2009 Chachi #52 Cliff Lee

Have I mentioned yet I'm excited about this deal? Driving to work this morning, listening to Baseball This Morning on XM, Scott Graham and Buck Martinez were actually going through the Phillies' potential Postseason pitching rotations. They were debating who will start Game 3 after Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. We're still in July, and smart baseball people are talking about how the Phillies will line up their starting rotation for the Postseason. Hard to believe, Harry.

Cliff is going to go with uniform #34, which is the number he wore in Cleveland in 2003 and 2004. He probably could have had his more familiar #31, as he's most likely taking the rotation spot of the current #31, Rodrigo Lopez.

Phillies debut: Pending (tomorrow night)
Major League debut: September 15, 2002

Former team: Cleveland Indians 2002-2009
How acquired: Acquired from the Cleveland Indians with Ben Francisco for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Jason Knapp and Lou Marson, July 29, 2009

Pictured: For now, it's a picture from this afternoon from Todd Zolecki's Twitter page. I'll update this with an action shot after tomorrow night's game. (UPDATE, July 31 - You know what? I like this picture, so it's staying. I'll remember this picture as the first shot I saw of the team's new ace in a Phillies uniform. Besides, I'll make sure Cliff has an action shot for his 2010 Chachi card).

Cliff Lee has been traded twice in his career and both times it was to teams managed by Charlie Manuel. On June 27, 2002, the Montreal Expos traded Cliff with Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Lee Stevens to the Indians for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew. Charlie would be fired by the Indians two weeks after this trade due to a contract dispute.