AL Cy Young Award

All year I have picked Johan Santana as my choice for Cy Young (even though as an unabashed Red Sox fan - I should be vocal for Curt Schilling). At the very end - I may be wavering and it is because of competition.

The East is just much more competitive than the Central. Is there any arguing that fact? What would happen if you took away the best and worst team from their respective divisions for each player to try and even the playing field?

Johan Santana went 3-1 vs. the Royals this year - pitching 36 2/3 innings in 5 starts while giving up 10 earned runs. If you took away his numbers against the Twins - Santana's ERA would barely increase from 2.61 to 2.63 but his record would have been 17-5.

Against Chicago (the second best team in the Twins' division) - Santana went 2-2 in 4 starts. If you threw out Santana's numbers against the best and worst of the Central (Chicago and Kansas City) - he would have been 15-3 with 193 strikeouts and a 2.47 ERA.

Curt Schilling went 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA against Toronto (the last place team in the AL East). If you throw out his record against Toronto - Schilling would have been 20-4 with a 3.02 ERA.

Schilling went 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA against the Yankees in 3 starts this year. If you threw out the starts against the best and worst of the AL East (Yankees and Blue Jays) - Schilling would have been 18-4 with 158 strikeouts and a 2.83 ERA.

Schilling 18-4 / 158 K / 2.83 ERA
Santana 15-3 / 193 K / 2.47 ERA

Those numbers are very, very close. Overall I think you still have to give the award to Johan Santana but it is a much closer race than I expected.