Cy Young Award

In baseball, the Cy Young Award is an honor given annually to the best pitcher in Major League Baseball (one each for American and National leagues). The award was first introduced in by Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in . The award was originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues. In , the year after Frick retired as Commissioner, the practice began of honoring one pitcher in each league.

Each league's award is voted on by two members of the Baseball Writers Association of America in each league city, which means 28 ballots are cast for the American League winner, and 32 ballots are cast for the National League. Each voter places a vote for first, second, and third place among the pitchers of each league. The formula used to calculate the final scores is a weighted sum of the votes: Score = 5F + 3S + T, where F is the number of first place votes, S is second place votes, and T is third place votes. The pitcher with the highest score in each league wins the award. If two pitchers receive the same number of votes, the award is shared. The current formula started with the season. Prior to that, writers only voted for the best pitcher and used a formula of one point per vote.

History

The Cy Young Award was first introduced in by Commissioner of Baseball Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in . Frick came up with the idea for an award dedicated solely to pitchers. Originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues, the award has seen some changes in format over time. From to , the award was only given to one pitcher in MLB. After Frick retired in 1967, William Eckert became the new Commissioner of Baseball. Due to the fan requests, Eckert announced two awards would now be given out, one for both the American and National Leagues. From 1956 to , no pitcher could win the award more than once. However, that rule was dropped in the baseball season. After a tie vote in , the voting process was changed again. Each writer was to vote for three different pitchers: with their first-place vote receiving five points, the second-place vote receiving three points, and the third-place vote receiving one point (a system which is still used).

The first winner of the award was Don Newcombe, while the most recent winners are Jake Peavy (from the National League) and C.C. Sabathia (from the American League). In , the year after Frick retired as Commissioner, the practice began of honoring one pitcher in each league. In , Warren Spahn became the first left-handed pitcher to win the award. In , Mike Marshall won the award, becoming the first relief-pitcher to win the award. In , Gaylord Perry became the oldest pitcher to receieve the award, only to have the record broken in by Roger Clemens.

List of Cy Young Award winners

Major Leagues combined (1956-1966)

Year	Pitcher	Team	Record	Saves	ERA
	Don Newcombe	Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)	27-7	0	3.06
	Warren Spahn	Milwaukee Braves (NL)	21-11	3	2.69
	Bob Turley	New York Yankees (AL)	21-7	1	2.97
	Early Wynn	Chicago White Sox (AL)	22–10	0	3.17
	Vern Law	Pittsburgh Pirates (NL)	20–9	0	3.08
	Whitey Ford	New York Yankees (AL)	25–4	0	3.21
	Don Drysdale	Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)	25–9	1	2.84
	Sandy Koufax	Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)	25–5	0	1.88
	Dean Chance	Los Angeles Angels (AL)	20–9	4	1.65
	Sandy Koufax	Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)	26–8	2	2.04
	Sandy Koufax	Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)	27–9	0	1.73

National League (1967-present)

Year	Pitcher	Team	Record	Saves	ERA
	Mike McCormick	San Francisco Giants	22–10	0	2.85
	Bob Gibson	St. Louis Cardinals	22–9	0	1.12
	Tom Seaver	New York Mets	25–7	0	2.21
	Bob Gibson	St. Louis Cardinals	23–7	0	3.12
	Ferguson Jenkins	Chicago Cubs	24–13	0	2.77
	Steve Carlton	Philadelphia Phillies	27–10	0	1.98
	Tom Seaver	New York Mets	19–10	0	2.08
	Mike Marshall	Los Angeles Dodgers	15–12	21	2.42
	Tom Seaver	New York Mets	22–9	0	2.38
	Randy Jones	San Diego Padres	22–14	0	2.74
	Steve Carlton	Philadelphia Phillies	23–10	0	2.64
	Gaylord Perry	San Diego Padres	21–6	0	2.73
	Bruce Sutter	Chicago Cubs	6–6	37	2.22
	Steve Carlton	Philadelphia Phillies	24–9	0	2.34
	Fernando Valenzuela	Los Angeles Dodgers	13–7	0	2.48
	Steve Carlton	Philadelphia Phillies	23–11	0	3.11
	John Denny	Philadelphia Phillies	19–6	0	2.37
	Rick Sutcliffe1	Chicago Cubs	16–1	0	2.69
	Dwight Gooden	New York Mets	24–4	0	1.53
	Mike Scott	Houston Astros	18–10	0	2.22
	Steve Bedrosian	Philadelphia Phillies	5–3	40	2.83
	Orel Hershiser	Los Angeles Dodgers	23–8	1	2.26
	Mark Davis	San Diego Padres	4–3	44	1.85
	Doug Drabek	Pittsburgh Pirates	22–6	0	2.76
	Tom Glavine	Atlanta Braves	20–11	0	2.55
	Greg Maddux	Chicago Cubs	20–11	0	2.18
	Greg Maddux	Atlanta Braves	20–10	0	2.36
	Greg Maddux	Atlanta Braves	16–6	0	1.56
	Greg Maddux	Atlanta Braves	19–2	0	1.63
	John Smoltz	Atlanta Braves	24–8	0	2.94
	Pedro Martínez	Montreal Expos	17–8	0	1.90
	Tom Glavine	Atlanta Braves	20–6	0	2.47
	Randy Johnson	Arizona Diamondbacks	17–9	0	2.49
	Randy Johnson	Arizona Diamondbacks	19–7	0	2.64
	Randy Johnson	Arizona Diamondbacks	21–6	0	2.49
	Randy Johnson	Arizona Diamondbacks	24–5	0	2.32
	Eric Gagné	Los Angeles Dodgers	2–3	55	1.20
	Roger Clemens	Houston Astros	18–4	0	2.98
	Chris Carpenter	St. Louis Cardinals	21–5	0	2.83
	Brandon Webb	Arizona Diamondbacks	16-8	0	3.10
	Jake Peavy	San Diego Padres	19–6	0	2.54

