Watching Cliff Lee struggle through 3 innings against the Houston Astros last night was not exactly my ideal way to start the holiday weekend. While Lee’s command was not as bad as it was last Saturday against the Braves, Lee still had trouble missing bats. Worse than that, when the bats did connect they found gaps, corners and seats to the tune of 6 ER in 3 IP.

Yikes.

After 5 unbelievably dominating starts as a Phillie, our newest arm has fallen back to earth with a resounding thud.

2 games does not a season, or even a month, make. So what should we make of Cliff Lee? Is he the no-doubt-about-it Cy Young ace who is absolutely the guy who will start Game 1 of a presumptive NLDS appearance by our heroes? Or is he the lefthanded Adam Eaton?

For those of us here in Philly, the last 6 days have been head-scratching. But Indian fans can probably spin a yarn about periods of time in Cliff Lee’s Indian’s career when he vacillated between domination and abomination.

A review of Cliff Lee’s career game logs shows periods like what we saw in August – even during last year’s Cy Young campaign.

From May 18 thru June 4 of 2008, Lee went 3-1 for the Indians in 4 starts, but sported a ERA of 6.56 during that time and a 1.89 WHIP. Two words – run support.

Lee gave up at least 8 hits in 13 starts last year. By comparison, Jamie Moyer gave up 8 hits or more 7 times.

Lee’s first 2 starts this year as an Indian were hardly impressive. 0-2, 10 IP, 9.90 ERA .370 OPP BA.

His last 3 starts as an Indian were strong, as he posted a 1.44 ERA as he went 3-0. But the 4 starts before that were tough. 0-4 with a 5.87 ERA.

Lee likes to throw strikes, work quickly, and let his defense help him out. At lot of times it works brilliantly. Other times? Not so much. In a game of inches, what could be a line drive out becomes a two run double in the gap. While he throws in the low 90s, he relies on command to put batters at disadvantages. If he leaves the ball over the plate, he’s going to get hit around. Popups become homers, line drive outs become gappers.

So which is the real Cliff Lee? It looks like both, folks. With a resurgent Cole Hamels, Lee probably doesn’t need to be at guy who was sporting a razor thin ERA in August. But for the Phillies to make noise in October, he’ll need to be better than what he’s shown Philly fans this past week.

I’m betting he will. And then he won’t. And then he will again.

You get the picture.