NEW YORK — Pitchers Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians and Brad Lidge of the Philadelphia Phillies were honored today 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.