"The legend of Cliff Lee took root in the hours leading up to Game 1 of the World Series in 2009.

He'd left his hotel in New York with three hours to spare before he was scheduled to start against the Yankees, but the Manhattan traffic wasn't cooperative. His cab ride lasted an hour, and he'd barely moved. He jumped out of the taxi and onto a subway train, then another. He arrived unfazed at Yankee Stadium less than 90 minutes before first pitch.

Never mind the frenetic commute or abridged build-up to the biggest game of his career. Lee took the mound hurled a six-hit shutout, striking out 10 and walking none.

"Knowing him and knowing how he thrives on the sense of urgency, I can see how it works for him," said Roy Halladay, the ego to Lee's id in the Phillies' historic starting rotation. "For me, it's a situation I would definitely not put myself in.""