SB Nation Awards: Cy Young

My ballot did have Lincecum in first place, but I opted for Webb ahead of Santana. It's probably as much a question of familiarity as anything else, since there's hardly a stat, from ERA to Quality Start percentage, where Santana didn't come out ahead. But 22 wins, a number not surpassed in the majors for six years? Damn. Much as that's a stat dependent on factors outside the pitcher's control, it has to be respected, especially as Santana actually got more run support [4.83 to 4.64] than Webb.

Reluctant though I am to mention the other nominees - for fear of putting 'Charmer on the spot again! - Sabathia for #1? Seventeen starts, half the number of the other contenders, just aren't enough to justify a Cy Young, and if you look at his season overall, that's a 17-10 record and a 2.70 ERA - worse than Santana and Lincecum. Down the list, interesting to see Haren get some love: I'm trying to work out who that person left off their ballot to make room for Dan: Webb, Santana or Lincecum?

SnakeCharmer's Notes

LOL, thanks Jim! No worries! ;) My ballot was the same as yours - Lincecum, Webb, Santana. I thought about voting for Lidge at #3 and am actually very surprised he didn't show up at all in the results. A perfect season save-wise (except for the All-Star game), and he really helped his team get to the post-season. But I too voted for Santana third. I went back and forth a lot on Lincecum/Webb for first and second. I looked at each pitcher's losses and no-decisions, and among those games, Lincecum would have a better record than Webb. (Just among those games.) That and Webb's high ERA (as well as Lincecum's other great numbers) are what convinced me to vote for Lincecum over Webb. 

In the American League, got to be impressed with Halladay's nine complete games. That's the most for any AL starter in a decade [Scott Erickson had eleven in 1998]. But Lee's 22-3 record is stunning: only seven pitchers in baseball history have started 30+ games and lost three or less. Add that to his lead in ERA, and I would have had to vote for him as the winner, with Halladay second and Lester third.