AL Cy Young - '06

[ORS]

Yeah, I know I'm jumping the gun. Typically this type of discussion doesn't begin until after the ASG. But, we have some compelling performances getting turned in by a crop of rookies that could go down as one of the best rookie classes of pitchers in quite some time.

 

Early invitees to the dance.....

 

Name        IP     W-L    SV/SVO    ERA    WHIP    OPSA    K/9

Papelbon    44.0   1-1    26/28     0.41   0.68    .403    9.21
Ryan        41.2   1-0    23/24     0.86   0.72    .368   11.23
Liriano     88.1  10-1     0/0      1.83   0.97    .546   10.40
Santana    124.0   9-4     0/0      2.76   0.99    .621    9.51
Verlander  110.2  10-4     0/0      3.01   1.17    .681    5.61
Halladay   122.1  11-2     0/0      3.02   1.05    .643    4.86

 

These are the front-runners, IMO. If Kazmir can lower his ERA and rack up a few more wins, he might make the chase. Contreras, Mussina, Schilling, Rogers, Zito? Nah. Jered Weaver started too late to have a shot, IMO.

 

I really think it's a two man race at this point between Liriano - approaching Pedro territory - and Papelbon - having a historic year in terms of ERA. If the season ended right now, I'd have to give it to Papelbon because of how dominant he's been. That said, there's a lot of games left to be played. If both keep it up, it would be neat to see a rook win the CY and ROY.

 

Thoughts?

[KeepTheFaith1229]

I agree, rookie class is insane this year. As ESPN said, Verlander might win 20 games and he's not even top 2 in rookies.

[DUSTINMOHR4LIFE]

wow, ryan is having almost as good of a year as paps. but paps still owns him

[Beckett95]

Liriano or Paps, probably Liriano if he keeps it up

[yeszir]

Liriano or Paps, probably Liriano if he keeps it up

His late start will definitely hurt him though.

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

If Liriano continues this current pace he will win it rather easily.

[Beckett95]

His late start will definitely hurt him though.

 

ya but he'll still probably finish with an ERA of around 2 and about 18 wins, maybe more. He's also on pace for around 200 K's, so i definetely think he's the front runner for the Cy Young. If he was in the Twins rotation all year, this kid probabaly woulld have broken some records.

[Sky]

Come on guys...you know how the judging works.. Halladay will win Cy Young again because he's battled back from a slow start to pitch at CY young level again

 

Can't take anything away from Papelbon though. he's pitching awesome.

 

Ryan's ERA doubled as soon as he gave up those two ER's last week...not sure what happened there... He was at 0.45

[Beckett95]

The NL should be interesting to, with a couple guys who no one would have thought of to be Cy Young canidates.

 

Brad Penny--10 W, 2.92 ERA, 82 K's

Chris Capuano--10 W, 3.21 ERA, 112 K's

Bronson Arroyo--9 W, 2.79 ERA, 95 K's

Brandon Webb--9 W, 2.72 ERA, 97 K's

 

those i would think are the frontrunners with Glavine, Young, Zambrano and Josh Johnson right behind.

[yeszir]

I vote Brandon Webb so far. That guy's been a stud for my fantasy team.

 

But this is the AL thread, not NL. What am I thinking!

[jsinger121]

Liriano will win it if he keeps up what he is doing and it won't even be close. He would also take home the ROY as well.

[26 to 6]

It's definately an interesting debate to this point. But I say lets at least get to the half way point before worrying about awards. There is still a lot of baseball to be played and a lot can happen. Pitchers who are having great seasons may crumble and pitchers who are having mediocre-or worse seasons could emerge to become a dominant force in their respective league for the second half. Who knows. We'll see.

[Cocos Disciples]

Someone will likely step up, and a couple will likely take a step down. New York writers will keep Papelbon from winning the Cy.

[Sky]

it'll be tough for Papelbon to win the CY young as a closer. He pretty much can't afford to give up more than another run in the second half to have a chance. I really think that the voters easily overlook closers and primarily put importance on the starters.

 

Liriano's doing great too, but i don't know... if he only does better in the 2nd half then good on him, but i don't think he will keep it up. I think that as teams see him pitch and learn about him more, he won't be able to compensate for that.

[ORS]

Have you watched him pitch? He doesn't have the type of stuff you get familiar with. He reminds me of turn of the century Pedro.

[Sky]

Seen who pitch? Liriano? yeah i've seen him pitch. it was really impressive to watch. I'm just saying it'll be tough to get CY young in his first year, but if i he does, then its nothing short of amazing.

