Cy Hamels?
Assuming the Phillies keep their rotation in order the rest of the way, Cole Hamels should have eight starts to further his case for the 2012 National League Cy Young Award.
Cy Hamels?
David Murphy
Assuming the Phillies keep their rotation in order the rest of the way, Cole Hamels should have eight starts to further his case for the 2012 National League Cy Young Award.
Right now, those eight starts project as follows:
1. Aug. 23 vs. Reds
2. Aug. 29 vs. Mets
3. Sept. 3 at Reds
4. Sept. 9 vs. Rockies
5. Sept. 14 at Astros
6. Sept. 19 at Mets
7. Sept. 26 vs. Nationals
8. Oct. 1 at Nationals
After holding the Brewers to three runs in 7 2/3 innings last night, Hamels ranks ninth in the NL in ERA, first in innings, first in innings-per-start, 10th in strikeouts-per-nine innings, and fifth in adjusted ERA, all of which you can see below. He is also averaging the most pitches per start in the National League and is tied for fifth with 14 wins, which, however you feel about it, matters to some of the members of the BBWAA who vote for these awards.
Hamels' next start could be a big one, because it is scheduled to come against Johnny Cueto, who at this point figures to be a leading candidate for the award. The NL leaderboards are interesting because they feature a host of players who have never been in serious contention for the award. If the Nationals shut down Stephen Strasburg, that should remove him from consideration (through no fault of his own, of course). That would leave Hamels, Matt Cain and Clayton Kershaw as the name-brand candidates who have a serious case for the award.
I don't vote for awards, but if I did, innings would factor heavily into my decision. Without having done much in-depth comparisons of the candidates, I would probably have Cueto, Hamels, Kershaw, Cain and R.A. Dickey in my Top 5 (ignoring Strasburg because of the looming shutdown). Dickey will have the "good story" factor going in his favor. Because, let's face it, writers like a good story.
But Hamels certainly has a considerable amount of control of his own destiny.
ERA
1. Jordan Zimmermann, WSN, 2.38
2. Johnny Cueto, CIN, 2.44
3. Kyle Lohse, STL, 2.61
4. Ryan Vogelsong, SFG, 2.72
5. R.A. Dickey, NYM, 2.89
6. Clayton Kershaw, LAD, 2.90
7. Matt Cain, SFG, 2.90
8. Stephen Strasburg, WSN, 2.91
9. COLE HAMELS, PHI, 2.94
10. Wade Miley, ARI, 2.96
Innings (Starts in parantheses)
1. COLE HAMELS, PHI, 171 1/3 (24)
2. Clayton Kershaw, LAD, 170 2/3 (25)
3. Johnny Cueto, CIN, 169 2/3 (25)
4. R.A. Dickey, NYM, 168 1/3 (24)
5. Clayton Richard, SDP, 168 (25)
6. Matt Cain, SFG, 167 2/3 (24)
7. Madison Bumgarner, SFG, 163 2/3 (24)
8. Kyle Lohse, STL, 162 (25)
9. Chris Capuano, LAD, 157 2/3 (25)
10. Wandy Rodriguez, HOU/PIT, 155 1/3 (25)
1. Stephen Strasburg, WSN, 11.2
2. Gio Gonzalez, WSN, 9.6
3. R.A. Dickey, NYM, 9.4
4. Tim Lincecum, SFG, 9.4
5. Bud Norris, HOU, 9.2
6. Jeff Samardzija, CHC, 9.1
7. Lance Lynn, STL, 9.0
8. Yovani Gallardo, MIL, 9.0
9. Zack Greinke, MIL, 8.9
10. COLE HAMELS, PHI, 8.8
1. Johnny Cueto, CIN, 174
2. Jordan Zimmermann, WSN, 166
3. Kyle Lohse, STL, 149
4. Wade Miley, ARI, 146
5. COLE HAMELS, PHI, 138
6. Stephen Strasburg, WSN, 137
7. Clayton Kershaw, LAD, 133
8. R.A. Dickey, NYM, 133
9. Ryan Vogelsong, SFG, 130
10. Chris Capuano, LAD, 123
ESPN's "Cy Predictor" has Cole 6th, way behind Cueto and Dickey. Not likely to happen this year unless he runs the table from now to the end.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/features/cyyoung— Xyzzyx- If Hamels were to win, he would be among only a few pitchers to win Cy Young Award, LCS MVP, and WS MVP. Who are the others? Orel Hersheiser is one. Any others?— andrewfrombrooklyn
- What a stupid and pessimistic prediction, Mr. Jetson. Greinke? Bedrosian? Steve Carlton?— Edward Creed
- — mrjetsondc420
Ever hear of Steve Carlton...1972?— GeogProf - Feliz Hernandez was what, 12-11 for a third place team in 2009? Hamels can win it he has to run the table as DM said— ESFjellin
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Cole Hamels has a very beautiful case of LDD.
