Well, C.C. Sabathia wins the Cy Young this year. He deserves it, but at the same time I think Beckett deserved it just as much, if not a little bit more.
CC had him beat on IP, CG, K and ERA, but barely with ERA.
Beckett/CC
Games: 30/34
IP: 200.2/241
W-L: 20-7/19-7
ERA: 3.27/3.21
K: 194/209
BB: 40/37
HR: 17/20
WHIP: 1.14/1.14
BAA: .245/.259
What I have heard rumored was that this came down to run support. Beckett only won 1 game this year when he gave up 4 or more runs, and that was when he gave up 4 to the New York Yankees. Sabathia got 3 wins this year when he gave up 4+ runs to the opponent. Sabathia did have the advantage in games lost where he gave up 2 or less runs. Beckett had 3 loss or no decision games when giving up 2 or less runs in the game, compared to CC who had 8 such instances, including 1 3 hit 9 inning shutout performance that his team lost in extra innings.
It was close, but I thought that hitting that 20 in mark and being the only pitcher to do so this year, and the first since 2005, might give the edge, but it wasn’t.
Well congrats C.C. and enjoy it, this will certainly give you some bargaining power with your Free Agency at the end of next year, and hopefully this will fuel the fire in the belly of Beckett for next season to obtain what he barely missed this year.