Pro Sports Blogging

As it appears this final week of Spring Training, the Cy Young races will eventually prove that the 2010 voting was more accurate than most realize. Historically, Cy Young voting has been predicated on a very simple set of stats – wins, tempered with ERA and IP. In 2010 Felix Hernandez won the Cy Young Award for a last place team – which has happened only a couple times in history (1972 Steve Carlton, 2009 Zack Grienke) and even then it was an aberration from previous instances.

Thanks to sabremetrics and the more complex awareness of the modern voter, statistics such as WHIP, DICE and WAR as well as the evolution of the modern bullpen specialists, this is not as simple a process as it once was. Starting pitchers don’t usually garner more than 20-25 decisions – and even then it is the exception rather than the rule. Saves, Holds and Quality Starts have taken away from win totals so there may never be another Denny McLain (31-6, 1968) nor may there be another instance where four pitchers from the same team (1971 Baltimore Orioles) win 20 games each.

In the days of Cy Young (1890-1911) pitchers were expected to finish what they started and be ready to throw every 3 or 4 days. Relief pitchers were non-existant and pitch counts were as scarce as baseball-cap-shaped golf cart rides from the bullpen. The Award named after Dentron True “Cy” Young was established in 1956 (in memorium to Young who passed away the previous year) by Commissioner Ford Frick. Originally it was a single award for the best overall pitcher in baseball for that year. Naturally as the game evolved and expanded the award was split in 1967 (after Frick’s retirement) to ensure one NL and one AL recipient – thanks to William Eckert. The voting process was amended after a tie in 1969. Each writer would vote for three different pitchers: the first-place vote received 5 points, the second-place vote received 3 points, and the third-place vote received one point, a system that is still in use.

2011 may prove that Felix Hernandez and Roy Halladay could top the voting again, but it is also possible that the two back-to-back Cy Young Award winners will come from the statistically best and worst teams for the second year in a row. Sabremetricians should be dancing in the streets as this is testment to their efforts. Also included you will find all of the expectant candidates per league – broken down in order of finish.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

NATIONAL LEAGUE

 ROOKIES OF YEAR

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1B-Freddy Freeman, ATL

Runner-Up: RP-Aroldis Chapman, CIN; 1B-Brandon Belt, SFG (may return to AAA for slumping); OF-Domonic Brown, PHI (injured)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

C-J.P. Arencibia, TOR

Runner-Up: SP-Jeremy Hellickson, TBR; 2b-Dustin Ackley, SEA, SP-Kyle Drabek, TOR, SP-Michael Pineda, SEA

Make sure you also see :
AL Preview http://prosportsblogging.com/mlb-baseball/mlb-2011-preview-al-east/
NL Preview http://prosportsblogging.com/mlb-baseball/mlb-2011-national-league-preview/
Pitching Preview : http://prosportsblogging.com/mlb-baseball/aces-wild-in-philadelphia/

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Written by Christopher Rowe
Contributing writer Comcast Sports, NY Times contributing stringer 1996-2000, Contributing writer Yahoo Sports (2001 World Series). Contributing writer Newsday Long Island (1992-1994, Jets Training Camp) and Newak Star Ledger. Freelance Copywriter, Editor/Founder Atlantic Times Weekly (1993-2003) fantasy football magazine, produced screenwriter and general humorist. Hofstra University grad, Marist College honorary alum, Salesian; Purveyor of the Value and Valor of Philadelphia Eagles 1960 NFL Championship; Adrent believer that Eagles could have won Super Bowl XV...and Super Bowl XXXIX...plus modern decade of Eagles 5 NFC Championships... Believer in the Broad Street Bullies and the 1983 Sixers... Witness to Philadelphia Phillies World Series championships 1980 & 2008, Suffered Phillies first pro sports team to reach 10,000 losses,witnessed "1980 Cardiac Kids," 1983 "Wheeze Kids," 1993 "Macho Row" and many, many, many not-so-memorable seasons in-between... until the Philadelphia Baseball Renaissance of 21st Century, Five NL East division titles 2007-2011, 3 NLCS appearances 2008-2010, 2 consecutive World Series berths 2008 & 2009. 2008 World Champions of baseball [miss ya Harry and Richie]; "collector" of MLB ballparks (42 stadiums including 15 which are gone); Fantasy Football & Baseball player since 1992. Always a sports fan... Tenui Nec Dimittam Contact me christopherrowe@prosportsblogging.com