AL Cy Young

One more thing: CC doesn't pitch against the best offense in the AL East, and Felix doesn't pitch against the worst offense in the AL West, so when you do TOR/BOS/TB/BAL vs. TEX/ANA/OAK the difference isn't as dramatic.

Avg runs for TOR/BOS/TB/BAL: 4.63
Avg runs for TEX/ANA/OAK: 4.36

 

Hmm. It's different, but I'd say 1-0.

For a pitcher like Price or CC (or any other ace), a 5-0 lead should be more than enough.

For a guy like Felix, the game isn't crucial, but he wants to win. 1-0 is tough. And it's the mental toughness to come out & compete that's so impressive. He knows going in that he can likely only give up a run at most with his lineup.

 

The pressure of being a major-leaguer in front of 24 teammates, tens of thousands of fans, and the scouts who will inform the guys who will decide how many millions to pay you in the future should be plenty of pressure.

 

So weird to agree with Bill Simmons on something, but he spoke the truth on "PTI." And Kornheiser couldn't have been more wrong.

 

I tend to believe that as far as "pressure" goes, there's much more of it on Felix than Sabathia. Given the Mariners' offense, Felix can't ever do what Sabathia (or other great pitchers on good teams, Jim Palmer comes to mind) gets to do and pitch to the idea of avoiding a big inning. Hell, a solo homer is a big inning against Seattle. So Felix can't just throw strikes with nobody on base, can't pitch around guys, etc. He's always working without a net.
Then there's this: Felix has been his team's only hope all year long. He makes every start knowing, and his teammates knowing, that he has to be outstanding for them to have a chance of winning, and that if he doesn't win, they might not win another game for a week. To me anyway, that's way more pressure than being the undeniable ace of a shaky rotation for a team full of sluggers like the Yanks.
I'd vote for Felix on those grounds, but if Sabathia wins it, I could accept it. It's not like he hasn't been excellent.

 

Sabathia's been good. I wouldn't say excellent, not when he's eighth in AL ERA and 14th in BA against. The win total might be excellent, he's merely been good.

 

Great takedown of Drips, I mean Rob Parkers idiocy.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/top-posts/congratulations-espn-new-york-you-have-run-the-dumbest-cy-young-column-ever.php

 

And if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

Point is, for CC to have won those four extra games, he'd probably would have had to pitch better than he has.

If CC's ERA was, say 2.60, and Felix's was 2.30, and CC had all the wins and the Yankees and the AL East yada yada, I'd be more willing to give it him. But with his ERA being 3.30, that's too big of a gap to ignore.

 

CC is now no better than 4th behind Felix, Price and Lester (19-8, 2.96, 220K/204IP)

 

Agreed. Hell, Lester might end up with as many wins as Sabathia. All three have definitely pitched better than Sabathia.

 

Just 'cause the truth can be entertaining, Soria's consecutive save streak is up to 36 now. He has matched his career high with 42 saves on the season and he has only blown two all year. He still hasn't given up an earned run since July 28, dropping his ERA down to 1.55.

And Rivera just keeps looking more and more human.

I know. I just can't help myself sometimes.

 

OK but could you remind me why we're discussing relief pitchers in a Cy Young thread?