Cliff Lee for Cy Young?

If the season ended today, is there a chance that Cliff Lee, ace of one of the worst teams in the American League, could win the Cy Young Award? Not only could this happen, but it should.

Lee, if you remember, had a horrible blow-up season with the Cleveland Indians in 2007. There was a time when Lee couldn’t find the strike zone and left games early enough to tire out the Indians bullpen with regularity. He was sent down to the minors and eventually left off Cleveland’s playoff roster. Yet, in 2008, Lee is totally different pitcher.

This season, Lee has been dominant. He started the year off with a 6-0 mark and a minuscule earned run average usually seen only in video games. By the time the All-Star break rolled around, Lee was 12-2 and named the starter for the American League in Yankee Stadium. Since then, Lee hasn’t lost. Sitting at 17-2, Lee is tops in the AL in wins and ERA (2.93). He’s also ninth in the AL with 134 strikeouts.

He could, and as of right now, should win AL Comeback Player of the Year, along with the Cy Young. You’ve seen several other teams taking the same approach with some of their pitchers as the Indians did with Lee, by sending them to the minors in order to regain what they once had.

Lee has yet to win a Cy Young award, although he did finish fourth in the voting following the 2005 season. By the end of this season, Lee should set career bests in wins, ERA, WHIP, innings pitched and runs allowed. It’s also possible that the former Arkansas Razorback could set a new career high in strikeouts (current career high is 161, set in 2004).

It’s an amazing story, but the only thing that could potentially hinder his chances at receiving some hardware very soon is the final standings of his club.