There is just over a week left in the 2009 Major League Baseball season and that means two things: The playoffs are right around the corner and the nominees for the 2009 National League Cy Young award have been narrowed down.
Chris Carpenter – St. Louis Cardinals
Prior to the start of the season, Carpenter had only played in 5 games in the past two seasons after dealing with major surgery on his elbow. No one was sure what to expect from Carpenter after all the time he missed, but their doubts were answered when he started the 2009 season by tossing a 1-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This season Carpenter has started 27 games, compiling a 16–4 record. In 187.2 innings of work, Carpenter has held opponents to a .227 batting average while maintaining a 2.30 ERA. He’s struck out 137 and issued only 37 walks.
While Carpenter was impressive during the first half of the season, he stepped up his game after the All-Star break. Since then, he has a 9-1 record with a 2.16 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 104 innings of work.
Carpenter did limit the scoring chances for the opposition in 2009 by allowing four or more runs only seven times during the season. Carpenter’s chances of winning the National League Cy Young may be hurt by teammate Adam Wainwright, who has had a spectacular season as well.
Tim Lincecum – San Francisco Giants
If you were impressed with Lincecum’s Cy Young campaign in 2008, you have to be amazed at the fact that he’s been able to improve upon his statistics during the 2009 season.
This year Lincecum has appeared in 31 games while putting together a 14-7 record over 218.1 innings of work. He’s been able to post a 2.47 ERA while limiting opposing batters to a .209 average. Lincecum has struck out 254 batters while walking only 66.
Lincecum has been a workhorse for the Giants, pitching at least 7 innings in 23 of his 31 starts. He was involved in five no decisions where the bullpen lost the game for him four times.
What may hurt Lincecum’s chances for the 2009 National League Cy Young is his less than stellar record since the All-Star break, working 90.2 innings and posting a 4-5 record with a 2.69 ERA. If the Giants are able to make the playoffs as the wildcard team, Lincecum will be cited as one of the main reasons and will have a better chance of earning the Cy Young.
Adam Wainwright – St. Louis Cardinals
The potential for Wainwright has always been there but it wasn’t until this season that he really break through Cy Young performance for the Cardinals.
Through Saturday, Wainwright has started 32 games while posting a 19-8 record. He has posted a career low 2.58 ERA in 227 innings of work. He’s held opponents to a .244 batting average while striking out 204 and walking 64.
Wainwright has followed the lead of Carpenter and has been on fire since the All-Star break. He has compiled a 9-3 record and a 1.93 ERA in 96.2 innings of work.
Wainwright has been an absolute force for the Cardinals while they were on the road in 2009. In 15 starts, he has a 12-1 record while striking out 87 batters in 101 innings.
Dan Haren – Arizona Diamondbacks
Every Cy Young race there is that at least one pitcher who has an outstanding season despite pitching on a team who was never really in the hunt for the playoffs. This year that honor in the National League goes to Haren.
Haren has started 31 games for the Diamondbacks and has earned a 14-9 record while pitching 217.1 innings. Haren has been able to maintain a 2.90 ERA with opponent’s batting .216 while striking out 208 batters and issuing only 34 walks.
Haren did his best work for the Diamondbacks before the All-Star break, pitching 130.1 innings for a 9-5 record with a 2.01 ERA and 129 strikeouts.
What has prevented Haren from having an outstanding year has been the lack of run support he’s received. In all nine of his losses, the Diamondbacks never scored more than 3 runs and lost by two runs or less on five separate occasions.
Prediction
While Wainwright and Lincecum’s number are impressive and deserve serious consideration for the Cy Young, there is no denying what Carpenter has meant to his team in 2009. Not only should Carpenter earn the Comeback Player of the Year award, he should receive his second Cy Young award as well.
If you look at the opponents Chris Carpenter pitched against versus Tim Lincecum; Lincecum pitched against more .500 and above team than Carpenter; Carpenter has less starts resulting to less innings and fatigue. In the other hand, Lincecum has the 2nd best ERA in the NL and most strike outs in NL. You know how hard it is to strike out that many batters? Lincecum opponent batting average is .209 with over 260 strike outs, that just crazy.