MLB Power Rankings: Handicapping the 2011 Cy Young Races
Will we have another year of the pitcher? Which guy will rule his team and help carry them to the playoffs?
It's never too early to start thinking of baseball. Football is just about to end so everyone should start gearing up for spring training. In 2010 we saw a dominance of pitchers. There were six no hitters last year, and two of them were perfect games. It should have been seven but someone blew the call.
2010 was a great year for pitchers. Will it carry over for 2011 or will teams start hitting everything in sight? I'm going to lean more towards the pitchers on this one. And with the trades and acquisitions this winter it's going to be fantastic to watch.
The race for the 2011 Cy Young Award is on. Will your favorite pitcher win it? The National League acquired a few more great pitchers so that should make for one heck of a race.
Be sure to give me your thoughts but keep in mind this is a very early list. There is a lot of time before this award is actually given. But here is my list of ten from each league.
10. AL: James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays
1 of 20
The right handed starter for the Tampa Bay Rays threw 187 strikeouts last year with a WHIP of 1.46. He wasn't able to get much run support nor keep his ERA down enough to win a bunch of games.
Shields has a shot because he knows how to get batters out. He'll have to keep his ERA down in 2011. He posted a 5.18 a year ago. You'll never come close to the Cy Young if you let teams score on you like that.
Shields was also a bit fatigued towards the end on 2010 so he'll need to stay healthy. Expect him to rebound and give David Price a run for his money as the ace of the Rays squad.
10. NL: Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves
2 of 20
Hudson led the braves with 17 wins and an ERA of 2.83. The right-hander was able to put together a full season in 2010 after coming off Tommy John surgery.
If Hudson can remain healthy all season long his numbers will be even better than 2010. He knows his stuff is still good. Hudson will come back stronger in 2011 and be ready to lead the Braves to victory.
The young pitching the Braves has looks up to Hudson.Expect a solid year for him. A Cy Young type of year? It’s very possible.
9. AL: Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox
3 of 20
The 26-year-old right-hander led the Red Sox with an ERA of 2.33. That was good for second best behind Felix Hernandez in the American League. Buchholz also won 17 games.
To impress the voters he’ll need to throw a few more strikeouts. He only threw 120 strikeouts last season. Three pitchers threw over 100 more than that.
Being fourth in the rotation could also hinder him from winning the award.
.png?w=256)
9. NL: Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs
4 of 20
Welcome to the National League Matt Garza. You will find your stay here quite enjoyable.
Garza stuck out 150 batters in 2010 while having an ERA of 3.91. His move to the National League will definitely help his chances of winning a Cy Young. However, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.
Garza will have to find a way fix his record from a year ago. 15-10 is not Cy Young material, especially when you’re giving up 28 home runs. Because Garza is pitching in the NL now I believe his numbers will greatly improve. He has the potential to bring home the award but he’ll have to bring his A-game.
8. AL: Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels
5 of 20
Weaver led the American league in strikeouts last season with 233. He had an ERA of 3.07 and a WHIP of 1.07. He never got much run support, and only had a 13-12 record.
For the second straight year he pitched over 200 innings and put up great numbers. If he wants to win the CY Young award he’ll need to have a lower ERA and limit the number of home runs he gives up.
8. NL: Roy Oswalt
6 of 20
Oswalt has found a great home in Philadelphia. He is finally on a winning team and couldn’t be happier. He no longer has to carry the pressure of being the ace. Oswalt can just pitch.
And in 2011 he’ll be doing a lot of it. Expect another 200-inning season from the veteran. His numbers will be similar once again but he’ll need to win more games to have a shot at the Cy Young Award.
The Phillies fourth guy in the rotation may be old but he can still throw it with the best of them.
7. AL: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
7 of 20
Verlander led the Tigers with 18 wins 219 strikeouts and a 3.37 ERA in 2010. He also had a WHIP of 1.16.
The one concern of Verlander is his durability. Can he be a go for the whole season and not falter? The 2006 American League Rookie of the Year has posted solid numbers year after year.
Will he stay strong for all of 2011?
7. NL: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
8 of 20
The Cardinals ace led the team with 20 wins, 213 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.42.
Don’t assume 2011 will be any different. This coming season will be Wainwright’s fourth year as a full time starter.
He’ll be throwing 200 plus innings and have great numbers just like 2010. Wainwright threw five complete games in 2010, and two of them were shut outs.
He’ll be the Cardinals ace once again and dominate the NL Central. He’ll need a little luck on his side if he hopes to win the Cy Young Award. There are a lot of pitchers in the NL who post similar to even better numbers than he. And that’s why he’s number seven on this list.
6. AL: Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
9 of 20
Lester led the Red Sox with 225 strikeouts and 19 wins. He had an ERA of 3.25 and a WHIP of 1.20.
He didn’t have a very solid first half but bounced back in the second half of the season to finish strong. If he wants to win the Cy Young he’ll have to first be the best pitcher on his team, and then lower that ERA.
With a healthy Josh Beckett and the emergence of Clay Buchholz, Lester will need to bring his A-game.
6. NL: Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins
10 of 20
Johnson led the NL in ERA with a 2.30. He led the Marlins in strikeouts with 187 but failed to get the run support to lead the team in wins. An 11-6 record just doesn’t cut it for a Cy Young award.
I believe Johnson will have an even better 2011. It’s hard to have an ERA any lower than he did but it is possible. Throwing more strikeouts and praying his team helps him out a little will give him a great shot at the NL Cy Young Award.