Long Distance Dominator.— Redwoodser - Cy Young? It would be a bad day for the Hamels Haters.— escapedcamden4monterey
- Hamels is in his 2008 groove right now and it could carry him to his first 20 game winning season. However, like the Bedrosian Cy Young and Schmidt MVP in 86, it would ring hollow for me thanks to this miserable season. Lefty in 72 was an exception thanks to his complete and total dominance. I never saw Denny McLane pitch in his 30 win season, or Sandy Koufax in his brilliant years, but what Steve did on that wretched Phils team is still golden for me. This is not meant to denigrate Bedrock, Schmitty or possible Colberts accomplishments at all.....just one opinion!— DelawareRiverRat
- Come on now. Lefty was on a team that rarely won without him starting, the team evoked sympathy from other fans, and he was dominant from the start. Bedrock was on a team that rarely won without him closing, was dominant throughout the year, and the team wasn't a threat to any other fans. Pick from those for Greinke's situation with KC a couple years ago. Hamels has been almost dominant in stretches, has a lower percentage of his team's wins, and plays on a team pretty disliked by most fans whose teams have been pounded by them for a few years and are glad they're in last place or almost for a change. So, when you list Greinke, Bedrosian, Carlton, and Hamels in a CY list, the outlier is definitely Hamels.— calm weather
- GeogProf - Hamels has not been as dominant as Carlton in '72. He's been good, but not that dominant.— kmon
- GeogProf: Let's compare apples to apples. Carlton won 27 games that year, about half of the teams wins. I don't see Hamels doing that. Also, unfortunately, I think they will give it to Dickey. He get's the "sympathetic, sentimental" vote.— ghost of callison
- I guess the reason sportshacks, as David Murphy, worry about and write columns about awards as the MVP and the Cy Young, is the sportshacks vote the winners of the awards. They are absolutely MEANINGLESS!
Steve Carlton won in 1972 because he was absolutely dominant, and won 27 of 59 (46%) team wins. I believe it might have been Larry Bowa who said, "Every fourth day we were the best team in baseball!" His WLPct was over .700 and his ERA was under 2 for the year. It may have been the best pitching season of all time for a pitcher on a nearly perfectly awful team. The team's WLPct other than Mr. Carlton's games was .267!
Cole Hamels should be considered as a Cy Young pitcher, but, in all honesty, I'd much rather see him back in the post season, as in 2008.— BEMiller - An outside shot if he wins the rest of his games, also depending how the other teams' pitchers do. Really hard to do on a poofball team, too. Well, there is still 6 weeks left.— verve
- @BEMiller: In my 54 years, Lefty in 72 was the most dominating pitcher I ever saw in my life. For those who were there, they most likely would agree too. Like Larry Bowa said, on every 4th day, they were the best team in baseball and the fans responded in kind. Plus, if I recall, he swung a pretty good bat for himself that year, too! Koufaxian.
Would it not be great if we were witnessing Cole putting it all together like Lefty did, like Koufax did?— DelawareRiverRat - It would be interesting to know how many runs the Phillies scored in his six losses— Johnny Callison
