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.
The next guy in line after Greinke (ERA-wise) is Felix Hernandez, at 2.73. A very solid year and 173 strikeouts, the young pitcher has looked great all season. Has he made a difference to his team? Absolutely, just look at his record (12-5).
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 makes for a great story too. Having signed a huge contract with the Yankees, where many pitchers crumble under the pressure, Sabathia has put together a great season for a team that's done the same. His somewhat high ERA should be adjusted somewhat since Yankee Stadium is literally a launching pad.
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.
If Edwin Jackson continues to put up great numbers, he can't be counted out (no matter how relatively unknown he is).
Josh Beckett has bounced back from a mediocre 2008, and was considered the favorite to win the award just a week or two ago. Problem is, he was shelled big time his last two starts. In one, he allowed 7 ER at Toronto and in the other, he allowed 8 ER at New York. This sent his ERA up over half a point.
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.
The next guy in line after Greinke (ERA-wise) is Felix Hernandez, at 2.73. A very solid year and 173 strikeouts, the young pitcher has looked great all season. Has he made a difference to his team? Absolutely, just look at his record (12-5).
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 makes for a great story too. Having signed a huge contract with the Yankees, where many pitchers crumble under the pressure, Sabathia has put together a great season for a team that's done the same. His somewhat high ERA should be adjusted somewhat since Yankee Stadium is literally a launching pad.
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.
If Edwin Jackson continues to put up great numbers, he can't be counted out (no matter how relatively unknown he is).
Josh Beckett has bounced back from a mediocre 2008, and was considered the favorite to win the award just a week or two ago. Problem is, he was shelled big time his last two starts. In one, he allowed 7 ER at Toronto and in the other, he allowed 8 ER at New York. This sent his ERA up over half a point.
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