Carpenter wins NL Cy Young

[SouthSideRyan]

This is just an honest question, but why do people feel Carp is undeserving? I personally don't like the guy much (him being a Cardinal and all), but I haven't heard a real convincing argument to the contrary. I'm sure I could be swayed, but numbers just seem so similar between him and Dontrelle.

 

Because Clemens needed his bullpen to give up a run per inning to match Carpenter's output?

[Outshined_One]

This is just an honest question, but why do people feel Carp is undeserving? I personally don't like the guy much (him being a Cardinal and all), but I haven't heard a real convincing argument to the contrary. I'm sure I could be swayed, but numbers just seem so similar between him and Dontrelle.

 

It's not necessarily that he was undeserving; he had quite a good year in all honesty.

 

But the only reason Clemens didn't win it was because he had to deal with some putrid offenses. There were five games the Astros lost 1-0 in which Clemens pitched and got the No Decision. He pitched 7 innings in three of them, 8 in one, and 6 in another. In each start he did not give up a single run.

 

Some other notable stats in the NL:

 

First in ERA (1.87)

Third in QS (26) behind Carpenter and Pettitte (tied at 27)

Tied for tenth in Ks (185)

Second in WHIP (1.01) behind Pedro

First in BAA (.198)

 

Although, I think this is comparable to the Oscars when in one year an actor or actress puts up a great performance in a movie, gets nominatd, then gets robbed, and then does another movie that's not quite as good but clearly is made to get that actor/actress an Oscar, and said actor/actress wins the Oscar. Only in reverse. Clemens didn't deserve the Cy Young last season over Johnson and everyone knew it. There wasn't much of a chance of him winning this one from the get-go.

 

Although, as some consolation, at least this isn't as bad as Colon winning it over Santana...

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

yank yank yank, these awards suck every year. Watch Andruw win the MVP now.

 

I really wouldn't be shocked if that happens.

[TruffleShuffle]

Were you guys this upset in 1998 when Sammy Sosa and his 160 OPS+ won the MVP over Mark McGwire and his 217 OPS+?

 

I really don't have that big a problem with Carpenter winning the award. He pitched most of the year, and even though he had a couple of bad starts toward the end that brought his numbers down, he pitched his best earlier in the year when they actually had stuff to play for (division, home field, etc.) Clemens deserved to win the award, but he was the beneficiary last year of an award he didn't really deserve, so it evened out for him.