By now, we've all been made well aware that the Rangers likely wouldn't have made the World Series last year without Cliff Lee.
In fact, they probably wouldn't have beaten Tampa Bay without Lee's two masterful performances in the ALDS, including the series-clinching Game 5.
And while many Rangers fans have come to terms with Lee's decision to bolt Texas in favor of Philadelphia, where he joined the greatest rotation ever known to man, Thursday night's performance might have been his most masterful performance in a while.
Facing, yes, the Nationals, Lee was brilliant. He finished the night with 12 strikeouts, one walk and allowed three hits in a complete game shutout effort. Better yet, it only took him 99 pitches to do it.
Bring back some memories, Rangers fans?
Well, don't be too sad. It was Lee's first "Lee-like" start of the season.
In fact, in his last start against the Braves, he was pounded into submission, going just 3 1/3 innings and gave up 10 hits and allowed six runs. Ouch.
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So do we miss Cliff Lee? Well, yeah. But are we dead without him? Of course not.
In fact, so far, only Colby Lewis' ERA is higher than Lee's 4.19 among all five of the Rangers starters.
