Maybe there hasn’t been an overabundance of outstanding major league players with Arkansas roots, but there have been some among the game’s alltime greats.

In Tuesday’s paper, Jim Bailey wrote about the pitchers and how the latest phenom, Cliff Lee of Benton, has a chance to have a winning percentage higher than. 900, which is incredible in any era but especially now.

Probably the two most famous former major leaguers from Arkansas who weren’t pitchers are Brooks Robinson and Donnie Kessinger. Robinson was dubbed the human vacuum cleaner for his play at third base, and Kessinger taught himself to switch hit after making the majors.

There have been others who resisted the temptation to chase football — Mike Beard and Gerald Hannahs come to mind — but Arkansas having two guys, both pitchers, performing like North Little Rock’s A. J. Burnett and Lee at the same time isn’t the norm.

Lee, who started the All-Star Game for the American League and gave up just one hit in two innings, is having the type of year that dreams are made of as he stands 21-2 with three or four starts left.

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His 21 st victory was in Kansas City, Mo., so his family drove up to watch.

His wife and children recently returned to Benton because school was starting, and while they own a house in Cleveland, their home is in Benton.

Always has been and always will be.

In early October, his high school and American Legion jerseys will be retired before a Benton High football game.

Not bad for a guy who just a little more than a year ago was sent down to Class AAA Buffalo.

He was suffering from an abdominal strain, but he refused to complain and worked his way back to the bigs in a few weeks.

During the off-season, he was a regular at Fitness Unlimited in Benton, working on all his muscles, especially his stomach.

“He has an unbelievable work ethic,” said Shane Pique, whose family owns the fitness center. “What is most amazing is what a great athlete he is. You should see him dunk a basketball.” He’s also an avid outdoorsman and very involved in the community.

He may be No. 31 in the program, but to many, he’s No. 1 in their heart. Just two years ago, he was nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award for public service.

He and his wife are on the board for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and locally he’s involved with numerous organizations, including Miracle League (as is Burnett and others ).

Obviously, there is much more to the left-handed pitcher than just baseball, but when he is on he mound, he is a total control freak.

He has more pitches than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

He can throw a four-seam and a two-seam fastball, a curve that seems to get better with every outing and a change-up. Oh, and last season, he added a slider.

Lee leads the majors in victories with 21 and with a 2. 28 ERA. Only eight pitchers have won 19 of their first 21 starts in the past 88 years.

The former Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher turned 30 on Aug. 30, and while details are mostly private, he has one year left on his current contract.

This season has vaulted him into the center of attention among the national and local media, and Sunday, while watching NFL games, yours truly was keeping up with Lee’s game against Kansas City via the Internet.

He would never say it, but if he were pitching for a better offensive team, he would be looking at tons of postseason money. Instead, when this season ends, he’ll pack up and head home to Benton.

A few days later, he’ll be honored, and the most uncomfortable guy there will be the one who, despite pitching on one, avoids center stage.

Regardless of what happens the last few weeks of the season, Cliff Lee has established himself as one of Arkansas’ major league greats.