| The Pitching Perspective |
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| Written by Troy Chuinard | |
| Sunday, 16 September 2007 | |
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The 2007 season is almost over, and there have no doubt been a handful of surprises. After all of the leaps and bounds that several teams have witnessed, starting pitching has been a key factor in the performance of several clubs. However, not all teams have received the pitching production that they expected. Here is a look at this year’s Cy Youngs and Cy Yucks.
Cy Young: Josh Beckett After going 16-11 and posting an ERA near 5 last season, this year has no doubt been a rebound for the young superstar. Last season, Beckett gave up a whopping 35 home runs, and going into Friday he has only given up 14. In addition, his control has improved substantially while his velocity has remained consistent. Beckett has developed to become one of the game’s most electrifying power pitchers, and he has certainly demonstrated that he has the skills to lead the Red Sox pitching staff. While Boston fans were uncertain of his effectiveness prior to the start of the season, he ended all doubt by winning his first seven starts. It will be very interesting to see if this young athlete wins the prestigious Cy Young Award. Cy Yuck: Jose Contreras Remember that dominating starter that carried the Chicago White Sox to the World Series in 2005? This season, one would never have guessed that it was Jose Contreras who anchored his team to the postseason just two years ago. With an ERA close to 6, it is quite obvious that Jose has struggled in terms of keeping his team in the game. What has been the cause for his failure? It certainly hasn’t been his control, as he has only walked 59 batters going into Friday. He isn’t giving up the long ball either, but hitters are definitely making contact against him. Ultimately, it appears that Jose has lost movement on his signature pitch, the split-finger breaking ball. It is no question that the White Sox will have to address the issue of Contreras this off-season since they have a number of emerging superstars in their pitching farm system. National League Cy Young: Brad Penny After the Dodgers suffered from injuries to their off-season prize Jason Schmidt, Brad Penny stepped in to pick up the slack. Pitching has definitely kept the Los Angeles ball club in the playoff hunt, and much of their success can be attributed to the dominating performances of Penny himself. One of the main ingredients of his dominance has been his ability to prevent hitters from driving the long ball. As of Friday, he has only given up 5 home runs all season, an astounding figure. Will he finish the season as the National League Cy Young Award winner? It is very possible, but even if he doesn’t, Penny has been a clutch performer in addition to an exceptional ace for the Dodger organization. Cy Yuck: Carlos Zambrano
Zambrano has definitely not had the same success that was seen by Cubs fans during the last few years, and it is even more disappointing considering he guaranteed a Cy Young prior to the beginning of the season. Though he tied his career high in wins (16) after a victory on Friday, his emotions have definitely been a concern. Carlos continued to show that he struggles at the beginning of the season when he put up atrocious numbers in April and May. However, he did manage to rebound and win the National League Pitcher of the Month award in July. His frustration on the mound has definitely been a contribution to his poor performance, and the Cubs will have to find a way to manage his emotions considering that he was given a 5-year contract extension in August. It will be very interesting to see how Big Z performs in the years to come, as he is just 26 years old.
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American League
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