The Cy Young Award Watch-v2012.NL

[Edgy MD]

That probably won't happen, as I think most folks only look at relievers in the absence of any 20-game winners, but stealing a few votes could certainly make him a spoiler.

I imagine a strong start by Kimbrel gets him pulled early.

[Vic Sage]

kimbrel's been great... over the course of 61.2 INNINGS! Now while i don't absolutely rule out the CY for relievers (cough, cough... own award... rolaids... cough cough), i would only consider it in a year where there were no dominant pitchers... um, i mean, starting pitchers. And this year, there are more than enough starters with legit candidacies not to have to consider guys who've thrown 60 innings.

Similarly, while King Felix showed its possible (and appropriate) to win the CY with relatively few wins when you absolutely dominate all the meaningful pitching stats (as he did that year over Price and Sabathia), but where those stats are in the same ballpark, its not inappropriate to use wins as a tie breaker, if there is a distinct difference in that category.

Kershaws 12-9 record isn't enough with his small edge in some of the other categories over the 20 game winners. And Gio's 1-game lead over Dickey isn't meaningful, given Dickey's dominance in so many categories. Cueto is a legit dark horse, but he lost the WAR lead and its hard to put his numbers in a park-adjusted context that's comprehensible to most voters. Plus Dickey is the best story.

So I still think it's going to be R.ightful A.ward-winner Dickey.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Dodgers eliminated, Kershaw pitching anyway. Let's hope there are a lot of earned runs and few strikeouts.

I suppose that the Dodgers will monitor Kershaw's ERA (2.58) to ensure that it doesn't rise higher than Dickey's 2.73. This is slightly easier than it sounds. If Kershaw, for example, gives up a grand slam HR in the first inning before recording an out, and all the runs are earned, his ERA will rise to 2.75. Would the Dodgers pull him in the first inning if the first three batters reach base? Holy Jose Jose Jose!

[Edgy MD]

Those 61.2 innings put him atop the WPA chart for pitchers.

1. Kimbrel (ATL) 4.3
2. Medlen (ATL) 3.6
3. Kershaw (LAD) 3.3
4. Lohse (STL) 3.2
5. Cueto (CIN) 3.1
6. Chapman (CIN) 3.0
7. O'Flaherty (ATL) 2.7
Cishek (MIA) 2.7
9. Gonzalez (WSN) 2.7
10. Hamels (PHI) 2.7

Dickey's absent from there, but appears on the related WPA/LI

1. Medlen (ATL) 4.0
2. Kershaw (LAD) 3.8
3. Gonzalez (WSN) 3.4
4. Cueto (CIN) 3.0
5. Latos (CIN) 2.6
6. Hamels (PHI) 2.5
7. Dickey (NYM) 2.4
8. Chapman (CIN) 2.4
9. Lee (PHI) 2.3
10. Kimbrel (ATL) 2.2

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy DC wrote: Dickey's absent from there, but appears on the related WPA/LI

Win Percentage Added /per games played on Long Island?

Shit, for a guy who pitches his home games in Queens you figure he'd be a lot higher up on that list.




And for all the talk about Kimbrel, there's a question as to whether he's even the best reliever in baseball this season.
Yeah it's the other league so it wouldn't affect the NL CY race, but Tampa's Fernando Rodney as a considerably better ERA, more innings pitched, more saves, and a slightly lower walk rate. Kimbrel has more Ks and the better WHiP

	IP	Saves	ERA	K	BB	WHiP
Kimbrel	61.2	42	1.02	113	14	0.65
Rodney	74.1	49	0.61	76	15	0.78

It all makes it a little tougher to refer to Kimbrel's year as an "historic" season for a reliever when it's being more or less matched concurrently.

[bmfc1]

Tim Kurkjian said on the Tony Kornheiser Show today that he is debating between R.A. and Kimbrel.

Jonah Keri says Kershaw.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8456259/wading-crowded-mlb-awards-field

[batmagadanleadoff]

Kershaw is perfect through three innings, with two K's. Nine Giants up. Nine Giants down.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=321003119

[batmagadanleadoff]

Double perfectos at Dodger Stadium. Voglesong is also perfect through three, with five K's.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=321003119


[u:39fmjlfm]K's[/u:39fmjlfm]
Dickey 230
Kershaw 223

[batmagadanleadoff]

Kershaw on the long side of a 2-1 Dodger lead after six and a half; 7 IP, 3 H, 6 K

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=321003119


[u:38a6acbc]K's[/u:38a6acbc]
Dickey 230
Kershaw 227

[u:38a6acbc]ERA[/u:38a6acbc]
Kershaw 2.54
Dickey 2.73

[Benjamin Grimm]

After 8 innings, Kershaw is one strikeout behind Dickey.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Kershaw out of the game. He wins the ERA title, Dickey will be the strikeout king.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Kershaw out of the game. He wins the ERA title, Dickey will be the strikeout king.

Contact Blue Rider Press, because they're going to need to publish a revised edition.

R.A. Dickey with Wayne Coffey wrote: I will never be a Hall of Famer and will never lead the league in strikeouts.

p. 1, Wherever I Wind Up