He’s no longer the only great pitcher on the team but he did lose Dan Uggla. Javier Vasquez joins the Marlins, which should propel Johnson’s game further. He won’t have to worry about being the only elite pitcher on the Marlins anymore.
5. AL: Francisco Liriano, Minnesota Twins
11 of 20
Liriano led the Twins in strikeouts and ERA. He just wasn’t able to get very much run support as he only had a 14-10 record, which was second best on his team.
He threw 201 strikeouts and his ERA was at a 3.62. If Liriano wants to win the Cy Young Award he’ll have to chalk up a few more wins. I have faith he’ll be pitching even better in 2011 and that ERA will dwindle.
5. NL: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
12 of 20
Big Time Timmy Jim has done it twice before so you know he’s capable of winning the award again.
He led the NL in strikeouts with 231. Lincecum led the Giants to a World Series Championship with 16 wins and an ERA of 3.43.
He has what it takes to win this award. He did it back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009. Lincecum just needs to limit his home runs and it should reduce his ERA. He gave up a career worst 18 homers last season.
And perhaps he should stop smoking weed. Or maybe he did and that’s the reason his 2010 wasn’t quite like his Cy Young years. Things to wonder….
4. AL: Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox
13 of 20
A healthy Josh Beckett for all of 2011 will mean great things for the Red Sox. It will also however mean very bad things for the American League Cy Young race. Beckett will be on top of his game and looking to have a lights out kind of year.
He’s never been a guy to throw tons of strikeouts. If Beckett wishes to win the Cy Young expect him to get it done by wins and nice ERA. He’ll need to finally post an ERA lower than three, something he’s never done in his career.
Beckett must also limit the number of home runs he gives up. He let 20 balls leave the park in 2010. He only pitched 21 games.
4. NL: Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies
14 of 20
Jimenez dominated the NL West and led the Rockies with 19 wins, 214 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.88.
He does however have to pitch in Colorado at Coors Field, which is not a pitchers friendly park.
Is 2011 his year to win the Cy Young? He’ll need his best stuff yet because the top three pitchers on this list always bring it year after year.
The 27 year old from the Dominican Republic will have a stellar 2011. But will it be enough?
3. AL: C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
15 of 20
Sabathia is a dominant pitcher. There’s no question he’ll be in contention for the Cy Young award in 2011.
He threw 197 strikeouts with an ERA of 3.18.
Sabathia also led the AL in wins with 21. For him to win the CY Young he’ll just have to be himself. Of course he can improve and maybe throw over 200 strikeouts or lower is ERA. However Sabathia is just going to do what he does best, and pitch.
His numbers are always similar to what he threw in 2010. Expect them to be the same in 2011. C.C. will just need a little luck on his side.
3. NL: Zack Greinke, Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 20
Welcome to the National League Zack Greinke. You too will find your stay here quite enjoyable.
Greinke has been on of the top pitchers in the AL for the past few years. The 27-year-old right-hander struck out 181 batters with the Royals last season.
He makes the move to the NL and finds himself on a hungry Milwaukee Brewers team. The Brewers will definitely give him run support.
Greinke should be able to dominate the NL just as he did in years past while in the AL.
2. AL: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
17 of 20
Hernandez is the reigning Cy Young award winner. In 2010 Hernandez posted the best ERA in the majors with a 2.27. He also threw 232 strike outs and had a WHIP of 1.06.
He was criticized for winning the award because he only had a 13-12 record. That was largely due to how poorly the Mariners played all season. Hernandez would give up one or two runs and his team could never help him out.
I believe 2011 will be very similar for Felix. He’ll be talked about as a potential back to back Cy Young award winner, something that hasn’t happened in the American League since Pedro Martinez did it in 1999 and 2000. It probably won’t happen in 2011.
2. NL: Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
18 of 20
Welcome back to the National League Cliff Lee. You most certainly will enjoy your stay here.
Adding Lee to the Phillies rotation all but guarantees they will rule the National League. There is no doubt this is the best rotation in baseball. Lee won the American League Cy Young in 2008 and now has a chance to join the select few who have won the award in both leagues.
He’s one of the best pitchers in the majors right now and has a very strong chance to win the NL Cy Young Award in 2011.
1. AL: David Price, Tampa Bay Rays
19 of 20
I put David Price at number one because I believe the lefty will have a stellar 2011. He lost some key offensive players but did gain some veteran bats. The question is will those veterans produce for him? Nobody really knows that answer.
Therefore, expect Price to put this team on his back in 2011. They have a shot of going all the way but they’ll need their ace to be lights out.
And David Price will be. He had 19 wins and a 2.72 ERA last season. Is there any reason to believe he can’t produce the same thing, if not better? Improve on strikeouts and limit the number of home runs and the Cy Young is all his.
1. NL: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
20 of 20
Can Roy Halladay make it a back-to-back award-winning year? Yes he can.
We knew he was dominant in the AL and we feared he could be even better in the NL. And guess what?
He has been. Halladay led the NL with 21 wins. He threw 219 strikeouts and had an ERA of 2.44. 2011 can be another top year for Halladay. His main task will be staying healthy and limiting the number of home runs he gives up. Halladay gave up 24 homers in 2010. It doesn’t help he pitches in a hitter’s friendly park.
He has what it takes to repeat. Do you think he will?
.png?w=480)
