MLB AWARDS \ Comeback player of the year

NEW YORK — Pitchers Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians and Brad Lidge of the Philadelphia Phillies were honored Tuesday as baseball’s Comeback Players of the Year. Lee went 22-3 with an American League-leading 2.54 ERA. The previous season, he was 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA and was demoted to the minor leagues. “I’ve never seen a season like that,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said. “From start to finish he was incredible. There were real reasons for it. He worked hard phyically to get back.” Lidge was a perfect 41-for-41 in save opportunities as the Phillies’ closer. In 2007, he converted just 19 of 27 for the Houston Astros. “I never lost confidence in myself, no matter what the years were like or the results,” Lidge said. “I always felt I was going to come back and pitch to the best of my ability.”

Associated Press