Yankees can only won Cliff Lee didn't go to Texas Ranger

Cliff Lee is one of the biggest obstacles standing between the Yankees and their second consecutive World Series.

That's quite ironic, given that for a few hours in early July, it looked as if Lee would be helping the Bombers get there instead.

In the morning hours of July 9, the Mariners had a trade in place to send the former Cy Young winner to the Bronx - before the Rangers swooped in with a last-minute deal. The Yankees survived without the lefthander, reaching the postseason as the AL wild card before dismantling the Twins in the ALDS.

As good as the Bombers appear to be right now, think about how scary they would be if Lee was pitching behind CC Sabathia in the rotation.

"We're pretty stacked as it is," A.J. Burnett said. "I can't imagine if we had a guy like that, too."

Lee went 4-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 15 starts for Texas, doing his part as the Rangers captured their first AL West title since 1999. But after two dominating starts against the Rays in the ALDS - including a complete-game shutout win in Game 5 - Lee is the anchor of a Texas team looking to squash the Yankees' dreams of a repeat.

"He's been incredible," Sabathia said. "He's been lights-out. I knew he was going to pitch well (in Game 5 against the Rays) and help them get that win."

Sabathia knows Lee as well as anybody in the game, as the two pitched together in Cleveland from 2002-08. Sabathia and Lee remain close friends, so when it looked as if he was going to be dealt to the Yankees, Lee called Sabathia - who was in Seattle for the Yankees-Mariners series - to pick his brain.

Pitching coach Dave Eiland and bullpen coach Mike Harkey had also called Sabathia to ask about Lee, giving the Yankees' ace the impression that he was about to be reunited with his friend.

"I thought it was that close; for whatever reason, it just didn't work out," Sabathia said. "It seemed like we were going to get him."

Sabathia's wife, Amber, even spoke with Lee's wife, Kristen, discussing the best place to live in the New York area. When Lee learned that he had been traded to Texas, it seemed to take him by surprise, especially after his conversations with Sabathia.

"(Sabathia) was under the impression it was going to happen," Lee said shortly after the trade to Texas became official. "That, plus what I was seeing in the media, I had a pretty good feeling that it was going to happen. But it didn't."

But what if it had? Just as the Mariners had hoped that a pairing of Lee and Felix Hernandez would result in great things for Seattle, inserting Lee into a rotation with Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Burnett would have made the Yankees the overwhelming favorites.

(source:nydailynews.com)