Cy Young Award

The Cy Young Award was named , of course, after Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young.

Denton True Young was born in 1867. His nickname "Cy" was short for cyclone. Cy Young played his first Major League game on August 6, 1890 and played for twenty two seasons.

During that time he won an amazing 511 games. 94 more than runner up Walter Johnson.

Sixteen times Cy Young won more than twenty games in a season. He pitched an incredible 749 complete games. The most in MLB history. Now a days it's big news if a pitcher completes one game.

Cy's earned run average for those twenty two seasons was 2.63 and he struck out 2,803 batters. He still holds the Major League record for most wins and most loses with 316.

He pitched more innings than anybody(7,355), started more games than anybody(815) and completed more games than anybody(749).

Cy Young won thirty or more games in a season five times. He threw three no hitters and also pitched the first perfect game in MLB history. Whew! I guess we can see why it's called the Cy Young Award.

Cy Young died in 1955 at the age of 88. The following year, Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick introduced the Cy Young Award. It would be given each year to the best pitcher in the Majors.

From 1956 until 1966, only one Cy Young Award award was given. Then in 1967, that was changed. From then on the award would be given to the best pitcher in both the American and National League.

Each season, members of the Baseball Writers Association Of America vote for the Cy Young award. Until 1970, they simply voted for who they thought was the best pitcher. Then in 1970, the voting formula was changed. Each writer would cast a first, second and third place vote. The pitcher with the highest "score" would win the award.

Originally, a pitcher could only win the Cy Young Award once. That as the rule then. This was changed in 1959.

The very first Cy Young Award winner was Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956. He also won the National League MVP that season. One year later, Warren Spahn of the Braves became the first left hander to win the award.

Sandy Koufax became the first pitcher to win the award by a unanimous vote in 1963 and he too won the National League MVP that year. And in 1965, Sandy also became the first pitcher to win it for the second time.

The Dodger's Mike Marshall became the first relief pitcher to win in 1974. Gaylord Perry won the award at age 40, making him the oldest to win at that time. Since then, Roger Clemens won it at age 42.

The Mets' Dwight Gooden is the youngest to win. He was twenty years old when he won it in 1985.

Bob Gibson won the award along with the National League MVP in 1968. He is still the last National Leaguer to win both in the same season.

In 1981, the Dodgers Fernando Valenzuela became the only pitcher to win the Cy Young Award and the Rookie of the Year Award in the same season.

Six American League pitchers have won both the Cy Young and MVP Awards in the same year. Denny McClain in 1968, Vida Blue in 1971, Rollie Fingers in 1981, Willie Hernandez in 1984, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Dennis Eckersly in 1992.

Fifteen pitchers have won the Cy Young Award more than once. Roger Clemens has the most with seven.

Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux are tied for the most seasons winning the Cy Young Award consecutively with four.

Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Gaylord Perry are the only pitchers to win in both the National and American Leagues.

Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher to win twice during the time when only one award was given for all of baseball.

And Roger Clemens is the youngest to win twice.

Here is the list of Cy Young Award winners when there was only one given: 1956-1966

1956- Don Newcombe-Brooklyn Dodgers(NL)-27–7, 3.06 ERA

1957- Warren Spahn-Milwaukee Braves(NL)-21–11, 2.69 ERA

1958- Bob Turley-New York Yankees(AL)-21–7, 2.97ERA

1959- Early Wynn-Chicago White Sox(AL)-22–10, 3.17 ERA

1960- Vern Law-Pittsburgh Pirates(NL)-20–9, 3.08 ERA

1961- Whitey Ford-New York Yankees(AL)-25–4, 3.21 ERA

1962- Don Drysdale-Los Angeles Dodgers(NL)-25–9, 2.84 ERA

1963- Sandy Koufax-Los Angeles Dodgers(NL)-25–5, 1.88 ERA

1964- Dean Chance-Los Angeles Angels(AL)-20–9, 1.65 ERA

1965- Sandy Koufax-Los Angeles Dodgers(NL)-26–8, 2.04 ERA

1966- Sandy Koufax-Los Angeles Dodgers(NL)-27–9, 1.73 ERA

National League From 1967 to the Present:

