Indians Lose Yet Another Superstar in Cliff Lee Deal

"See ya around, Cliff..."

"...If you’ve enjoyed pitching in Cleveland for the entirety of your major league career then winning the Cy Young Award last year was the worst thing that you could have done. Sure, you were pretty good in the six years before last, but it was those 22 wins and that 2.54 ERA that bought you a one-way ticket out of Cleveland.”

Yesterday’s trade of Cliff Lee marks the second year in a row that the Cleveland Indians have dealt away a reigning Cy Young Award winner. Last year it was C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers in exchange for four prospects who have yet to make an impact on this season’s team.

Now, don’t get me wrong…

I’m not saying that both of these deals were complete disasters. I do remember that the Indians acquired Cliff Lee in the first place via a very similar trade. In 2002 the struggling Indians parted with ace Bartolo Colon for some great minor-league prospects – Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, and Grady Sizemore. Although these players weren’t ready for the majors at the time, their effect on the team now is unquestionable.

So you may ask, what’s the problem?

Well, it’s the fact that the majority of sports teams can’t afford to keep their superstars. Once a player’s performance reaches a certain level (ie: winning the Cy Young), that player is suddenly on every team’s radar. Well, every team with a high payroll that is. The end result is that the poor team that's probably cultivated his talent from the beginning can’t cough up the dinero to keep him.

I guess I should have seen this coming. Lee’s contract was set to expire in 2009, and so the Tribe probably wouldn’t have been able to keep him around anyway. I just hope that some of these prospects will become the next Cliff Lee or the next C.C. Sabathia and will help lead the Indians back to the playoffs.

Of course, until they’re traded away too, that is.