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Cy Young Award

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For other uses, see Cy Young (disambiguation).
File:Cy Young Award.jpg
The Cy Young Award

The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955. The award was originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues, but in 1967, after the retirement of Frick, the award was given to one pitcher in each league.[1][2]

Each league's award is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, with two representatives from each team, which means 28 ballots are cast for the American League winner, and 32 ballots are cast for the National League.[1] Each voter places a vote for first, second, and third place among the pitchers of each league. The formula used to calculate the final scores is a weighted sum of the votes.[A] The pitcher with the highest score in each league wins the award.[1] If two pitchers receive the same number of votes, the award is shared.[3] The current formula started in the 1970 season. Before that, writers only voted for the best pitcher and used a formula of one point per vote.[1]

History

Cy Young, for whom the award is named

The Cy Young Award was first introduced in 1956 by Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955.[1] The award would be given to pitchers only. Originally given to the single best pitchers in the major leagues, the award changed its format over time. From 1956 to 1966, the award was given to one pitcher in Major League Baseball. After Frick retired in 1967, William Eckert became the new Commissioner of Baseball. Due to fan requests, Eckert announced that the Cy Young Award would be given out both in the American League and the National League.[1] From 1956 to 1958, a pitcher was not allowed to win the award on more than one occasion; this rule was eliminated in 1959. After a tie in the 1969 voting, the process was changed, in which each writer was to vote for three different pitchers: the first-place vote received five points, the second-place vote received three points, and the third-place vote received one point, a system that is still in use.[1]

The first recipient of the Cy Young Award was Don Newcombe of the Dodgers, and the most recent winners were Tim Lincecum, from the National League, and Zack Greinke, from the American League.[1][4] In 1957, Warren Spahn became the first left-handed pitcher to win the award. In 1963, Sandy Koufax became the first pitcher to win the award in a unanimous vote; two years later he became the first multiple winner. In 1974, Mike Marshall won the award, becoming the first relief pitcher to win the award.[1] In 1978, Gaylord Perry (age 40) became the oldest pitcher to receive the award, only to have the record broken in 2004 by Roger Clemens (age 42).[1] The youngest recipient was Dwight Gooden (age 20 in 1985).

Key

Year Each year is linked to an article about that Major League Baseball season.
ERA Earned run average
* Also named Most Valuable Player
** Also named Rookie of the Year

Winners

Major Leagues combined (1956–1966)

Roger Clemens, seven-time winner
Year Pitcher Team Record[B] Saves[C] ERA
1956 Don Newcombe* Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) 27–7 0 3.06
1957 Warren Spahn Milwaukee Braves (NL) 21–11 3 2.69
1958 Bob Turley New York Yankees (AL) 21–7 1 2.97
1959 Early Wynn Chicago White Sox (AL) 22–10 0 3.17
1960 Vern Law Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) 20–9 0 3.08
1961 Whitey Ford New York Yankees (AL) 25–4 0 3.21
1962 Don Drysdale Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) 25–9 1 2.84
1963 Sandy Koufax* Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) 25–5 0 1.88
1964 Dean Chance Los Angeles Angels (AL) 20–9 4 1.65
1965 Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) 26–8 2 2.04
1966 Sandy Koufax Los Angeles Dodgers (NL) 27–9 0 1.73

National League (1967–present)

