NewsGreinke's Cy case is plenty strong
Voters' pick for AL's top pitcher to be unveiled Tuesday
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
11/16/09 5:30 PM EST
KANSAS CITY -- Once last in the American League, Zack Greinke could be at the top of the heap on Tuesday.Greinke, the Royals' dominating right-hander, is a leading candidate for the AL's Cy Young Award as the league's best pitcher.
The 2009 winner will be announced at 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Two BBWAA members per AL franchise, or 28 in all, voted on the award at the end of the regular season.
It was just four years ago, 2005, when Greinke finished with a 5-17 record to lead the AL in losses. He was just 21 and was headed for an encounter with a social anxiety disorder the following spring. Things were rough.
How times have changed for Greinke.
This year, he led the Major Leagues with a 2.16 ERA and rolled up 242 strikeouts in 229 1/3 innings in a superlative season. His record was 16-8 and his victory total was bested by other contenders such as Felix Hernandez (19-5), CC Sabathia (19-8) and Justin Verlander (19-9). But few argue that Greinke, given more run support and better relief pitching, would have won 20.
Royals manager Trey Hillman has preached all along that Greinke's win total should not work against him.
"I don't think people should be judgmental simply because of poor team performance during those individual outstanding performances," Hillman said.
"Those numbers speak for themselves -- lack of run production and run support, and the number of losses that he has in comparison to the number of runs we've scored in those losses. I just don't think in individual honors such as the Cy Young Award -- where it's honoring one person -- that that person should be penalized because of the performance in other areas that he can't control on that day."
What Greinke could control was lack of hits and walks by the opposition, and he did that splendidly. His WHIP rating, the walks plus innings per innings pitched, was 1.07, and no other starting pitcher was even close. He also led the AL in the lowest opponent on-base percentage (.276) and fewest home runs per nine innings (0.43).
And so it went for Greinke.
"Cy Young, to me, means who is the best pitcher, and to me, Zack is the best pitcher. Command, least amount of walks, ERA ... there are so many plusses," said Royals pitching coach Bob McClure.
"He could have had 20 wins. He just pitched on the wrong day. We used to say that all the time. Pitch on the right day, you get more wins. Pitch on the wrong day ..."
That seemed to be Greinke's fate sometimes.
He's drawn countless endorsements.
"He's one of the rare pitchers than can combine power with command," said Phillies scout Gordon Lakey. "Not necessarily just control, but command and being able to hit his spots while changing speeds with all his pitches, using all his pitches. There are certain pitchers, like Pedro Martinez, who would always change speeds and stuff like that, but this guy throws harder and has all kinds of ways to get you out."
Royals general manager Dayton Moore appreciates more about Greinke than wins or strikeouts or ERA.
"He's a pro and he's a class individual, he's a great teammate. He represents the organization and himself with class and he's a tremendous person," Moore said. "Zack has an innocence about him that we all embrace, and because of that, we pull for him."
Whether or not the Royals have pulled hard enough will be known Tuesday afternoon.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
