This is awful.
If you're too tired to click through to the article, it is written by Tom Singer, who is a columnist for MLB.com. That probably should've been my first clue that the analysis wasn't worth reading.
Or maybe the title...
AL Cy could boil down to longtime rivals
Wang, Beckett front-runners, with Sabathia right there, too
All right. Let's get a couple things out of the way first: anyone from a non-Yankee or Sox blog who reads this, I am aware of the "East Coast bias" and the bias concerning the Yanks and Sox specifically. I'm sure the most national airtime is devoted to our two teams. However, Josh Beckett is a bonafide Cy Young candidate, even if Kelvim Escobar and C.C. Sabathia may have just as good or better cases. He's up there. Chien-Ming Wang, on the other hand, is a bonafide 18-game winner. That's it. A couple of the more ridiculous mistakes in analysis:
If Cy Young balloting were like some cell phone plans, Wang would be a shoo-in thanks to rollover votes.
He would be a shoo-in if he got the 0.36 share he didn't deserve last season added on to what he'll get this season. Well, sure. If I got the money I made last year in addition to the money I'm making this year, I'd have a whole lot of money.
This next part is about Beckett
But he doesn't stand out on his staff as Wang does on his; not even close.
Are you farking serious? Wang deserves more votes because the other pitchers on his staff suck more than the ones that pitch alongside Josh Beckett. WTF mates?
Almost done, as surely/hopefully FJM will take this one and do a much better job than I. On the topic of John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar:
But he and Lackey are essentially the same pitcher, with virtually identical numbers.
That's it. Because they both are excellent pitchers, neither should win. Consider me convinced.
Look, I'm sure Wang will get some consideration, and almost certainly more than he'll deserve. Beckett may win on the basis of 20 wins and be helped a lot by the fact of pitching in Boston, but his peripherals are close to or better than Sabathia and Escobar. If no one can see the difference...
Oh yeah. In the Honorable Mention category:
Joe Borowski, Indians
Woohoo. 40 saves = always more important than a 1.465 WHIP. Before putting him down, Tom, why not ask just ONE Indians fan how they feel about Borowski getting one or two-run save opportunities in the playoffs.