AL Cy Young

By the way, Cahill averages 6 2/3 innings per start. Buchholz 6 1/3. Sabathia just under seven. No question, Sabathia eats more innings. He just hasn't pitched quite as well during those innings as Cahill and Buchholz have this year.

 

And you act like a guy who's 15-2 in last 17 starts is a bum because he got a little roughed up in one outing in Chicago when the ball was carrying.

CC averages 7 innings per start this year. Buchholz averages 6 1/3. (And CC's average would be higher, but like in his last start when he went 8 innings, the Yankees often pull him when he has a big lead to give him a break and to give someone else work.)

And even in his bad game, CC gave the Yankees 7 innings, which they needed because their bullpen had been overworked the day before & they had an untested rookie going the next night.

Buchholz, on a day when he had good stuff, and in the first game of a day-night double header, only gave his team 5 innings.

Sorry, but that's weak. And you know it is. They got swept, and now their season is done.

 

C.J. Wilson, the darkest of darkhorses anyway, is voted off the island.

 

I have to admit that even I have to doubt my CC prediction when Felix continues to pitch like he is today.

There's no doubt that he's a great pitcher who deserves a far better record than he has.

It really is a shame, because if his offense would have given him anything, we'd be talking about an historic year.

 

I have been talking to other baseball writers about this lately. I can't tell you who is going to win, because there are four weeks to go, but I can guarantee you that there are plenty of writers now who would vote for Felix over CC. Or even Buchholz.

To say CC is a lock is just false.

By the way, I don't know if I mentioned it on this thread, but I agree with the assessment that pitchers who get deeper into starts get more credit for equivalent stats. In other words, it would be harder to have a 2.50 ERA averaging 7 innings per start than to have a 2.50 ERA averaging 6 innings per start, because you are pitching more when you are tired, facing hitters a third time, etc.

However, that's not the case with CC vs. Felix, because Felix has pitched just as many innings as CC.

 

How is saying that Sabathia hasn't pitched quite as well as Cahill and Buchholz saying he's a bum? Oh, that's right. It isn't. You are the one trying to overblow the importance of one start, not me.

Sabathia has a decent case without the intellectual dishonesty.

Hernandez certainly keeps making his point, doesn't he?

 

He's unbelievable.

It's incredible how bad the M's are. With Hernandez & Lee, all they needed was even a little bit of offense.

 

I think you forgot the sarcasm font. Right?

I mean, there's Miguel Cabrera -- second in average (.338), second in home runs (33), first in RBIs (110). And Josh Hamilton (.361-31-97) leading a first-place team.

 

Actually, I think the only thing he forgot is to wipe his chin.

 

Ichiro is the only regular on the M's hitting above .250. The big bopper, Branyon, is the master of the bases-empty monster home run. I'm more convinced than ever that, the weaker the lineup, the harder it is for the individual hitter to perform. Exhibit A: Beltre's performance in Boston this year, as opposed to last year in the M's lineup.

Meanwhile, Hernandez has matured considerably since making an ass of himself in a game early last year by refusing to throw anything but fastballs to Johjima for the first 18 or so pitches, and failing to hold runners on. He has sucked it up in the face of adversity--consistently, little or no offense--and pitched with concentration and toughness. He may not win this year's Cy Young, but it won't be his fault.

 

Shutting out the Indians two days after Lucas French nearly no-hit them should strengthen the Felix Hernandez argument.

 

From what the Rangers have gotten out of Lee, they may ask for Lueke back.