Last night may have been C.C. Sabathia’s most important start of the year. He threw 128 pitches, the second most in his career, scattered 10 hits, resulting in only 2 runs over 6 innings and ultimately a win against bitter division rival and leader the Boston Red Sox. While it may have been enough for a win in the game, it was not nearly enough for another win that Sabathia has been chasing.
The Cy Young award, given to the best pitcher in each league, would appear to be a race between Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, and maybe some other minor contenders. Sabathia’s performance last night may have been good enough for a victory against the Red Sox, but he will be thankful that he does not have a Cy Young related incentive in his contract because it was not good enough to win that award.
To be the best, you have to beat the best. Against the three teams that find themselves atop the three divisions in the American League (Tigers, Rangers, and Red Sox) Sabathia’s numbers have been less than stellar. His ERA for the season is 2.99. His ERA in his starts against those three teams so far this season—5.54. He has posted an 18-7 record this year, but is only 3-5 against those three teams.
Justin Verlander’s numbers tell a different story. His ERA for the season is 2.38. Due to the fact that his team is in first place in the Central division, I calculated his results again the Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees. The Yankees, it appears, will make the playoffs even if they finish second in the division, they boast the third best record in the Majors, and have scored the most runs in the Majors so far this year. So what is Verlander’s ERA against those three teams? 2.70—close to his season average. His 20-5 record is aided by a 1-1 record in his starts against the three teams in question.
While neither has been overly impressive against the other best teams in the American League so far this year, Verlander has pitched close to his stellar averages. Sabathia has taken huge steps backward against the toughest competition. This race, in my mind, is over and Justin Verlander is the pinnacle of pitching performance in the American League.
thebullpenblogger 