| National League | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Lincecum | 14 | 2 | 1 | 77 |
| Johan Santana | 1 | 8 | 3 | 32 |
| Brandon Webb | - | 4 | 7 | 19 |
| CC Sabathia | 3 | - | 1 | 16 |
| Cole Hamels | - | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Roy Oswalt | - | 1 | - | 3 |
| Ryan Dempster | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Dan Haren | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Edinson Volquez | - | - | 1 | 1 |
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.
| American League | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cliff Lee | 13 | 5 | - | 80 |
| Roy Halladay | 5 | 10 | 1 | 56 |
| Jon Lester | - | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Francisco Rodriguez | - | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Mike Mussina | - | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Daisuke Matsuzaka | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| Ervin Santana | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| Justin Duchscherer | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Joe Nathan | - | - | 1 | 1 |
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.