ESPN's "Cy Yuk" of the 1st Half

[High Mileage]

AL Cy Yuk of the half-year: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox

 

There's nothing America loves more than a riveting Yankees-Red Sox duel -- for just about anything. But this is the first time we can remember one that involved a Cy Yuk Award.

 

On one hand, we have Chien-Ming Wang. It took him 10 starts just to lower his ERA below 10.00 -- and even at its lowest point all year, that would still be the highest single-season ERA (9.64) by any Yankees pitcher in history with this many innings pitched. Even Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa aren't within a subway stop of that ERA, believe it or not.

 

On the other hand, there's Daisuke Matsuzaka. He's on pace to have the worst WHIP (2.20) and the worst opponent batting average (.378) by any Red Sox pitcher in history with 35 or more innings in a season. Yep, that means he's been worse than Dana Kiecker. Worse than Eric Hetzel. Even worse than Gar Finnvold and Hipolito Pichardo.

 

So this award is a tough, tough call. But we've spent all year piling on Chien-Ming. So it's time to give Dice-K his due. Or at least it's time to give him half a Cy Yuk, anyway.

 

Cys of relief for: Wang, Fausto Carmona.

[Soxfan1]

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