Josh Beckett: Cy Young

[Reed Rothchild]

No doubt. He is having one heck of a year.

[JoltinJoe]

I think he and Wang went at it head-to-head yesterday for frontrunner status.

Beckett's performance speaks for itself.

[GannonFan]

Still have Bedard, Haren, and Santana - I think both Beckett and Wang, especially the latter, get overrated a bit on their win totals - they do play for teams that win a lot anyway regardless of who's pitching so you can't get carried away with win totals. I think Beckett isn't really that much better than any of those 3, but the Red Sox win more. Wang's not in that group - ERA is almost 0.7 higher than all of those guys, he gives up too many hits per inning pitched compared to those guys, and they are all strikeout pitchers who put up big numbers there. Beckett will probably win it over those 3, but I think more due to the team he plays for than anything else.

[JoltinJoe]

Wang is 37-13 over the past two seasons and for the past two seasons has been the best pitcher in the AL not named Johan Santana.

If anything, Wang is underrated because he pitches for the Yankees.

[Reed Rothchild]

Still have Bedard, Haren, and Santana - I think both Beckett and Wang, especially the latter, get overrated a bit on their win totals - they do play for teams that win a lot anyway regardless of who's pitching so you can't get carried away with win totals. I think Beckett isn't really that much better than any of those 3, but the Red Sox win more. Wang's not in that group - ERA is almost 0.7 higher than all of those guys, he gives up too many hits per inning pitched compared to those guys, and they are all strikeout pitchers who put up big numbers there. Beckett will probably win it over those 3, but I think more due to the team he plays for than anything else.

Bedard is on the shelf for the rest of the season and Santana hasn't had a Cy-Young year.

Wang is a sinker-baller and gives up a lot of hits because of that. His ability lies in the fact that he gets key double plays and ground outs to get out of jams.

Isn't the job of a starting pitcher to give their team a chance to win? Isn't that what Wang and Beckett do? Boston and New York would not have the records they do without those guys.

[Peems]

Still have Bedard, Haren, and Santana - I think both Beckett and Wang, especially the latter, get overrated a bit on their win totals - they do play for teams that win a lot anyway regardless of who's pitching so you can't get carried away with win totals. I think Beckett isn't really that much better than any of those 3, but the Red Sox win more. Wang's not in that group - ERA is almost 0.7 higher than all of those guys, he gives up too many hits per inning pitched compared to those guys, and they are all strikeout pitchers who put up big numbers there. Beckett will probably win it over those 3, but I think more due to the team he plays for than anything else.

I don't think Bedard has a shot after being shut down for the rest of the year. Haren does have the second best ERA in the AL behind Fausto(who is another guy who should be considered) but another than that he is really not a top 5 guy in any other category.

Santana I definitely think should be considered. Reed Rothchild said he his not having a Cy Young year, in reality he's having a good year. It's just that he is not up to his usual standards and the Twins aren't in a playoff chase so he is not watched as much. Consider this: 15 wins, 3rd best ERA in the AL, 220 SO(only one behind the leader Bedard, who he will pass), he's started 31 games and is 5th in the league in innings pitched. He has definitely been a Cy Young candidate. If not for the fact that he pitches for the Twins he could easily already have 20 wins.

[GannonFan]

Like I said, though, Wang's ERA is significantly less impressive than the people he'd be up against - heck, he's closer to a 4.00 ERA than he is to the ERA's of his competitors.

When it comes down to it, it would almost be better not to even look at wins when talking about a pitcher - it can be the most overinflated number out there depening who is scoring runs for him.

[Peems]

Like I said, though, Wang's ERA is significantly less impressive than the people he'd be up against - heck, he's closer to a 4.00 ERA than he is to the ERA's of his competitors.

When it comes down to it, it would almost be better not to even look at wins when talking about a pitcher - it can be the most overinflated number out there depening who is scoring runs for him.

If you could vote, who you vote for?

Me? I'd give it to Johan.

[GannonFan]

If you could vote, who you vote for?

Me? I'd give it to Johan.

Either him or Beckett - I'd have to look at the stats again, but they are very close in the stats that matter.

[grizband]

If you could vote, who you vote for?

Me? I'd give it to Johan.
Johan has history and his own past success playing against him for Cy Young this year. He has given up too many home runs (30), too many losses (12), and is contending with a few great pitchers this season (Beckett, Wang, Sabathia). If Santana won this year, he would be the first AL winner since 1996 since to have double-digit wins (Pat Hentgen 20-10). In my opinion, the Cy Young is between three pitchers this season: Beckett, Wang and Sabathia. After their showdown this weekend, Beckett seems to have taken the edge, but I wouldn't be shocked if any of these three won.

[UNHWildCats]

Fausto Carmona has to be in the discussion to.

[Peems]

Fausto Carmona has to be in the discussion to.

I agree, as seen in my earlier post, with Sabathia and Carmona the Indians will be tough in the postseason

[UNHWildCats]

I agree, as seen in my earlier post, with Sabathia and Carmona the Indians will be tough in the postseason

Boston/Cleveland will be a very good first round series

[JoltinJoe]

I think this goes down to the wire between Beckett and Sabathia, with Beckett the current frontrunner.

I'd say Wang has a lot of ground to make up in just two starts after Saturday's performance.