NL Cy Young poll

[Freelance Hack]

Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time giving a Cy Young award to a pitcher that just won 15 games, regardless of how dog**** his team was this year.

I can't remember when there was such mediocrity and parity in the field. You could make a strong claim for most of the pitchers named above, though you could also make a damaging case against them as well.

 

[Columbo]

When innings pitched are that close, I have to go purely with ERA.

Also, the way Oswalt closed the season was pretty big.

 

[jagtrader]

Jeter!

 

[Freelance Hack]

My bad, Webb's IP was 235 not 230.

The others (in order):
Harang 234 1/3
Smoltz 232
Carpenter 221 1/3
Oswalt 220 2/3
Lowe 218
Zambrano 214

The Reds homer in me wants it to go to Harang, but I can't remember an NL Cy Young winner with a ERA above 3.5. Most NL Cys have had sub 3 ERA, IIRC. Still, Harang finished 11th with his 3.76 ERA.

 

[Oz]

When innings pitched are that close, I have to go purely with ERA.

Also, the way Oswalt closed the season was pretty big.

I hate to agree with you ... but I will here.

 

[Freelance Hack]

When innings pitched are that close, I have to go purely with ERA.

Also, the way Oswalt closed the season was pretty big.

I hate to agree with you ... but I will here.

For the curious, Oswalt was 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA in six Sept (and I'm assuming) October starts.

That's enough for me, too.

 

[outofplace]

My bad, Webb's IP was 235 not 230.

The others (in order):
Harang 234 1/3
Smoltz 232
Carpenter 221 1/3
Oswalt 220 2/3
Lowe 218
Zambrano 214

The Reds homer in me wants it to go to Harang, but I can't remember an NL Cy Young winner with a ERA above 3.5. Most NL Cys have had sub 3 ERA, IIRC. Still, Harang finished 11th with his 3.76 ERA.

It has happened, I can't see giving it to Harang with one more victory when Oswalt had an ERA under 3 and he was dominant when the Astros made their run at the end.

 

[bigpern23]

I'm too lazy to look it up, but strikeouts would be a factor that was not listed above. Looking at those numbers, I'd probably give it to Oswalt. Hate to give to a guy with 15 wins, but it's not like 16 wins is a significantly better statistic, so I'd have to give it to the guy with the lower ERA ... he gave his team a better chance to win night in and night out than the others.

 

[Gold]

Why not Trevor Hoffman? I know he blew the save in the All-Star game and I know he is a relief pitcher, but which pitcher made more of an impact during the season?

 

[novelist_wannabe]

Brandon Webb really shouldn't be on the ballot in my book. After going 9-0 to start he was pretty hit or miss the last half of the season.

I was thinking Smoltz blew it with three bad starts in September, but this is a pretty undistinguished field. Oswalt might be the best pick.

 

[Claws for Concern]

Why not Trevor Hoffman? I know he blew the save in the All-Star game and I know he is a relief pitcher, but which pitcher made more of an impact during the season?

I agree. There's no 20-game winner and the NL is a tad weaker this year in the starter category. Give Hoffman a gift Cy Young Award.

 

[Columbo]

Why not Trevor Hoffman? I know he blew the save in the All-Star game and I know he is a relief pitcher, but which pitcher made more of an impact during the season?

I agree. There's no 20-game winner and the NL is a tad weaker this year in the starter category. Give Hoffman a gift Cy Young Award.

Total pile of bull**** stat.

 

[Trey Beamon]

When innings pitched are that close, I have to go purely with ERA.

Also, the way Oswalt closed the season was pretty big.

I hate to agree with you ... but I will here.

For the curious, Oswalt was 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA in six Sept (and I'm assuming) October starts.

That's enough for me, too.

I agree. The home park doesn't do him any favors, either.

 

[Songbird]

Maybe someone can find out how many of the aforementioned would've had 20-22 wins had bullpens not blown leads. Coulda be a little better indicator.

 

[Freelance Hack]

Why not Trevor Hoffman? I know he blew the save in the All-Star game and I know he is a relief pitcher, but which pitcher made more of an impact during the season?

I agree. There's no 20-game winner and the NL is a tad weaker this year in the starter category. Give Hoffman a gift Cy Young Award.

But no closer really had a dominant year either -- Hoffman had a 2.14 ERA. To me, a dominant closer needs a low 1 or a below 1 ERA to merit consideration.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Maybe someone can find out how many of the aforementioned would've had 20-22 wins had bullpens not blown leads. Coulda be a little better indicator.

Being from STL, it seemed like that happened to Carpenter fairly often, especially early in the season. And he had Isringhausen, he of the MLB-worst 10 blown saves closing for him.

 

[Dignan]

You forgot Zambrano's 6 home runs. Makes a nice tie-breaker.

 

[buckweaver]

Oswalt or Hoffman, with Carpenter just behind them.

I'm tempted to give it to Hoffman. Aside from the ASG, and a blowup against the Braves two days later, he was dominant as ever and, with Peavy's struggles, was the leader of an inconsistent pitching staff.

Oswalt has long been one of the best pitchers in the NL. He was clutch as usual down the stretch, and no team in the league ever looks forward to facing him.

Numbers are all the same -- and all below-average, for a Cy winner -- so I don't think using them is going to make a much stronger case.

Oh, and this is ad hominem, but Hoffman got screwed out of the CYA in 1998. Voters couldn't look past Glavine's 20-6 record. [/and this is coming from the biggest Glav apologist on the board]

 

[OnTheRiver]

If Carpenter happens to win the award, he should take the trophy to the stadium and beat the **** out of Isringhausen with it.

 

[Freelance Hack]

Just because I'm waiting on someone to send me something, I decided to see how many leads the bullpen blew for Oswalt. I counted five.