Most people would call Dontrelle Willis the midseason NL Cy Young, because he has the gaudy stats (13-3, 1.89). But I favor [Livan] Hernandez because the Nationals are in first place, while the Florida Marlins are in third. Hernandez is the reason the Nationals are in first place. Without him, Washington wouldn't be in first, while the Marlins aren't in first place with Willis.
Livan Hernandez is having a good year. But he has given up 139 hits in 134 innings, and has a 78/50 K/BB ratio for a 1.41 WHIP. What does this mean to me? He has gotten phenomenally lucky. D-Train has a 92/23 K/BB, and a 1.08 WHIP. His BAA is .243, as opposed to Livan's .273. He has given up a total of 3HR in 123.2 IP. He is so much better than Livan Hernandez this year it's a joke. (For the record, Clemens has been better than both of them.) I understand, I guess, factoring in "team performance" for the MVP, but the Cy is for the best pitcher, period. Livan would be a stupid choice, especially if the reason for giving it to him is simply that the Nats have been a few lucky games better than the Marlins this year.
To me, wins are the most important pitching stat, and then I factor in how those wins have contributed to team success. ERA is the least important stat, in my judgment.
Well, yes, ERA is incredibly unimportant. But...wins? So, if I pitch five innings and give up eleven runs, but my teams scores 12, I am a good pitcher? But if I throw a complete-game no-hitter and give up a run on three errors, and my team gets shut out, I am a bad pitcher? Do you EVER think about things before you say them, Joe? Wins are arguably the very least important stat for a pitcher. Look at Clemens and his 7-3 record. Is the Rangers's Chris Young having a better year? Because he's 8-5.
Last year's NL Cy Young winner is also a Cy Young candidate this year. At 42 years old, Roger Clemens has the best ERA in the majors, but the Houston Astros haven't given him much run support (7-3, 1.41).
But...you just said...ERA didn't matter...and...all that mattered...was wins...growing faint...need...logic...
Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter (13-4, 2.51) is in the mix, but I don't think he'll win the award at the end of the year.
Thanks for justifying why you think this. Oh, wait. You didn't.
Although Willis is from my hometown of Oakland and played in the Joe Morgan baseball league in Oakland, Hernandez gets my vote for midseason Cy Young.
This might be the most amazing sentence he has ever written. What kind of causality claim did he reject before settling on this? "Although Willis has a new viking range in his kitchen, Hernandez gets my vote." "Although Willis has never been to Norway, Hernandez gets my vote." "Although Willis spelled backwards is "Silliw," Hernandez gets my vote."
Labels: cy young award, joe morgan