Greg Maddux, four-time winner
John Smoltz, one-time winner
Pedro Martínez, three-time winner
File:Lincecum3242.jpg
Tim Lincecum, two-time winner
Year Pitcher Team Record[B] Saves[C] ERA
1967 Mike McCormick San Francisco Giants 22–10 0 2.85
1968 Bob Gibson* St. Louis Cardinals 22–9 0 1.12
1969 Tom Seaver New York Mets 25–7 0 2.21
1970 Bob Gibson St. Louis Cardinals 23–7 0 3.12
1971 Ferguson Jenkins Chicago Cubs 24–13 0 2.77
1972 Steve Carlton Philadelphia Phillies 27–10 0 1.98
1973 Tom Seaver New York Mets 19–10 0 2.08
1974 Mike Marshall Los Angeles Dodgers 15–12 21 2.42
1975 Tom Seaver New York Mets 22–9 0 2.38
1976 Randy Jones San Diego Padres 22–14 0 2.74
1977 Steve Carlton Philadelphia Phillies 23–10 0 2.64
1978 Gaylord Perry San Diego Padres 21–6 0 2.73
1979 Bruce Sutter Chicago Cubs 6–6 37 2.22
1980 Steve Carlton Philadelphia Phillies 24–9 0 2.34
1981 Fernando Valenzuela** Los Angeles Dodgers 13–7 0 2.48
1982 Steve Carlton Philadelphia Phillies 23–11 0 3.11
1983 John Denny Philadelphia Phillies 19–6 0 2.37
1984 Rick Sutcliffe Chicago Cubs 16–1 0 2.69
1985 Dwight Gooden New York Mets 24–4 0 1.53
1986 Mike Scott Houston Astros 18–10 0 2.22
1987 Steve Bedrosian Philadelphia Phillies 5–3 40 2.83
1988 Orel Hershiser Los Angeles Dodgers 23–8 1 2.26
1989 Mark Davis San Diego Padres 4–3 44 1.85
1990 Doug Drabek Pittsburgh Pirates 22–6 0 2.76
1991 Tom Glavine Atlanta Braves 20–11 0 2.55
1992 Greg Maddux Chicago Cubs 20–11 0 2.18
1993 Greg Maddux Atlanta Braves 20–10 0 2.36
1994 Greg Maddux Atlanta Braves 16–6 0 1.56
1995 Greg Maddux Atlanta Braves 19–2 0 1.63
1996 John Smoltz Atlanta Braves 24–8 0 2.94
1997 Pedro Martínez Montreal Expos 17–8 0 1.90
1998 Tom Glavine Atlanta Braves 20–6 0 2.47
1999 Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks 17–9 0 2.49
2000 Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks 19–7 0 2.64
2001 Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks 21–6 0 2.49
2002 Randy Johnson Arizona Diamondbacks 24–5 0 2.32
2003 Eric Gagné Los Angeles Dodgers 2–3 55 1.20
2004 Roger Clemens Houston Astros 18–4 0 2.98
2005 Chris Carpenter St. Louis Cardinals 21–5 0 2.83
2006 Brandon Webb Arizona Diamondbacks 16–8 0 3.10
2007 Jake Peavy San Diego Padres 19–6 0 2.54
2008 Tim Lincecum San Francisco Giants 18–5 0 2.62
2009 Tim Lincecum San Francisco Giants 15–7 0 2.48

American League (1967–present)