 

Papelbon i've seen pitch many a time

[riverside sluggers]

I really think that the voters easily overlook closers and primarily put importance on the starters.

 

Anything close to the cy young season of Eck's 0.61 ERA season, it would be hard for voters to easily dismiss

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I agree that Liriano will get hit more in the second half. I'm not saying he will get crushed and suck but he probably won't keep this up all season. Otherwise we are talking about one of the greatest seasons ever for a pitcher and I'm not convinced just yet. He does look good though. I think his teammate Johan Santana will have something to say about it at the end of the season.

[ORS]

I don't see what him being a rookie (Liriano) has to do with it. He's been the best SP this year hands down. Papelbon's ERA, if maintained, would be historic for a closer. Nobody else deserves consideration right now. That said, there's a lot of games left.

 

Yeah, you are right Halladay has a shot, probably a good one with the idiot writers. But, it's only due to him leading the league in wins, which will probably be how he ends the year with the Jays offense. But if the season ended right now, and he won it, he'd be this year's Colon -- not quite as undeserving, but undeserving nonetheless.

[Sky]

I don't see what him being a rookie (Liriano) has to do with it. He's been the best SP this year hands down. Papelbon's ERA, if maintained, would be historic for a closer. Nobody else deserves consideration right now. That said, there's a lot of games left.

 

Yeah, you are right Halladay has a shot, probably a good one with the idiot writers. But, it's only due to him leading the league in wins, which will probably be how he ends the year with the Jays offense. But if the season ended right now, and he won it, he'd be this year's Colon -- not quite as undeserving, but undeserving nonetheless.

 

 

The only problem i have with Liriano right now is that he's pitched about 40 innings less than the average starter... yeah i know.. for obvious reasons. If he maintains a low ERA after that...then i'd say he's a great pick for Cy young. 1 bad game for him though will make him lose a lot more ground than those starters who have pitched much longer.

 

Halladay's not so undeserving, but he's not doing the best right now. His ERA is 2.92 right now though, and he's pitched 130 innings and has had as many (or less) starts than the average starters.

 

Papelbon would be my pick right now as things stand.

[Papelbon58]

I love Paps, and I think he probably deserves it right now, but the fact is, the voters shy away from two things with CY Young winners: rookies and relief pitchers. He is both. If Liriano continues this, I still think it will be a close race between he, Halladay, Santana, and possibly another, like one of the Detroit pitchers, all of them have been good, if one stands out, he could win.

[Cityofchampions33]

His late start will definitely hurt him though.

 

I disagree, I mean that just means he racked up what Curt Schilling has done in a less amount of starts or innings. I think if Liriano stays under 3.00 he gets teh Cy Young as he is already projected to win 20+. And also, Paps has blown 3 saves and has started to tail off a bit recently, though we couldn't have expected for him to stay perfect.

However, I think if the Sox stay in first, and the Twins don't make the playoffs, Papelbon will win, if the Sox lose it to the Yanks/Jays, then Liriano gets it. If both teams win, the Liriano also.

[He Hate Me]

I think Liriano will win it if he keeps it up. That said, as someone who has pushed for Mo to win the CY Young and MVP in the past, I wouldn't have a problem at all with Papelbon winning either. Sometimes, the peace of mind a dominant closer brings is really just worth a lot mroe than any other thing a starter can bring to the table unless that starter's name is Johan Santana.

[kreinbihl34]

If Paps finishes the year with a sub 1.5 era and 50 or more saves then the ROY/Cy Young should be his.

[Papelbon58]

sub 1.5, lets shoot for sub 1!!

:papelbon:

[Mr Crunchy]

jack armstrong went 13-0 for the 1990 reds and was the starter for the nl allstar team

he didnt make their playoff roster in october if i recall properly

 

wakefield was what back in 95??

12-1 at 1 point??

i dont think he made the playoff roster either

 

lets see the youngster pitch into august before we crown him with the cy just yet

[Ray10]

By the looks of things right now Liriano is going to win the CY Young the guy has just been stellar all season long. If he continues it he's going to walk away with the Cy.

[Beckett95]

ESPN's Cy Young Predictor, has Papelbon as the front-runner for now.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/cy

[the FRANCH15E]

I'd say Liriano was walking away with it but if he spends a lot of time on the DL it will hurt him...it's been amazing watching him up close this season.

[Cocos Disciples]

Well, Liriano's chances are dead, considering he started the year not starting, and now he's hurt. It seems it is down to Papelbon, Verlander, Santana, and Halladay. A wise man once said:

 

Someone will likely step up' date=' and a couple will likely take a step down. [/quote']