Why Felix Hernandez and Adam Wainwright Won't Win the Cy Young This Year

It's happened with Wainwright, and it's happening to King Felix. When he has a sensational year for the second year in a row, with an ERA of 2.39, opponents batting only .220 off of him, 214 s/o too 63 walks, 5 complete games, a WHIP of 1.09 and is going to end of with over 240 IP, you would suspect him of being the Cy Young award winner by a long shot. The problem with King Felix is he pitches for the Seattle Mariners. His record stands at 11-11. Its incredible to think with his numbers, he only has 11 wins. Its incredible to think he has 11 losses! Now Wainwright has also been having an incredible year for the second year in a row. An ERA of 2.50, opponents only hitting .225 off of him, 199 s/o too 52 walks, 5 complete games, a WHIP of 1.05, his record 18-11, and will finish the year with over 220 IP, you would think Wainwright is a clear front runner. Last year Adam Wainwright was the front runner, getting most of the first place votes, but lost the award to Tim Lincecum of the Giants. Hernandez also lost the Cy Young to Zach Greinke, who really was the more dominant pitcher of 2009. You can make a good case for both to win. But both seemed to be over shadowed by other pitchers more dominant years, who I think will win in their collective leagues. They go by the names of Roy Halladay and Carsten Charles Sabathia.

I think the case for Roy Halladay is much easier to make for being the Cy Young. His record stands right now at 19-10, he will end up with 20 wins, easily more than 240 IP, which is tops in the NL, 8 complete games, 210 s/o too 28 walks, a WHIP of 1.07, opponents are hitting Halladay better than Wainwright at .249, but I think the s/o to walk ratio will show just how in control Halladay is of his pitches, the more your in the strike zone, the more you will get hit.

In the case of Sabathia, I think it will come down to the importance of him to the New York Yankees. He has been the only consistant starter on their staff, since Pettitte's injury in late July against the Rays. It's almost as if every time he steps on the mound, he has to stop the bleeding for them, and has to win every time out. His record stands at 19-6, he will end up with over 230 IP, 179 s/o too 68 walks, 2 complete games, a WHIP of 1.18, and an ERA of 3.03.

I personally believe that Hernandez deserves to win, but I would argue of the burden put on Sabathia every time he takes the mound. Hernandez is on a team who has been out of the pennett race since June, and Sabathia is on the Yankees, who as of late have dropped 8 of their last 10, in a race for the AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays, and he seems to be the only one of their staff who consistently gives them a chance to win. Also, Sabathia will have a 20 win game season, and only 6 or 7 losses. I don't think you could argue against the dominance of winning 20 games. It's been an amazing season of pitching, and the playoffs are weeks away and assure of some incredible post-season drama.