1967- Mike McCormick-San Francisco Giants-22–10, 2.85 ERA

1968- Bob Gibson-St. Louis Cardinals-22–9, 1.12 ERA

1969- Tom Seaver-New York Mets-25–7, 2.21 ERA

1970- Bob Gibson-St. Louis Cardinals-23–7, 3.12 ERA

1971- Ferguson Jenkins-Chicago Cubs-24–13, 2.77 ERA

1972- Steve Carlton-Philadelphia Phillies-27–10, 1.98 ERA

1973- Tom Seaver-New York Mets-19–10, 2.08 ERA

1974- Mike Marshall-Los Angeles Dodgers-15–12-21 Saves, 2.42 ERA

1975- Tom Seaver-New York Mets-22–9, 2.38 ERA

1976- Randy Jones-San Diego Padres-22–14, 2.74 EAR

1977- Steve Carlton-Philadelphia Phillies-23–10, 2.64 ERA

1978- Gaylord Perry-San Diego Padres-21–6, 2.73 ERA

1979- Bruce Sutter-Chicago Cubs-6–6- 37 Saves, 2.22 ERA

1980- Steve Carlton-Philadelphia Phillies-24–9, 2.34 ERA

1981- Fernando Valenzuela-Los Angeles Dodgers-13–7, 2.48 ERA

1982 -Steve Carlton-Philadelphia Phillies-23–11, 3.11 ERA

1983- John Denny-Philadelphia Phillies-19–6, 2.37 ERA

1984- Rick Sutcliffe-Chicago Cubs-16–1, 2.69 ERA

1985- Dwight Gooden-New York Mets-24–4, 1.53 ERA

1986- Mike Scott-Houston Astros-18–10, 2.22 ERA

1987- Steve Bedrosian-Philadelphia Phillies-5–3- 40 Saves, 2.83 ERA

1988- Orel Hershiser-Los Angeles Dodgers-23–8, 2.26 ERA

1989- Mark Davis-San Diego Padres-4–3- 44 Saves, 1,85 ERA

1990- Doug Drabek-Pittsburgh Pirates-22–6, 2.76 ERA

1991- Tom Glavine-Atlanta Braves-20–11, 2.55 ERA

1992- Greg Maddux-Chicago Cubs-20–11, 2.18 ERA

1993- Greg Maddux-Atlanta Braves-20–10, 2.36 ERA

1994- Greg Maddux-Atlanta Braves-16–6, 1.56 ERA

1995- Greg Maddux-Atlanta Braves-19–2, 1.63 ERA

1996- John Smoltz-Atlanta Braves-24–8, 2.94 ERA

1997- Pedro Martínez-Montreal Expos-17–8, 1.90 ERA

1998- Tom Glavine-Atlanta Braves-20–6, 2.47 ERA

1999- Randy Johnson-Arizona Diamondbacks-17–9, 2.49 ERA

2000- Randy Johnson-Arizona Diamondbacks-19–7, 2.64 ERA

2001- Randy Johnson-Arizona Diamondbacks-21–6, 2.49 ERA

2002- Randy Johnson-Arizona Diamondbacks-24–5, 2.32 ERA

2003- Eric Gagné-Los Angeles Dodgers-2–3- 55 Saves, 1.20 ERA

2004- Roger Clemens-Houston Astros-18–4, 2.98 ERA

2005- Chris Carpenter-St. Louis Cardinals-21–5, 2.83 ERA

2006- Brandon Webb-Arizona Diamondbacks-16–8, 3.10 ERA

2007- Jake Peavy-San Diego Padres-19–6, 2.54 ERA

2008- Tim Lincecum-San Francisco Giants-18–5, 2.62 ERA

2009- Tim Lincecum-San Francisco Giants-15–7, 2.48 ERA

American League 1967 to the Present:

