Cole Hamels should win Cy Young Award in his first season after contract extension-MLB Part 2
R.A Dickey won Cy Young Award from the National League in the last season. Despite the fact he remained largely a mediocre starting pitcher for the greater part of his career, he has cemented his place among the big-wigs of the game.
The fans after decades from today, will ignore how poor Dickey was initially.
They will pay less attention to the home runs and easy hits that he gave up within the first few years of his major league debut. He will assume a respectable image in their minds.
The Cy Young honour has kind of rescued his name from being lost in the midst of the torrents of the individuals entering and leaving the major league without making their mark.
Sometimes, it seems unfair to think fans remember only those hurlers that claim the awards such as Cy Young. A quality pitcher cannot be denied a privilege just because of not winning it.
It is inappropriate to sideline the likes of Hamels, who can perform in any big match though, solely for their inability to be the best performers in the league in a particular year.
Only because a pitcher was a few wins short or his ERA was slightly higher than the Cy Yong winner cannot mean he should be overlooked by the fans.
They say “form is temporary but class is permanent”. What happens is that some of the hurlers, taking advantage from their purple patch, go on to achieve heights of success.
While they may not continue with their dominance throughout their career, one good season grants them everything.
Their identity in the league is formed solely by that good season from there onward.
On the other hand, there is someone like Hamels who steps up every time he gets the opportunity from his team. Far from focusing on winning a particular laurel, he tries to win matches for the club.
In doing so, he also keeps in mind the degree of energy to be consumed for different matches.
Instead of giving away everything for the matches, which are dead-rubbers, he saves the best for the big games.
He puts more effort in the matches where his contribution matters the most. For example, in the playoffs a loss in a single game can wind up the whole season expedition. Being at the top of one’s form there is of paramount importance.
In those fixtures, Hamels turns out to be successful more often.
He did not lose any game in his way toward taking the Phillies to World Series glory in 2008. His 4-0 record cannot be forgotten in the post-season of 2008.
Having control in your strength is what defines the difference between a legend and an ordinary hurler.
To stand up when your team is on the brink of exit from the season shows the class.
To perform and continue doing so over a particular period of time, largely due to a sudden stroke of luck but not because of having mastered the skills, indicates that the dominance is temporary.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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