Who will win the American League Cy Young award this season? No one’s really sure, but here’s a breakdown with some possibilities.
Zack Greinke. Who knew the kid had it in him? Greinke seemingly came out of nowhere in 2009, and many dismissed his scorching hot start, thinking he’d eventually lose his stuff. He really hasn’t. With a 12-8 record, an AL-best 2.42 ERA, an AL second-best 197 strikeouts, 5 CGs (tied for most in the AL), and the lowest WHIP (1.12), Greinke has all of the stats that a Cy Young winner would typically have, and then some. Unfortunately, he plays for a bad team and this may limit his chances.
Felix Hernandez. The King has finally arrived. After a few seasons of hype, and flashes of brilliance, Hernandez has strung together a brilliant year. A 12-5 record, 2.73 ERA, and nearly a strikeout per inning have brought the Mariners back to a respectable state. He’s a big reason for it.
Roy Halladay. The subject of many trade rumors last month, and with good reason. Halladay’s 13-7 record, 3.03 ERA, 5 complete games, and just 24 walks (less than one per game – talk about control) are some of the best in baseball.
Justin Verlander has had quite the turnaround this season. After a very shaky 2008 season (he finished 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA), Verlander looks like his old self once again, with a 14-7 record, 3.38 earned run average, and a league-high 211 Ks. It’s no wonder the Tigers are in first.
CC Sabathia. His ERA at 3.59 is higher than any of the other contenders, but he leads the AL in wins with 15 and has a low WHIP (1.13). The fact that he’s playing for a team with the most wins in baseball, and is in the midst of his first season there, goes a very long way toward Sabathia’s chances.
In all likelihood, one of these pitchers will win the award. If it’s somehow not one of these, it’ll be one of the following two.
Edwin Jackson’s numbers aren’t flashy, and he probably won’t win an award for this reason. Still, his ERA is the 3rd best in the AL and he could always contend for the award with a great finish – especially if the others slip.
Josh Beckett was a legit contender very recently, but some bad starts brought his ERA up to 3.65. With a very strong finish, he can bring himself back into contention.
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