Royals' Zack Greinke Wins American League Cy Young

My preseason pick for AL Cy Young: Zack Greinke

AL Cy Young award winner: Zack Greinke

I would like to personally thank the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and more importantly, Zack Greinke for making me look like a genius.

Today, Greinke won the American League Cy Young award in a landslide. Greinke received 25 out of 28 first-place votes to win the award. Seattle Mariners’ Felix Hernandez received two first-place votes, and the Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander received the other first-place vote.

When I picked Greinke to win the AL Cy Young award, I thought he would have a breakout year, but not to this extent. Greinke flat-out dominated the American League in 2009.

Greinke led the AL with a 2.16 ERA, 242 strike outs, a 1.073 WHIP, and a 0.4 HR/9 in 33 games in 2009. He also finished second in complete games with six and shutouts with three.

The only reason he had just 16 wins is because the team he was playing on was inept. By the way, those 16 wins represented 25 percent of the Kansas City Royals’ wins in 2009.

Greinke is an amazing story. Remember, four years ago Greinke lost 17 games and just three years ago this was a guy who left spring training because of a social anxiety disorder and wasn’t sure if he wanted to play baseball again.

Now he is one of the best young pitchers in the game and should be an ace for years to come.

Greinke becomes the third Kansas City Royal to win the Cy Young. David Cone won the award in 1994, and Bret Saberhagen won the award in 1985 and 1989.

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