Editing Cliff Lee (section)

== Early life and college career ==
Clifton Phifer Lee was born on August 30, 1978, in [[Benton, Arkansas]], to Steve and Sharon Lee. His father was a local firefighter and one-time city council member.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Pruden III |first=William H. |title=Clifton Phifer (Cliff) Lee (1978–) |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/clifton-phifer-6477/ |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of Arkansas]] |publisher=[[Central Arkansas Library System]] |date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-date=December 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225172421/https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/clifton-phifer-6477/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He was named Clifton after his maternal grandfather, while Phifer was his mother's maiden name.<ref name="townsend" /> Both of his parents were high school athletes: Steve was a [[wide receiver]] for the [[American football|football]] team at [[Benton High School (Arkansas)|Benton High School]], while Sharon, despite missing one hand from a birth defect, was a [[pitcher]] for a local [[softball]] team.<ref name="o'keeffe" /> Although he also played football and [[basketball]], Lee's primary focus in high school was on baseball, where his former coach described him as a hard thrower who had trouble with his pitch command.<ref name="o'keeffe" /> College baseball coach [[Norm DeBriyn]] referred to Lee as a "can't-miss guy" upon seeing him pitch in high school, describing him as "a big left-hander that threw hard".<ref name="holt" /> He was able to increase his [[strikeout]]s and decrease his walk ratio over the course of his high school career, and pitched two [[no-hitter]]s as a [[Senior (education)|senior]].<ref name="hagen">{{Cite news |last=Hagen |first=Paul |title=Introducing Cliff Lee, who makes first start at Citizens Bank Park today |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/phillies/20090806_Introducing_Cliff_Lee__who_makes_first_start_at_Citizens_Bank_Park_today.html |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=August 6, 2009 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-date=February 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228062202/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/phillies/20090806_Introducing_Cliff_Lee__who_makes_first_start_at_Citizens_Bank_Park_today.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}</ref>

That year, Lee attracted attention from professional [[baseball]] [[Scout (sports)|scouts]] for his {{convert|91|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} [[fastball]], even after a shoulder injury forced him off of the pitcher's mound and into the [[outfield]].<ref name="o'keeffe" /> He was selected out of high school by the [[Florida Marlins]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) in the eighth round (246th overall) of the [[1997 Major League Baseball draft]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=8th Round of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1997&draft_round=8&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=July 8, 2024 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref> but failed to reach contract terms with the team and instead played [[college baseball]] for [[Meridian Community College]].<ref name="townsend" /> Originally, he had committed to play for the [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]], but reneged when he learned that [[NCAA Division I]] baseball players were ineligible for the MLB draft until their [[Junior (education year)|junior]] year.<ref name="o'keeffe" /> Following his freshman season in Meridian, Lee was drafted again, this time by the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in the 20th round (609th overall) of the [[1998 Major League Baseball draft|1998 MLB draft]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=20th Round of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/ |access-date=July 8, 2024 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref> but he again chose not to sign.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hoynes |first=Paul |date=July 30, 2009 |title=Scout's open mind on Lee was justified by lefthander |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/sports/20090730_Scout_s_open_mind_on_Lee_was_justified_by_lefthander.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226214530/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/sports/20090730_Scout_s_open_mind_on_Lee_was_justified_by_lefthander.html |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |publisher=[[The Plain Dealer]]}}</ref> In 2000, Lee accepted a scholarship offer to play college baseball for the [[Arkansas Razorbacks baseball|Arkansas Razorbacks]] as a [[Junior (education year)|junior]]. His season fell below expectations, with Lee posting a 4–3 [[Win–loss record (pitching)|win–loss record]] and a 4.46 [[earned run average]] (ERA) in 16 games (nine [[Games started|starts]]), as well as 45 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], 77 strikeouts, and 52 walks in {{frac|64|1|3}} [[innings pitched]].<ref name="holt" /> Lee also ran into issues with his pitching stamina, which forced him to occasionally pitch out of the [[bullpen]].<ref name="schoenfield" />