Jim's looking at his iPhone Wednesday night. He says, "Phillies are up, one to zip. It's just the first inning though."

I've been watching last night's Tonight Show on the DVR. "Is the game on TV?"

He turns his head slowly toward me like a robot that needs oil. "Did you really just ask me if the first game of the
World Series is being broadcast on television?"

I raise my eyebrows and blink at him. "Well, is it?"

Okay, so I'm not a big baseball fan. I watch the highlight reels, I read the feature stories. But mostly because I care about anything related to Saline County. What do the Phillies have to do with Saline County? Even I know that local boy Cliff Lee was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies this year and continued to tear it up on the ball field, helping his team to the World Series to face the New York Yankees. I don’t know stats and junk but I know that.

A few innings into the game... Oh man, why haven't I been watching this? Did you see the pop fly where Lee just steps to the right on the mound and was all, "Meh, I guess I'll catch this." Extends his arm and *plink* it's his. And then... He does it again, only behind his doggone back!! Even the Yankees fans sucked in air.

I was almost tired of hearing about this guy on Facebook and Twitter and even MySaline.com every time there's a game. But when you're watching a game, it becomes very evident why people can't shut up about Cliff Lee.
It's just baffling now to think that the 2007 season was really terrible for him, to the point that Cleveland just wanted him gone. Lee had a lot of work to do for the Indians to take him back as a player for the next season. He did manage to turn it around for 2008 and it really was a complete 180, with Lee having a stellar season and taking home the Cy Young Award.

He was a hero for major league baseball and the Indians, but an even bigger deal back home in Benton, Arkansas. Where? Home of Cliff Lee, that’s where. Lee went to Benton High School and played ball there, then he played for the Razorbacks before heading to the big leagues. After he left town, his parents were still here. His dad is a Benton City Council member.

When this series is over, whether the Phillies win or not, I foresee a parade in Cliff Lee’s honor. Not only did he have a great 2008, but 2009’s season has now proven to fans - the extreme ones and the casual ones - that it was no fluke. This dude has the stuff.
Do you know how I know that Benton is not the only place where people are just plain enamored with him? They have a camera on each end of the dugout and they aim them at Lee between batters. All he’s doing is sitting on the bench waiting. Are they counting how many times Lee chews his gum?

I mentioned earlier that Twitter and Facebook were blowing up with posts about the game. There was one particular vein of conversation called Cliff Lee Facts. These “facts” are a tad exaggerated to say the least, and there are gazillions of them. Here’s the top ten of my favorites.

10. Cliff Lee will pitch the 9th inning from the dugout.

9. Cliff Lee only needs 5 minutes to save 15% or more on car insurance.

8. Cy Young needs the Cliff Lee award.

7. Cliff Lee is cooler than the other side of the pillow.

6. Once the lights are powered up from a Cliff Lee fast ball they won't turn off for a week.

5. Cliff Lee's curve ball is only visible to the pure of heart.

4. The Loch Ness Monster thinks Cliff Lee is just a myth.

3. We won't be seeing the Steinbrenners with the Yankees anymore because now, Cliff Lee now owns them.

2. Alex Rodriguez checks under his bed for Cliff Lee before he goes to sleep.

1. Cliff Lee has a dog named Yankee who’s fat because Cliff Lee does not walk Yankees.


This column was originally published in the Benton Courier on Sunday, November 1, 2009. See more of Shelli's columns.