I didn’t see Felix Hernandez winning the Cy Young. I really didn’t.
Its not that I don’t think that he deserved it, but that is NOT the way that voting for the Cy Young typically works. Not at all! I’m wondering if the back lash of Jeter winning a Gold Glove (as awarded by players and coaches) made the baseball writers of America (BBWAA) even more ‘holier than thou’ than normal in making sure that they did this properly. The timing of the voting probably gets in the way of that thinking.
When there is a clear cut winner, say Halladay this year, they are good. When it takes some thinking however, they usually don’t!
I know you’re dying for examples:
2005
Player Wins ERA WHIP K’s W% Innings
Bartolo Colon 21 3.48 1.18 157 72% 222.7
Johan Santana 16 2.87 0.97 238 70% 231.7
2002
Barry Zito 23 2.75 1.13 182 82% 229.3
Pedro Martinez 20 2.26 0.92 239 83% 199.3
Those are two fairly recent examples, but there are plenty. What Felix Hernandez reminded me of though was Dave Stieb. This is what the Motown Sports Revival had to say about Dave Stieb and keep in mind that Motown in general has very little nice to say about Stieb, “Dave Stieb has been more adversely affected by poor Cy Young voting than any other pitcher in MLB history. He should have won two Cy Young awards. Instead, he has zero.” They go on to chronicle how he should have won the 1985 and 1982 Cy Young awards. You can read it here. Yes it sucks to be Dave Stieb some days. But maybe you can better understand that chip on shoulder.
My favourite year for Stieb was 1982. Technically, he was more dominant in 1985, but in ’85 they had offence and defense. They had Moseby, Bell, Barfield, Mullin-org, Fernandez, Garcia, Upshaw and Martinez and Whitt. They were solid and not solely dependent on Stieb to win games anymore.
In 1982, Whitt and Martinez were full timers by the end of the year but the season started with Geno Petralli behind the plate. Barfield and Barry Bonnell were the platoon left field, Moseby played centre and Hosken Powell and Al Woods patrolled left (not at the same time, but that would have helped). The biggest difference in the infield was in Alfredo Griffen and his 241 batting average and 26 errors at short stop (god I still miss Tony). Also 1st base was a young Willie Upshaw slowly taking the position away from Big John Mayberry.
In short, it was a team in transition. Don’t get me wrong, the transition was good and needed, but the only real constant and reliable piece in the mix was Stieb. In 1982 the team was 78-84 (.481 winning percentage), Stieb was 17-14 (.548). Big deal in the grand scheme of things, your #1 starter had better have a higher winning percentage that the team overall. But check out these numbers:
ERA: 3.25 Games Started: 38 Complete Games: 19 (not a miss print)
Shut outs: 5 (not a miss print) Innings Pitched: 288.1
The Complete Games, Shut outs and Innings Pitched all led the league that season. After 28 seasons of Blue Jays baseball since, all three are STILL team records. Still. Hentgen, Morris, Stewart, Key, Wells, Cone, Clemens and Halladay. Four Blue Jay Cy Young awards and multiple pitching all-star appearances later and Stieb still owns these records.
The 5 shutouts have been bested 3 times in the American League since. In all cases the pitcher has won the Cy Young. The 19 Complete games has been topped once, the pitcher won the Cy Young.
Felix Hernandez, not to diminish the award, likely won it this year more because he DIDN’T win it last year when he was 19-5 with a 2.49 ERA and 238 innings pitched. A lot of people will think its silly that a guy with 13 wins won the Cy.
I just think of Dave Stieb. The greatest pitcher to not win a Cy Young. Twice.
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