DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Cliff Lee Wins 17th Game - Serious Cy Young Candidate

If the Indians season has anything to be glad about, I think it got to be Cliff Lee (17-2) as the Cy Young pitcher of the year and probably "The Comeback Player of the Year" in 2009. I'm really happy for the guy, he worked his butt off in Buffalo they say and now hopefully he will get his just rewards. Way to go Cliff!

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The possibility of Lee winning the CY got me wondering how many times 2 different pitchers from the same team won the award in concurrent years ... turns out to be fairly common since the award began in 1956:

1962-63 Don Drysdale-Sandy Koufax (Dodgers)
1977-78 Sparky Lyle-Ron Guidry (Yanks)
1979-80 Mike Flanagan-Steve Stone (O's)
1981-82 Rollie Fingers-Pete Vuckovich
1982-83 Steve Carlton-John Denny (Phillies)
1991-92 Tom Glavine-Greg Maddux (Braves)
1995-96 Greg Maddux-John Smoltz (Braves)
1996-97 Pat Hentgen-Roger Clemens (Jays)
2007-08 CC Sabathia-Cliff Lee?? (Indians)??

Then I started wondering how many times that happened WITHOUT the team winning a World Championship (again, not that uncommon):

1979-80 Baltimore Orioles
1981-82 Milwaukee Brewers
1991-92 Atlanta Braves
1996-97 Toronto Blue Jays
2007-08 Cleveland Indians??

Anyhoo, its a lazy Saturday morning, and a boy needs a hobby ... Maybe some of you Dawgs can use this to win a beverage or two at the local watering hole tonight. If you do, you owe me a beer.

And then, of those teams, who actually participated/didn't in the World Series ??

1996-97 Blue Jays (Hentgen-Clemens) did not play in WS
2007-08 Indians (Sabathia-Lee)?? Didn't/won't play in WS

Lee's ERA also leads the majors for starting pitchers. IMO that puts him in 1st place for the CYA. However I don't have a vote. Burnett and Hallady are in the running too and we all know how the voters like to give the award to front runners.

Blue Jays aren't really front runners ... even the Tribe took 6 out of 7 games from them this year. If Lee gets 7-8 more starts, he should finish with at least 21 or 22 wins and the best winning pct - those along with an ERA under 3 should make him a shoo-in, IMO.

If Lee doesn't win it, it will be a joke.

Playing on a better TEAM doesn't make you the most valuable player and I really hope voters don't use that as leverage against Cliff.

Lee has been the major's best pitcher the ENTIRE year.

AJ Burnett is not in the running for the CY.

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Also, I don't think A.J.B. or Doc has as many complete or near complete games as Cliff.

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I dont know about that, Im pretty sure Halladay leads the league in complete games.

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I dont know about that, Im pretty sure Halladay leads the league in complete games.

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Brownsfan2119, you're absolutely right and I was completely in error in my statement re complete games. Just watched Doc win his 8th complete game and it was a masterpiece, he looked as sharp as he has ever been. The CY winner might come down to Cliff or the Doc in the end. If Cliff doesn't win the CY he should at least be a lock for "Comeback Player of the Year". I'm sure he might have earned some bonus $ this year also, at least I hope he has.

Thanks for the correction and I stand corrected.