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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.

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. 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