American League (1967-present)

Year	Pitcher	Team	Record	Saves	ERA
	Jim Lonborg	Boston Red Sox	22–9	0	3.16
	Denny McLain	Detroit Tigers	31–6	0	1.96
	Mike Cuellar Denny McLain	Baltimore Orioles Detroit Tigers	23–11 24–9	0 0	2.38 2.80
	Jim Perry	Minnesota Twins	24–12	0	3.04
	Vida Blue	Oakland Athletics	24–8	0	1.82
	Gaylord Perry	Cleveland Indians	24–16	1	1.92
	Jim Palmer	Baltimore Orioles	22–9	1	2.40
	Catfish Hunter	Oakland Athletics	25–12	0	2.49
	Jim Palmer	Baltimore Orioles	23–11	1	2.09
1976	Jim Palmer	Baltimore Orioles	22–13	0	2.51
	Sparky Lyle	New York Yankees	13–5	26	2.17
	Ron Guidry	New York Yankees	25–3	0	1.74
	Mike Flanagan	Baltimore Orioles	23–9	0	3.08
	Steve Stone	Baltimore Orioles	25–7	0	3.23
	Rollie Fingers	Milwaukee Brewers	6–3	28	1.04
	Pete Vuckovich	Milwaukee Brewers	18–6	0	3.34
	LaMarr Hoyt	Chicago White Sox	24–10	0	3.66
	Willie Hernández	Detroit Tigers	9–3	32	1.92
	Bret Saberhagen	Kansas City Royals	20–6	0	2.87
	Roger Clemens	Boston Red Sox	24–4	0	2.48
	Roger Clemens	Boston Red Sox	20–9	0	2.97
	Frank Viola	Minnesota Twins	24–7	0	2.64
	Bret Saberhagen	Kansas City Royals	23–6	0	2.16
	Bob Welch	Oakland Athletics	27–6	0	2.95
	Roger Clemens	Boston Red Sox	18–10	0	2.62
	Dennis Eckersley	Oakland Athletics	7–1	51	1.91
	Jack McDowell	Chicago White Sox	22–10	0	3.37
	David Cone	Kansas City Royals	16–5	0	2.94
	Randy Johnson	Seattle Mariners	18–2	0	2.48
	Pat Hentgen	Toronto Blue Jays	20–10	0	3.22
	Roger Clemens	Toronto Blue Jays	21–7	0	2.05
	Roger Clemens	Toronto Blue Jays	20–6	0	2.65
	Pedro Martínez	Boston Red Sox	23–4	0	2.07
	Pedro Martínez	Boston Red Sox	18–6	0	1.74
	Roger Clemens	New York Yankees	20–3	0	3.51
	Barry Zito	Oakland Athletics	23–5	0	2.75
	Roy Halladay	Toronto Blue Jays	22–7	0	3.25
	Johan Santana	Minnesota Twins	20–6	0	2.61
	Bartolo Colón	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	21–8	0	3.48
	Johan Santana	Minnesota Twins	19–6	0	2.77
	CC Sabathia	Cleveland Indians	19-7	0	3.21

Multiple winners

Player	Awards	Years
Roger Clemens	7	1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004
Randy Johnson	5	1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Steve Carlton	4	1972, 1977, 1980, 1982
Greg Maddux	4	1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Sandy Koufax	3	1963, 1965, 1966
Pedro Martínez	3	1997, 1999, 2000
Jim Palmer	3	1973, 1975, 1976
Tom Seaver	3	1969, 1973, 1975
Bob Gibson	2	1968, 1970
Tom Glavine	2	1991, 1998
Denny McLain	2	1968, 1969
Gaylord Perry	2	1972, 1978
Bret Saberhagen	2	1985, 1989
Johan Santana	2	2004, 2006

Notes

• Sutcliffe was traded mid-season on June 13. His record was 4–5 with a 5.15 ERA with the Cleveland Indians in the American League before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in the National League where his record was 16–1 with a 2.69 ERA. Overall his record was 20–6 with a 3.64 ERA.

References

General

• Cy Young Award on Baseball Almanac. BaseballAlmanac.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-02..
• Full Voting Results for the Cy Young Award. Armcharigm.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-02..
• Cy Young Award winners. Major League Baseball. Retrieved on 2008-10-02..
• Flowers, Ray A History of the History of the MVP and Cy Young Awards. Athomeplate.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-04..
• Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners. Baseball-Reference. Retrieved on 2008-10-04..
• Cy Young Award. HickokSports.com. Retrieved on 2008-10-04..

External links