Baron’s Corner
Can Zack join the Phillies pack of Cy Young Award winners? How does he stack up to those winners?
This year’s three finalists are Zack Wheeler, Max Scherzer and Corbin Burnes, all right-handed starters.
Winner will be announced Wednesday, November 17, 6 p.m. on the MLB Network.
Wheeler had a 14–10 record and 2.78 ERA. He led the league in starts (32), complete games (3), shutouts (2), strikeouts (247), worked at least 6 inning (20 times) and faced the most batters (849). His 213.1 innings pitched were the most in the majors.
In the mathematical analysis universe, Wheeler’s 7.6 WAR was the NL leader. He finished second in fWAR (7.3), FIP (2.59) and xERA (2.78).
Steve Carlton, 1972
Pitching for a last-place team, Lefty had one of the most dominating seasons of any pitcher. He led the league with 27 wins (10 losses), a 1.98 ERA, 41 games, 30 complete games, 346 innings, 257 hits. 310 strikeouts and 1,351 batters faced. His 8 shutouts were second. From May 3 through August 17, he won a club-record 15 consecutive games. He set an MLB record, percentage of team’s games won, 45.8 percent.
Lefty’s WAR, according to baseball reference.com, was 12.1. Bob Gibson was second, 7.1.
Steve Carlton, 1977
Lefty led the league with 23 wins (10 losses), fanning 198 in 283 innings while completing 17 of his 36 starts. He led the NL with 22 pickoffs and his 2.64 ERA ranked fourth in the league. Set a Veterans Stadium single-season record for wins, 17 (only 3 losses). WAR? 5.9.
Steve Carlton, 1980
In pitching the Phillies to their first World Series title, Lefty led the league in wins with 24 (9 losses), 304 innings and 286 strikeouts. 10.2 was his WAR. He became baseball’s all-time strikeout leader for a left-handed on July 6.
Steve Carlton, 1982
He again dominated the league, leading in games won, 23 (11 losses), 19 complete games, 6 shutouts, 295.1 innings, 253 hits allowed and 286 strikeouts. WAR, 5.5. He was baseball’s lone 20-game winner and ended up with the most wins in NL history for his age (37). He also became only the second player to win a major award 10 years apart. Willie Mays was the NL MVP in 1954 and 1965.
John Denny, 1983
He led the league with 19 wins (6 losses), a .760 percentage (new Phillies record), 7.4 WAR and home runs per 9 innings, .0334. His 2.37 ERA finished second. Won 13 of 14 decisions after the All-Star break, including seven in a row as Phillies won the NL pennant.
Steve Bedrosian, 1987
Became the first Phillies closer to win the award. 40 saves were tops in the majors, a first for a Phillies reliever. He set an MLB record with 13 consecutive saves, May 25-June 30, and he had a hand in 45 of the Phillies’ 80 wins. WAR, 2.3.
Roy Halladay, 2010
“Doc” finished with a 21–10 record, 2.44 ERA. He led majors with 250.2 innings, 9 complete games, 4 shutouts, 8.5 WAR and 1.077 walks per 9 innings. His win total was the most for a Phillies pitcher since 1982 (Carlton, 23–11) and most for a Phillies right-handed pitcher since 1955 (Robin Roberts, 23–14). . He tossed the second perfect game in Phillies history, May 29, at Miami.
