Brandon Webb is NL Cy Young Award Winner

[miami_fan]

ESPN is reporting


1. Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
2. Trevor Hoffman, Padres
3. Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
4. Roy Oswalt, Astros
5. Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
6. Billy Wagner, Mets
7. John Smoltz, Braves
8. Takashi Saito, Dodgers

[MizzouRah]

I still have no idea why a closer should even been considered for the Cy Young.

[MizzouRah]

Hoffman:
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead style="BACKGROUND: #1b3766"><TD colSpan=17>Season Stats</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>SPLIT</TD><TD width="6%">G</TD><TD width="6%">IP</TD><TD width="6%">H</TD><TD width="6%">R</TD><TD width="6%">HR</TD><TD width="6%">BB</TD><TD width="6%">SO</TD><TD width="6%">W</TD><TD width="6%">L</TD><TD width="6%">Sv</TD><TD width="6%">P/GS</TD><TD width="6%">WHIP</TD><TD width="6%">BAA</TD><TD width="6%">ERA</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD align=left>Season</TD><TD>65</TD><TD>63.0</TD><TD>48</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>50</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>46</TD><TD>0.0</TD><TD>0.97</TD><TD>.205</TD><TD>2.14</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Carpenter:
<TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR class=stathead style="BACKGROUND: #bb003a"><TD colSpan=17>Season Stats</TD></TR><TR class=colhead align=right><TD align=left>SPLIT</TD><TD width="6%">G</TD><TD width="6%">IP</TD><TD width="6%">H</TD><TD width="6%">R</TD><TD width="6%">HR</TD><TD width="6%">BB</TD><TD width="6%">SO</TD><TD width="6%">W</TD><TD width="6%">L</TD><TD width="6%">Sv</TD><TD width="6%">P/GS</TD><TD width="6%">WHIP</TD><TD width="6%">BAA</TD><TD width="6%">ERA</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow align=right><TD align=left>Season</TD><TD>32</TD><TD>221.2</TD><TD>194</TD><TD>81</TD><TD>21</TD><TD>43</TD><TD>184</TD><TD>15</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>101.8</TD><TD>1.07</TD><TD>.235</TD><TD>3.09</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Can you really say Hoffman had the better year? I mean, the guy did great for coming in and closing games, but can he really be compared to a starter like Carpenter?

Edit: and I know 15-8 is not very good in the scope of a Cy Young award winner, but still... maybe baseball is changing in reguards to closers, since there's really not that many great ones anymore - I just don't think they should be considered.. sort of like a player getting MVP that's a DH only player.

[Crapshoot]

I still have no idea why a closer should even been considered for the Cy Young.

"". Seriously - you need a Papelbon season this year to come close even. The idea that Hoffman was more valuable than Carpenter is the height of stupidity.

[Vince]

I think it's pretty ridiculous that Webb got 8 losses with those numbers. I wonder what his run support numbers looked like?

[JonInMiddleGA]

I think it's pretty ridiculous that Webb got 8 losses with those numbers. I wonder what his run support numbers looked like?

I dunno why I can't seem to find a simple RS stat online anywhere, but a look at his game log can probably help figure it out.

He started 33 games, 16-8 with 9 No Decisions. Since I'm piecing this together anyway, I'll go ahead & break it down by outcome. The runs scored are total for the game, not just while he was pitching.

Webb Wins
Runs Scored/Earned Runs Allowed (by Webb)
5/1 ... 10/3 ... 4/1 ... 8/2 ... 7/1 ... 7/3 ... 13/0 ... 3/0 ... 3/1 ... 8/0 ... 5/2
15/4 ... 6/2 ... 7/3 ... 3/0 ... 5/1
109/24 in 16 wins ... 6.81 runs scored by D'Backs in Webb wins

Webb Losses
Runs Scored/Earned Runs Allowed (by Webb)
0/1 ... 3/5 ... 2/3 ... 4/4 ... 4/5 ... 3/5 ... 1/3 ... 6/7
22/33 in 6 losses ... 3.67 runs scored by D'Backs in Webb losses

Webb ND
Runs Scored/Earned Runs Allowed (by Webb)
2/1 ... 4/3 ... 6/5 ... 0/0 ... 3/3 ... 7/7 ... 8/1 ... 6/3 ... 2/1
38/24 in 9 ND ... 4.22 runs scored by D'Backs in Webb no-decisions

[JonInMiddleGA]

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here trying to figure out how Webb beat Carpenter so easily.

Carpenter had
-- only 1 less win (with one less start)
-- a better K/BB ratio
-- a better BB/9 number
-- a lower ERA
-- more K's/9
-- equal CG and SHO

The only stat where Webb had a clear edge was quality starts, but I'm surprised that was enough to produce such a dominant edge in the voting.

[MizzouRah]

Me too Jon.

[John Galt]

I think pitching in a hitter's park gives Webb a bump as well. I think the player with the biggest beef is Oswalt. I think he could easily have edged out Webb. I think all three players have a decent claim, but I see Carpenter as the 3rd best pitcher in the NL this year.

None of this is to say why Webb actually finished first. If I had to guess, I think two factors mattered: Wins (even though they are one of the least useful major stats at measuring pitcher performance) and I bet a lot of ballots were mailed in before Webb's last start of the season (which was BAD).

[Arles]

One thing that helped Webb, IMO, is that his numbers were real good before his final start. Going into his last start, he had a 2.88 ERA, 16-7 record and hadn't gone fewer than 7.1 IP in this last 6-7 starts. But then, on the final day of the season, he gave up a 4 IP, 7 ER stinker that shot his ERA back over 3 and WHIP over 1.10.

I'm guessing a lot of voters had already made up their mind on Webb by that point because he was winning on ERA, wins and tied on WHIP going into that game.

[AZSpeechCoach]

And thank goodness for that! I was at that last game, and Webb looked miserable that day.

[JS19]

HA!!! Wagner actually recieved votes, no first place votes, but votes none the less.

[watravaler]

One thing that helped Webb, IMO, is that his numbers were real good before his final start. Going into his last start, he had a 2.88 ERA, 16-7 record and hadn't gone fewer than 7.1 IP in this last 6-7 starts. But then, on the final day of the season, he gave up a 4 IP, 7 ER stinker that shot his ERA back over 3 and WHIP over 1.10.

I'm guessing a lot of voters had already made up their mind on Webb by that point because he was winning on ERA, wins and tied on WHIP going into that game.

I believe ballots had to be in the day before this start, nevertheless, Webb had a great season, and was as deserving as anyone...