And the 2012 AL Cy-Young Award Goes To...
Who is the best pitcher in the American League? This year, like most years in the past, there is a combination of top names, some surprises, some closers and some relievers. Last year Felix Hernandez was able to walk away with the award while playing on an awful team which normally doesn't happen, but his performance throughout the year along with his dominant numbers were good enough to win him the award.
Chris Sale, Jeff Weaver, David Price, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez and Fernando Rodney have been the best six pitchers in the AL this year. It is rare when I consider a reliever one of the best pitchers in the league, but Rodney has been damn near un-hitable this year. He has 68 K's in 68 IP and boasts a .66 ERA and an astounding .78 WHIP. With his 43 saves I do not think he can win the award, but with none of the 4 top starters running away with it, he will receive votes.
The five starters lead the AL and ERA, with David Price leading the AL in wins with 18. If you are a true stats geek and look at the saber-metrics of it all, these 5 are the top in the AL by almost every measure used to rate a pitcher. Weaver's stat line of 17 W, 2.74 ERA and a 1.0 WHIP puts him at the top of most people's Cy-young watch, but Price has an equally great stat line of 18 W, 2.54 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Justin Verlander has way more strikeouts then both, but has a slightly higher ERA of 2.82 and only has 14 wins, but the fact that he is still dating kate Upton should get him at least 10 extra votes.
With all 5 starters having 2-3 starts left, the award can easily be won by any of the pitchers with a dominant September. At the end of the day if I had one game to win in the AL, I would want to have David Price on the mound, and that is why consider him the best pitcher in the AL and why he will win the Cy-Young award.
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