Highest WPA | Lowest WPA | ||
Cliff Lee | .401 | Kelly Shoppach | -.047 |
Casey Blake | .064 | Victor Martinez | -.045 |
Grady Sizemore | .048 | Travis Hafner | -.023 |
Sometimes it's best to let the statistics do the talking:
44.2 innings, 39 strikeouts, 25 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks
Cliff Lee allowed seven hits, but several of those were of the bloop or squib variety. And while he continued to rely on command of his fastball, he used his sweeping curve to great effect when ahead in the count. Because the Yankee hitters had to guess fastball with two strikes, Cliff's slow curve was virtually unhittable. And because Lee continued to throw strike after strike, the patience approach normally employed to great effect by the Yankees was nullified.
As Lee was playing with the Yankee lineup as a sleepy kitten bats a hanging piece of yarn, the offense eeked out three runs off Chien-Ming Wang, who was off to a 6-0 start.* Andy Marte finally got consecutive starts, collected a hit, but was pulled for Travis Hafner in the ninth when his spot in the order came up with the bases loaded. Hafner had a terrible at-bat, ending in a weak inning-ending squib double play.
*In most other stats, he doesn't hold a candle to what Lee's done, but wins are what matter dontyaknow.