Cliff Lee won at least 14 games in each of his three years (2004-06) as a fulltime member of the Indians’ rotation — 18 in ’05.
That’s enough to give him the job as Cleveland’s fifth starter.
Track record means a lot in the big leagues, and Lee has one that’s better and longer than the other two pitchers in the rotation race — young left-handers Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey.
Both Laffey and Sowers have proven they can pitch effectively on the major league level, but only for parts of a season, Laffey as a fill-in for Lee at the end of 2007, and Sowers, as one of the big league’s best second-half starters during his debut in 2006.
You saw what happened to Sowers once hitters in the majors adjusted to his arsenal. He wasn’t the same pitcher last year, lost his job in the rotation and was shipped to Triple-A Buffalo.
That doesn’t mean the same thing will unquestionably happen to Laffey, who wasn’t nearly as impressive as Sowers during his stint in the majors, but why wouldn’t it?
No, I’m going with the guy who’s been there and done that, and that’s Lee, one of just four American League pitchers — Johan Santana, Kenny Rogers and Jake Westbrook the others — to win 14 or more games per season over a three-year span through 2006.
Cliff’s no stiff, or at least he hasn’t been for the majority of his five-year career. He’s only in this position because of a miserable season last year — 5-8, 6.29 ERA — that included a demotion to the minors.
It’s something that Lee is certainly accountable for, but should he choose to use an excuse, he has one, missing the first month of the season with an oblique injury that put him behind.
If the exhibition season means anything and it usually does in competition for a job, Lee has the upper hand thus far, posting a 3.86 ERA over three starts, while Laffey (0-1, 11.25 ERA in four games) and Sowers (0-2, 11.25 ERA in four games and two starts) have struggled out of the gate.
Lee said that last season was a fluke, and pointed to his track record as the evidence. He should get the chance to prove it.

Marte madness

It’s easy to see why some folks are skeptical about the Indians keeping third baseman Andy Marte over hot-hitting Ben Francisco and Josh Barfield.
Marte has yet to recognize the potential most feel he has, while Francisco shined in a brief stint in the majors last year, and Barfield, though he struggled last season, put up good numbers as the starting second baseman for San Diego in 2006.
Fueling the skeptics are the spring training performances of all three. Francisco and Barfield have been killing the ball, while, until his two home runs in a 14-6 victory over the Astros on Saturday, Marte had been off to a slow start at the plate and in the field.
But it should be an easy decision for the Indians to make, one they risk nothing in executing.
Marte is out of minor league options and would probably be claimed if put on waivers, which would leave the Indians with just backup catcher Kelly Shoppach as the remaining bounty from the Coco Crisp trade with Boston. Francisco and Barfield can be sent to the minors without the same scenario.
If Marte continues to struggle on the big league level, Francisco and Barfield are but a phone call away.

Relief race

The fight for the final spot in the bullpen will most likely come down to a two-horse race between right-handers Tom Mastny and Jorge Julio.
Rick Bauer, a four-year big league veteran who spent the entire 2006 season in Texas’ bullpen, was sent down Saturday, and the Indians aren’t going to give the job to Scott Elarton no matter how long he remains in Winter Haven.
Mastny, who spent all of last season in Cleveland’s bullpen, fell out of favor in the second half, but bounced back to earn some props with an impressive ALCS performance.
Julio, a six-year vet, has the edge in experience, serving as Baltimore’s closer from 2002-04, and Arizona’s at the end of the 2006 season, and has pitched better this spring — 2.57 ERA in six exhibition appearances to Mastny’s 4.15 ERA in five.
Minor league options might play a part again, with Mastny owning three to Julio’s zero.
Mastny needs Julio to pitch poorly and it hasn’t happened yet.

Parting shot

The Yankees are the only team in the Grapefruit League that charges the media for parking.
What, they don’t have enough money already?
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. 

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