A couple of Razorbacks will have the baseball world on its edge tonight when they square off in Game 5 of the World Series.
Of course, Arkansas natives Cliff Lee and A.J. Burnett will put any home ties aside and focus on the task at hand.
“We’ve met each other over the years and became friends, and we have the same agent. He was a little ahead of me, but I knew who he was,” said Lee, who will look to continue his October dominance tonight. “So this is going to be a neat deal for our state and going to be a lot of fun; something we can talk about for the rest of our lives.”
Especially if Lee, clearly Charlie Manuel’s ace, can solve the Yankees like he did in Game 1. Lee said the reason for his success isn’t complicated.
It boils down to making pitches,” Lee said.” “If you’re not throwing strikes and missing out over the plate and walking guys, bad things are going to happen. But, if you’re locating, working ahead, mixing speeds, more than likely good things are going to happen.”
As for Manuel’s decision to give Lee his usual rest rather than move him up a day for Game 4 — and potentially Game 7 — Lee has no complaints.
“I think I can do it,” Lee said. “But I’m not going to try to second-guess or anything like that. I would have been happy either way.”
Phillies fans are just hoping Cliff Lee, their man from Arkansas, makes them happy.
