Tagged: Max Scherzer

Candidates For The American League Cy Young Award

Max Scherzer- 24 starts, 17-1 record, 2.85 ERA, 161.1 IP, 181 K, 0.91 WHIP, 6.1 H/9, 0.8 HR/9, 2.1 BB/9, 9.9 K/9, 4.76 K/BB, 5.0 WAR, 5.0 pitching WAR, 19 QS, 6.04 RS per start, .192 BAA, 2 scoreless starts and 15 starts going 7 innings or more. Scherzer leads the American League in: wins, WHIP and tied for first in quality starts. There a couple of stats on this sheet that trouble me. He hasn’t had a lot of scoreless starts and is averaging 6 runs a start. When you have a 6 spot a game from the offense it is really easy for a pitcher to rack up the wins.

Felix Hernandez- 25 starts, 12-5 record, 2.28 ERA, 173.2 IP, 178 K, 1.08 WHIP, 8.0 H/9, 0.6 HR/9, 1.7 BB/9, 9.2 K/9, 5.39 K/BB, 5.9 WAR, 5.9 pitching WAR, 19 QS, 4.24 RS per start, .240 BAA, 7 scoreless starts and 16 starts going 7 innings or more. Hernandez leads the American League in: starts, ERA, innings pitched, tied for first in WAR and quality starts. The hits per 9 innings are a little high for Hernandez and batting average against is pretty high for the pitchers on this list. Felix has been his usual dominant self and his numbers are reminiscent of his Cy Young season in 2010.

Hiroki Kuroda- 24 starts, 11-7 record, 2.33 ERA, CG, SHO, 154.2 IP, 110 K, 1.02 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 0.7 HR/9, 1.7 BB/9, 6.4 K/9, 3.79 K/BB, 4.9 WAR, 5.0 pitching WAR, 17 QS, 3.33 RS per start, .226 BAA, 9 scoreless starts and 14 starts going 7 innings or more. Kuroda has the most scoreless starts in the American League. He has been the most consistent starter in the Yankees’ rotation and has numbers that warrant some discussion in the Cy Young Award conversation.

Chris Sale- 22 starts, 8-11 record, 2.73 ERA, 4 CG, SHO, 158.1 IP, 167 K, 1.05 WHIP, 7.5 H/9, 0.8 HR/9, 2.0 BB/9, 9.5 K/9, 4.77 K/BB, 5.9 WAR, pitching WAR 5.9, 18 QS, 2.73 RS per start, .224 BAA, 3 scoreless starts and 17 starts going 7 innings or more. Sale leads the American League in: complete games and tied for the lead in WAR among pitchers. He has gone an unbelievable 17 starts of 7 innings or more this season. If Sale could receive more run support he could be seen as a more viable contender for the award? There have been pitchers that have won the award with not much run support in year’s past. Zack Greinke (’09) and Felix Hernandez (’10) won the award in back-to-back years with little to no run support from their respective teams.

Yu Darvish- 23 starts, 12-5 record, 2.64 ERA, 153.2 IP, 207 K, 1.00 WHIP, 6.0 H/9, 1.1 HR/9, 3.0 BB/9, 12.1 K/9, 4.06 K/BB, 4.8 WAR, 4.8 pitching WAR, 16 QS, 4.74 RS per start, .186 BAA, 7 scoreless starts and 12 starts going 7 innings or more. Darvish leads the American League in: strikeouts, hits per 9 innings, batting average against and strikeouts per 9 innings. He has put up some great numbers, but needs Felix Hernandez to falter to end the season in order to receive more traction in the Cy Young. Hernandez has similar, but better stats than Darvish has.  It looks like the award will be decided between Scherzer and Hernandez with Darvish a distant third at this moment in time

2012 All-Playoff Team (Pitching Staff and Bench)

Starting Rotation
1. Justin Verlander Tigers
Reason: Was lights out in the Division Series and LCS. He only allowed 2 runs in those 3 starts. Through the playoffs batters have a .160 against him. Stat lines are 3-1/ 2.22/29K/6BB.
2. Ryan Vogelsong Giants
Reason: Once the first Giants starter to go 7 innings in a game this Postseason. Also established a new career high in strikeouts in a start against the Cardinals. Only allowed 3 runs combined in this Postseason and batters are hitting .162 against him. Stat lines are 2-0/1.42/18K/
3. Max Scherzer Tigers
Reason: Has an ERA of 0.82 in his 2 Postseason starts. Hitters are batting a microscopic .128 against him. In his 2 starts he has averaged 9 strikeouts. Stat lines are 1-0/0.82/18K/3BB
4. Barry Zito Giants
Reason: Went 7.2 innings of shutout ball against the Cardinals to help led the Giants back into LCS. Had a shaky start in the Division Series but since then he has gone 13.1 innings on 1 run ball. Stat lines are 2-0/1.69/13K/6BB
5. Homer Bailey Reds
Reason: In his lone start of the playoffs he went 7 innings and strikeout 10. He only walked a batter and Giants hitter could only muster 1 hit against him. Too dominant of a performance to leave him off the list. Stat lines 0-0/ 1.29/10K/1BB
Bullpen
Long Relief- Tim Lincecum Giants
Reason- In 10.2 innings out of the pen he only gave up one run and strikeout 14 batters. His stat lines are 1-1/2.93/17K/4BB got a little inflated because he made one start in the LCS
Middle Relief- Sam LeCure Reds
Reason: Pitched 4 innings in the Division Series without giving up a run. Came into the first game of the Division Series in the 1st after Johnny Cueto got hurt. Stat lines 1-0/0.00/5K/2BB.
Middle Relief- Darren O’Day Orioles
Reason: Made 5 appearances over 7 innings without giving up a run and only gave one hit. He held batters to a .048 average against. Stat lines 0-0/0.00/5K/1BB
Setup- Jeremy Affeldt Giants
Reason: In 9 appearances over 8.2 innings he has yet to give up a run. His been a workhorse out of the Giants pen this Postseason. His stat lines are 0-0/0.00/6K/2BB
Setup: David Robertson Yankees
Reason: In 6 appearances he only gave up 1 run while striking out 7. Hitters had a .136 average against him this Postseason. Stat lines were 1-0/1.42/7K/0BB
Closer 1- Jason Motte Cardinals
Reason: Through game 2 of the World Series he leads the Postseason with 3 saves. Stat lines were 1-0/3/2.16/2K/1BB
Closer 2- Sergio Romo Giants
Reason: Closed out the deciding games in both the Division Series and LCS. In 8 appearances he has given up only 1 run. Stat lines are 1-0/2/1.04/5K/1BB
Bench
Ryan Zimmerman Nationals
Reason- In his first trip to the Postseason he batted .381 with 2HR and 4 RBI. Stat lines were 2/4/.381/.364/.714/1.078
Brandon Phillips Reds
Reason: Was the most productive hitter for the Reds this Postseason. Led the club with 7 RBI in 5 games. Stat lines were 1/7/.375/.360/.625/.985
Josh Donaldson A’s
Reason: Wanted to go with a guy how could play multiple positions so this looked like a real bench. Was second in average on the A’s during their run in the Postseason. His stat lines were 0/1/.294/.333/.353/.686
Ryan Ludwick Reds
Reason: Led the Reds in Postseason Home Runs with 3. Was most consistent power threat on the team and had the third best batting average on the team. Stat lines were 3/4/.333/.455/.833/1.288