Cliff Lee = Cy Young?

After two disappointing and unproductive seasons in 2006 and 2007, Cliff Lee was just hoping to make the Cleveland rotation during spring training. He recorded a nice spring and managed to beat out Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers for the No. 5 spot. Still, expectations were low for a guy who won 18 games with a 3.79 ERA in 2005.

But through his first three starts, Lee has been magnificent. He's shown excellent command by walking just two in 22 innings. He's struck out 20 and allowed just one earned run. Lee leads the league with a 0.40 ERA and his 0.44 WHIP isn't bad either.

With C.C. Sabathia struggling and the Indians bats mostly silent through the first 17 games, Lee has been the most pleasant of surprises. He's provided the Tribe with almost half of its wins.

After his outstanding 2005 campaign, when he finished 18-5 with the sub-4.00 ERA, Lee posted ERAs of 4.40 in 2006 and 6.29 in 2007. His WHIPs were 1.40 and 1.52 respectively, and his adjusted ERA+ was 73 in '06 and a dreadful 1108 last year. (An ERA+ score of 100 is league average.)

But we should remember that Lee dealt with injuries during the past two seasons, including an abdominal strain that sidelined him for a big chunk of 2007. Now that's he's healthy, Lee looks like the type of pitcher Cleveland saw two years ago.

Still, nothing was guaranteed for Lee heading into 2008. With Fauso Carmona's resurgent 2007 season, Sabathia's Cy Young season and Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd's slots in the rotation already secured, Lee looked like the odd man out for this season. But he turned it around in spring training and hasn't looked back.

With the addition of a productive Lee, Cleveland's rotation looks better by the day. Carmona threw a gem earlier this week against Detroit, Westbrook continues to pitch well, Byrd had a nice outing his last time on the mound and Lee is completely baffling opposing hitters. If Sabathia can find anything close to his 2007 self, the Tribe should have a very strong starting rotation.

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