traded away Cole Hamels at the trade deadline, it was only a matter of time before they moved on from Lee as well, fully embracing a “rebuild”.
Lee’s $27.5 million dollar option for 2016 was declined, and the lefty received a $12.5 million dollar buyout from the Phillies. This officially made Lee a fully unrestricted free agent.
However, it quickly became apparent that Lee had little to no interest in returning to the majors. According to Lee’s manager at the time Darek Braunecker, it would have taken a “perfect situation” for Lee to return to the MLB. Most likely hinting at another big payday or a guaranteed starting role, neither which came.
Philadelphia Phillies
Lee sold his multi-million dollar Philadelphia-based condo in late November of 2015, following the news that his option would be declined. Opting to move back to his home state of Arkansas, Lee was clearly attempting to leave some of the fame and glamour of being a professional athlete behind.
Despite some rumors circulating that the lefty would eventually return to baseball, news eventually went silent when it came to what Lee was up to. Currently still living in Arkansas with his wife and two children, Lee is seemingly living a simple life of retirement, just like any retired individual would. Prioritizing his family and his privacy above all else.
The rumor mill would kick back up again just last year, as the ten year anniversary of the 2009 World Series team was due to take place at Citizens Bank Park. Despite almost all the big names showing up for the celebration, the glaring omission from the festivities was that of the team’s ace in ‘09. Citing that he had “other plans”, Lee never showed up for the event.
While fans and media members were quick to label this as a potential “slight” towards the Philly faithful, Lee’s teammates expressed a different type of attitude. Stories of Lee and his greatness were aplenty during the anniversary, with the one about Lee almost missing a World Series game being a crowd favorite.
"“He was just so cool. Nothing bothered him. He didn’t panic,” said Matt Stairs.“He comes in, ‘do-do-do-do-do’… Any mortal would be going, ‘God, I’ve had the worst day! I missed the bus! I had to take the train!‘,” Jamie Moyer added."
Lee’s old Philly teammates, understanding and respecting his desire for privacy, had nothing but good things to say about the lefty.
While Lee has opted for complete privacy since his departure from Philly in 2015, he did decide to break that silence when it came to the death of his close friend and former teammate Roy Halladay. In a statement through his manager, Lee had this to say about the now Hall of Famer:
“So terribly shocked and sad to hear the news. It was always a fun time with Roy messing with planes, drones or anything that had to do with aviation. You left us doing what you loved. You were a great teammate. Much love and prayers go out to Brandy, Ryan, and Braden.”
I wouldn’t hold your breath when it comes to Lee making any public appearances anytime soon. While this may be frustrating for a fanbase who loves showing appreciation to their former players, Lee’s desire for some time alone after years of being in the spotlight is understandable.
The next time we hear his name, it may just be during a Hall of Fame induction…