Jack McDowell, one-time winner
Barry Zito, one-time winner
Johan Santana, two-time winner
Zack Greinke, one-time winner
Year Pitcher Team Record[B] Saves[C] ERA
1967 Jim Lonborg Boston Red Sox 22–9 0 3.16
1968 Denny McLain* Detroit Tigers 31–6 0 1.96
1969 Mike Cuellar
Denny McLain 		Baltimore Orioles
Detroit Tigers 		23–11
24–9 		0
0 		2.38
2.80
1970 Jim Perry Minnesota Twins 24–12 0 3.04
1971 Vida Blue* Oakland Athletics 24–8 0 1.82
1972 Gaylord Perry Cleveland Indians 24–16 1 1.92
1973 Jim Palmer Baltimore Orioles 22–9 1 2.40
1974 Catfish Hunter Oakland Athletics 25–12 0 2.49
1975 Jim Palmer Baltimore Orioles 23–11 1 2.09
1976 Jim Palmer Baltimore Orioles 22–13 0 2.51
1977 Sparky Lyle New York Yankees 13–5 26 2.17
1978 Ron Guidry New York Yankees 25–3 0 1.74
1979 Mike Flanagan Baltimore Orioles 23–9 0 3.08
1980 Steve Stone Baltimore Orioles 25–7 0 3.23
1981 Rollie Fingers* Milwaukee Brewers 6–3 28 1.04
1982 Pete Vuckovich Milwaukee Brewers 18–6 0 3.34
1983 LaMarr Hoyt Chicago White Sox 24–10 0 3.66
1984 Willie Hernández* Detroit Tigers 9–3 32 1.92
1985 Bret Saberhagen Kansas City Royals 20–6 0 2.87
1986 Roger Clemens* Boston Red Sox 24–4 0 2.48
1987 Roger Clemens Boston Red Sox 20–9 0 2.97
1988 Frank Viola Minnesota Twins 24–7 0 2.64
1989 Bret Saberhagen Kansas City Royals 23–6 0 2.16
1990 Bob Welch Oakland Athletics 27–6 0 2.95
1991 Roger Clemens Boston Red Sox 18–10 0 2.62
1992 Dennis Eckersley* Oakland Athletics 7–1 51 1.91
1993 Jack McDowell Chicago White Sox 22–10 0 3.37
1994 David Cone Kansas City Royals 16–5 0 2.94
1995 Randy Johnson Seattle Mariners 18–2 0 2.48
1996 Pat Hentgen Toronto Blue Jays 20–10 0 3.22
1997 Roger Clemens Toronto Blue Jays 21–7 0 2.05
1998 Roger Clemens Toronto Blue Jays 20–6 0 2.65
1999 Pedro Martínez Boston Red Sox 23–4 0 2.07
2000 Pedro Martínez Boston Red Sox 18–6 0 1.74
2001 Roger Clemens New York Yankees 20–3 0 3.51
2002 Barry Zito Oakland Athletics 23–5 0 2.75
2003 Roy Halladay Toronto Blue Jays 22–7 0 3.25
2004 Johan Santana Minnesota Twins 20–6 0 2.61
2005 Bartolo Colón Los Angeles Angels 21–8 0 3.48
2006 Johan Santana Minnesota Twins 19–6 0 2.77
2007 C.C. Sabathia Cleveland Indians 19–7 0 3.21
2008 Cliff Lee Cleveland Indians 22–3 0 2.54
2009 Zack Greinke Kansas City Royals 16–8 0 2.16

Multiple winners

Randy Johnson, five-time winner

There have been 15 pitchers who have won the award multiple times. Roger Clemens currently holds the record for the most awards won, with seven. Greg Maddux (1992–1995) and Randy Johnson (1999–2002) share the record for the most consecutive awards won. Clemens, Johnson, Pedro Martínez and Gaylord Perry are the only pitchers to have won the award in both the American League and National League; Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher who won multiple awards during the period when only one award was presented for all of Major League Baseball. Roger Clemens was the youngest pitcher to win a second Cy Young Award, while Tim Lincecum is the youngest pitcher to do it in the National League.

Pitcher # of Awards Years
Roger Clemens
7
1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004
Randy Johnson
5
1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Steve Carlton
4
1972, 1977, 1980, 1982
Greg Maddux
4
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Sandy Koufax
3
1963, 1965, 1966
Pedro Martínez
3
1997, 1999, 2000
Jim Palmer
3
1973, 1975, 1976
Tom Seaver
3
1969, 1973, 1975
Bob Gibson
2
1968, 1970
Tom Glavine
2
1991, 1998
Denny McLain
2
1968, 1969
Gaylord Perry
2
1972, 1978
Bret Saberhagen
2
1985, 1989
Johan Santana
2
2004, 2006
Tim Lincecum
2
2008, 2009

Notes

  • A The formula is: Score = 5F + 3S + T, where F is the number of first place votes, S is second place votes, and T is third place votes.[1]
  • a b c See: Decision (baseball)
  • a b c In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. It became an official statistic in Major League Baseball in 1969.

See also

References

General
  • "Cy Young Award on Baseball Almanac". BaseballAlmanac.com. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  • "Cy Young Award winners". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  • "Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  • "Cy Young Award Winners (American League)". MSN. Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2008-11-01. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  • "Cy Young Award voting results". Baseball Digest. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
Specific
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Cy Young Award on Baseball Almanac". BaseballAlmanac.com. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
  2. ^ "Cy Young Award Winners (American League)". MSN. Archived from the original on 2009-10-31. Retrieved 2008-11-01. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Cy Young Award voting results". Baseball Digest. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
  4. ^ "Cy Young Award winners". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2008-10-22.

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