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There are plenty of good candidates for the 2011 NL Cy Young Award. However, one man stands out above the rest of the pack. And here’s a hint at who he is: The Cy Young Award winner knows the 2011 NL MVP winner very well.
5. Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
One of three Phillies on this list, Cole Hamels finished second in the NL in WHIP at 0.99.
4. Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks
Ian Kennedy had the best record of any pitcher in the NL at 21-4. His other stats — 2.88 ERA and 1.09 WHIP — are also impressive.
3. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
After a slow start, Cliff Lee was as good as any pitcher in baseball down the stretch.
2. Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
It was another fantastic season for Roy Halladay. If it wasn’t for the No. 1 player on this list, he’d be a worthy winner.
1. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw is the 2011 NL Cy Young winner. He led the NL in ERA (2.28), WHIP (0.98) and strikeouts (248). Oh, and he was 21-5 for a team that only won 82 games this season.
Clayton Kershaw - 2011 NL Cy Young winner (Image: TSN.ca)
Kershaw has won the pitcher’s triple crown; the discussion should end there. But for any doubters, here’s the cincher: compare how the top three candidates Kershaw, Halladay, and Kennedy fared against the top twenty NL hitters and the rest of the league. Against the rest of the league: OPS allowed was .548, .547, and .601 for Ker, Hal, and Ken, respectively. Now, against the 20 hitters Hal’s was .912, Ken’s was .948, and Kershaw… .610!
I included Kennedy instead of Lee because of Lee’s 17 wins not being enough to beat Kershaw or Halladay. Although I concede that good arguments can be made to include Lee over Kennedy, it doesn’t change the fact that Kershaw should win.
http://theresastatforthat.blogspot.com/2011/10/cy-young-2011-simple-case-for-clayton.html