06' Cy young winners.

[The Chuck]

Thoughts? I would love to see the Moose pick it up this year, but Francisco Liriano and Justin Verlander are pitching out of their heads. It's amazing how dominant they are, especially when you consider that they're rookies. I think Verlander will win it for the A.L., and Carlos Zambrano will win it for the N.L.


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/cy

[Kinbote]

Liriano, yes, and Johan Santana. Brandon Webb in the NL.

[Drunkenmaster]

I know it's highly unlikely for a closer to get it by I think Paplebon deserves a mention. Liriano and Santana have been incredible though.

[The Chuck]

Paplebon is having a pretty amazing year. Not sure when the last time a closer won the award, was it Gagne? We'll have to see how all those young arms are gonna hold up in the second half of the season. Generally rookie pitchers stats take a dive due to all those innings that they're not used to....which would make Santana the more likely choice. I still like Mussina though.

[Kinbote]

Papelbon's been superb, sure, but I can't, and don't want, to see him get the award - I don't want to see any closer get the award. I don't care how super someone is, 200 dominant innings beat the tar, value-wise, out of 70.

Mussina, though much better this year than in the recent past, would be a very poor Cy choice. Win Shares have him pegged as the 11th-best pitcher in the AL, which seems about right, by his more conventional stats. His ERA's been inflated by about .20 by luck/defense, and his xFIP is 3.90. Good, important, necessary, but not worthy of award.

[The Chuck]

Agreed, wouldn't be the most fitting choice. I would just love to see it because he's a guy who's at the cusp of the hall of fame. A 20 win season (which would be his first), and a CY young this late in his career would push him over the top I think. I don't see him getting in without it.

[DrHibbert]

At this point, Liriano would get my vote. He's been dominant.