AL Cy Young?

[Shaggy]

Is Greinke going to be denied because of his 12-8 record? Considering his ERA is around 2.35, the W-L is obviously not his fault.

Here are the best candidates. Who's your top 3?:

Zack Greinke, Kansas City
Justin Verlander, Detroit
Roy Halladay, Toronto
CC Sabathia, New York
Jarrod Washburn, Seattle/Detroit
Felix Hernandez, Seattle
Josh Beckett, Boston
Mariano Rivera, New York
Edwin Jackson, Detroit

 

[Oz]

1. Greinke
2. Greinke
3. Greinke.

 

[YGBFKM]

Greinke has lost to the White Sox twice, and the Sox can't hit.

I think he has a good shot, though, especially since Poz's early SI story got his name out there. Think he needs at least 15 wins, though.

Halladay would be a good choice, too.

 

[outofplace]

Greinke has lost to the White Sox twice, and the Sox can't hit.

I think he has a good shot, though, especially since Poz's early SI story got his name out there. Think he needs at least 15 wins, though.

Halladay would be a good choice, too.

Greinke finished strong after a rough month in the 2nd half last year, so that might be happening again.

His last two against the White Sox were rough, but he is 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA against them in five starts.

 

[YGBFKM]

Unfortunately, in the one game I went to in KC, he shut out the Sox.

 

[KevinmH9]

1. Greinke
2. Verlander
3. Halladay

 

[outofplace]

I was happy about it (I've got Greinke on all three of my fantasy teams).

Leads the league in ERA and complete games. Tied for the lead in shutouts with two. Second to Verlander in strikeouts. I think Greinke has to be the top candidate, especially if he finishes strong, regardless of his record.

 

[buckweaver]

It's Greinke's to lose.

Still a month to go. A lot can happen.

 

[YGBFKM]

True. It was Brandon Webb's to lose at point last year, and he certainly lost it.

 

[buckweaver]

True. It was Brandon Webb's to lose at point last year, and he certainly lost it.

Absolutely. And Greinke's been a bit shaky the last two months.

As the great philosopher Joaquin Andujar said, "You can sum it up in one word: You never know."

 

[RTJ]

According to Joe Morgan, it's C.C. Sabathia. Idiot.

(And yeah, I'm in the Greinke camp.)

 

[spnited]

Greinke, Verlander, Halladay ... for now. A lot can still change.

 

[Oz]

True. It was Brandon Webb's to lose at point last year, and he certainly lost it.

Absolutely. And Greinke's been a bit shaky the last two months.

All the candidates have been shaky. Felix Hernandez (2.73 ERA) has allowed five or more runs in three of his last six starts. Roy Halladay (3.03 ERA) has given up 11 runs in his last two starts. Josh Beckett (3.65 ERA) has given up 15 runs in his last two starts. And Cliff Lee had righted his slow start before he got shipped to the Phillies.

Given Greinke's lack of run support and the fact that he plays in front of the worst defense in the AL, it makes what he has done all the more remarkable.

 

[Della9250]

If Rivera can get to 50 saves and continue putting up some sick numbers, does he become the sentimental choice if New York has the best record?

And right now Verlander is the choice in ESPN's Cy Young Predictor

 

[Oz]

And right now Verlander is the choice in ESPN's Cy Young Predictor

It also has Greinke eighth, which is a joke.

Verlander's two more wins, 14 more strikeouts and four "Victory Bonus" points -- a possible 12-point bonus awarded for leading your team to the division "champsionship" -- is why. To base it on that, though, would be to ignore that Greinke has given up 19 fewer runs, sports an ERA nearly a full run lower (2.43), has two more complete games (5) and one more shutout (2) than Verlander does this season. And they've both pitched 181 innings, even though Greinke has one less start.

 

[Football_Bat]

I picked Greinke in April and I'm going to stick to it, although his W-L record will hurt him.

 

[JC]

When does Shockey come on here and tell us it has to go to the pitcher with the most wins?

 

[Songbird]

In 10 of his starts -- 5 in August, 5 in June -- these are his numbers:

67.1 innings
69 hits allowed
34 runs (30 earned)
17 walks, 70 strikeouts
4.05 ERA in June, 3.97 ERA in August -- or 4.02 ERA combined.

So, Greinke has 16 really good starts and 10 relatively so-so starts (with some crappy starts).

I know the team he plays for has ****ty offense, but I don't like that ratio of 16/10.

We can play the "what-if" game all we want, as in "what if the Royals weren't as crappy as the Padres?"

Yeah, Greinke might have 2-3 more wins if the Royals weren't the Triple-A team of the American League. But that's neither here nor there, though some here will argue that it certain is part of the equation.

But I see that 16/10 ratio and just don't see "Cy Young."

He has a fantastic K/BB ratio, so he's a terrific control pitcher. And Oz mentioned the 3 complete games and 2 shutouts, even though 2 shutouts isn't all that impressive. I mean, it's decent considering today's starters are generally 6-inning guys. But if he were head and shoulders "Cy Young" over everyone else, he'd have 5 or 6 shutouts in spite of the Royals' offense.


I just don't think it's Greinke's to lose.

 

[kingcreole]

1. Greinke
2. Rivera
3. Verlander

 

[spnited]

I see 2 bad starts for Greinke in June and 1 bad, 1 mediocre in August