Can CC Sabathia win the NL Cy Young?

Question

Hes 8-0 with a 1.55 ERA for the Brewers this season and he has them at the top of the Wild Card race and still not completely out of it in the NL Central race. He's thrown 4 complete games and 2 shutouts and hit a home run too.

But he was acquired in a midseason deal, in which he was 6-8 for the Indians before going to the Brewers. If he continues at this dominating pace for the Brewers, and based only on his Brewers stats at the end of the season, will that be enough to convince people he deserves the NL Cy Young Award?

And what about his former teammate Cliff Lee of the Indians, can he win the Cy Young Award in the AL, hes 16-2 with a 2.45 ERA, but his team is flip flopping last place in the Central with the Royals.

Answer 1

He should but I don't think he will.  

Answer 2

CC no, Cliff yes. Sabathia is doing very well(better than very well) for the Brewers, but he just hasn't been in the league long enoughyet.

Answer 3

Cliff Lee will win the AL Cy Young no doubt. CC could win but he won't. He hasn't spent long enough time in the NL.

Answer 4

No, he hasn't been in NL long enough

Answer 5

Sabathia is actually 7-0 with the Brewers. If there were no pitchers having a dominant, strong season, I'd say Sabathia would have a shot. But Brandon Webb already has 17 wins and Tim Lincecum, Carlos Zambrano, Edinson Volquez, Ryan Dempster and Dan Haren are all having better overall seasons than Sabathia. If by some chance Sabathia wins his remaining starts and finishes 15 or 16-0, then I'd say he has a shot. But that's about his only chance. It'd be similar to what Rick Sutcliffe did in 1984. But in 1984 no other NL pitcher had a dominant season.

Barring a total collapse, Cliff Lee should be the AL Cy Young. It should be unanimous, but Francisco Rodriguez might get some first place votes if he saves 60+ games.

Answer 6

he can but he won't because there is people who have done better in NL

Answer 7

He will probably get a few votes but there was a precedent set for this 10 years ago, if anyone remembers.  

The Astros acquired Randy Johnson in a late year deal from the Mariners in 1998 and he proceeded to be the best pitcher in the NL from that moment on.  Granted Johnson only started 11 games with the Stros he went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA and 116 SO to only 26 BB in 84.3 innings pitched.  His WHIP was only 0.984 and he allowed only 4 HRs in his time pitching in the NL.

C.C.'s numbers are eerily similar, unfortunately for him, he has the same problem Randy had in 1998.. there were too many guys who had been putting up the numbers all year to merit a 1st place vote for him.

Tim Lincecum and Brandon Webb are probably the frontrunners, but also competing are Jake Peavy, Ben Sheets, Dan Haren, Johan Santana and Edinson Volquez.  Too many good seasons to push CC into the mix.

Answer 8

The team's performance has no bearing on the Cy Young voting like the MVP voting does.  Only the pitcher's stats are considered.  So yes, Cliff Lee has a good chance of winning.

CC is actually 7-0 with a 1.55 ERA.... I don't think he'll get enough starts under his belts for the voters to consider him.  But it's up to the voters who make the decision, so technically, yes, CC could win the NL Cy Young, as the stats they would base their decision on would be stricltly the NL stats.

Answer 9

I think Brandon Webb might get it again.  

Answer 10

Ryan Dempster is a shoo in