AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 03
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Let’s talk pitching - not Braves pitching
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s take a minute and escape the Braves pitching issues, shall we? What better way not to talk about how a team gives up 14 runs and wins than focus on some dominant pitching elsewhere. And really, this is something I think you guys might be interested to throw around.
NL Cy Young award. Now due to the AJC’s new policies, I can no longer vote for an award like this, though I have in the past. And if I did, this one would be a fairly serious head-scratcher.
First, the glamour, wildcard pick:
You have CC Sabathia poking his head into voters’ minds, mixing it up despite only two months in the league. He has been nothing short of amazing since coming to Milwaukee in the trade from Cleveland. He’s 9-0 in 11 starts with a microscopic 1.43 ERA and a .217 opponents’ batting average. He has an unfathomable, in this day and age, six complete games in those 11 starts, including three shutouts, and a no-hitter that wasn’t.
Coupled with his stats from Cleveland, he’s 15-8 overall with a 2.82 ERA.
Now, the more traditional, can’t-miss, choices. There’s Brandon Webb of Arizona who’s any minute from his 20th win. He’s 19-6, leading the NL in wins, and has a 3.19 ERA, which is ninth in the National League. He’s pitching for a team in a pennant race and has been their ace throughout.
And of course, there’s Tim Lincecum. The young stud for the Giants is 15-3 with a 2.60 ERA, which leads the NL. He also leads the league with 216 strikeouts. He’s doing it for a team that’s 20 games under .500. Heading into Wednesday, the Giants were 59-79, meaning Lincecum had won 25 percent of their games. He’s been one of the most dominant pitchers day in, day out in the league.
So there you have it. Which way would I go? I’m leaning Lincecum. First I’d have to think long and hard about giving the NL Cy Young to a guy who hasn’t pitched a full season in the league. Rick Sutcliffe was the exception, winning the Cy Young in 1984 after being traded from the Indians to the Cubs and going 16-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 starts for the Cubs. It’s not out of the realm of possibility, but we’ll have to see how many more starts Sabathia has and if he ever loses!
And I go Lincecum over Webb because his ERA is almost half a run better and I think ERA is the best measure of a pitcher’s performance. That and if the Giants don’t blow so many saves, Lincecum is right there with Webb in wins.
That Lincecum has done what he has for such a bad team is amazing to me. He dominated the games I’ve seen him pitch and and to me, what’s impressive is that he hasn’t lost more. That 3 of the 15-3 is impressive. He’s not letting himself get beat.
Of course if Brandon Webb rolls off three more wins and leads Arizona to the NL West title and shaves a few points off that ERA, then I might have to reconsider. It’s a tough one, though.
I posed that question to a couple hitters this morning, to get their take since they are the ones who face these guys. Chipper’s going with Webb.
“I’m voting Brandon Webb,” Jones said. “He’s been the most dominant guy in the league all year. He’s been in the league all year. Stuff wise he’s top two or three in the league. Sabathia, he’s been tremendous, I could see him getting more MVPs votes than he got Cy Young votes. But I know as spectacular as he’s been, he’s going to take votes away from other guys when he probably shouldn’t.”
Simply because he hasn’t been in the league all year?
“Yeah,” Jones said. “I don’t know, it’s hard to say, it he ended up 14-0, it’s going to be hard to ignore. There are going to be some people out there who give him some votes. I just think you can’t discount what Brandon Webb has done.”
What about all Sabathia’s complete games?
“Complete games makes no difference to me to be honest with you,” Jones said. “That’s a pride thing for the pitcher.”
What about Lincecum?
“If he played on a little better team,” Jones said. “Stuff wise? It’s as good as it gets. He’s got as good a stuff as anybody. You go back to that whole Steve Carlton thing, where he won a big percentage of his teams games but he played on a bad team, his bullpen has blown some wins for him. (Carlton won four Cy Youngs for the Phillies.) He’s certainly going to get his share of votes, but I don’t think you can put Lincecum over Webb.”
Why?
“I think Brandon Webb is going to win 20 games,” Jones said. “His separation between wins and losses is tremendous. You think about the fact he could go 22-6 with a very good ERA. He’s got hit the last couple times out, which may hurt him, but strikeouts. He does it all. His team is probably going to win the west. He’s been the ace that has held that team together. Whenever they’ve struggled for wins earlier in the season, he was the guy who they could count on to win every game, and that can’t be forgotten.”
Jeff Francoeur wasn’t far away in the clubhouse, so I ran it by him too.
“For me it’s either Lincecum or Webb,” Francoeur said. “If Lincecum plays with a good team, he’d have 20 wins by now for sure.”
OK, feel free to jump in on the conversation. I’m curious your thoughts. If not, we can talk Braves pitching too. Just thought I’d throw this out there.
A quick round-up from the clubhouse this morning. Chipper is out of the lineup again with his knee but thinks he should be back in Thursday or Friday vs. the Nats.
Jo-Jo Reyes had a baby girl named Payton this morning. He’s still on target to make his scheduled start Thursday night vs. the Nats.
Lineup is: Anderson CF, Prado 1B, Escobar SS, McCann C, Infante 3B, Johnson 2B, Francoeur RF, Blanco LF, Campillo P.
OK, more as we go…and p.s. something to look forward to when the Braves get back to Atlanta. $1 hotdog nights - Thursday nights every game in September. Braves just announced it. Hey, it’s not Thirsty Thursday two-for-one like they used to have in Macon. But it’s something.
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