1967- Jim Lonborg-Boston Red Sox-22–9, 3.16 ERA

1968- Denny McLain-Detroit Tigers-31–6, 1.96 ERA

1969- Mike Cuellar-Baltimore Orioles-23-11, 2.38 ERA

Denny McClain- Detroit Tigers-24-9, 2.80 ERA

1970- Jim Perry-Minnesota Twins-24–12, 3.04 ERA

1971- Vida Blue-Oakland Athletics-24–8, 1.82 ERA

1972- Gaylord Perry-Cleveland Indians-24–16, 1.92 ERA

1973- Jim Palmer-Baltimore Orioles-22–9, 2.40 ERA

1974- Catfish Hunter-Oakland Athletics-25–12, 2.49 ERA

1975- Jim Palmer-Baltimore Orioles-23–11, 2.09 ERA

1976- Jim Palmer-Baltimore Orioles-22–13, 2.51 ERA

1977- Sparky Lyle-New York Yankees-13–5- 26 Saves, 2.17 ERA

1978- Ron Guidry-New York Yankees-25–3, 1.74 ERA

1979- Mike Flanagan-Baltimore Orioles-23–9, 3.08 ERA

1980- Steve Stone-Baltimore Orioles-25–7, 3.23 ERA

1981- Rollie Fingers-Milwaukee Brewers-6–3- 28 Saves, 1.04 ERA

1982- Pete Vuckovich-Milwaukee Brewers-18–6, 3.34 ERA

1983- LaMarr Hoyt-Chicago White Sox-24–10, 3.66 ERA

1984- Willie Hernández-Detroit Tigers-9–3- 32 Saves, 1.92 ERA

1985- Bret Saberhagen-Kansas City Royals-20–6, 2.87 ERA

1986- Roger Clemens-Boston Red Sox-24–4, 2.48 ERA

1987- Roger Clemens-Boston Red Sox-20–9, 2.97 ERA

1988- Frank Viola-Minnesota Twins-24–7, 2.64 ERA

1989- Brett Saberhagen-Kansas City Royals-23–6, 2.16 ERA

1990- Bob Welch-Oakland Athletics-27–6, 2.95 ERA

1991- Roger Clemens-Boston Red Sox-18–10, 2.62 ERA

1992- Dennis Eckersley-Oakland Athletics-7–1- 51 Saves, 1.91 ERA

1993- Jack McDowell-Chicago White Sox-22–10, 3.37 ERA

1994- David Cone-Kansas City Royals-16–5, 2.94 ERA

1995- Randy Johnson-Seattle Mariners-18–2, 2.48 ERA

1996- Pat Hentgen-Toronto Blue Jays-20–10, 3.22 ERA

1997- Roger Clemens-Toronto Blue Jays-21–7, 2.05 ERA

1998- Roger Clemens-Toronto Blue Jays-20–6, 2.65 ERA

1999- Pedro Martínez-Boston Red Sox-23–4, 2.07 ERA

2000- Pedro Martínez-Boston Red Sox-18–6, 1.74 ERA

2001- Roger Clemens-New York Yankees-20–3, 3.51 ERA

2002- Barry Zito-Oakland Athletics-23–5, 2.75 ERA

2003- Roy Halladay-Toronto Blue Jays-22–7, 3.25 ERA

2004- Johan Santana-Minnesota Twins-20–6, 2.61 ERA

2005- Bartolo Colon-Los Angeles Angels-21–8, 3.48 ERA

2006- Johan Santana-Minnesota Twins-19–6, 2.77 ERA

2007- C.C. Sabathia-Cleveland Indians-19–7, 3.21 ERA

2008- Cliff Lee-Cleveland Indians-22–3, 2.54 ERA

2009- Zack Greinke-Kansas City Royals-16–8, 2.16 ERA

SBI!