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Sports Justin Verlander wins AL Cy Young Award and MVP
2011.11.21 08:11
 NEW YORK -- Justin Verlander breezed to the AL Cy Young Award on Tuesday in a unanimous vote after the Detroit Tigers' ace won the pitching version of the Triple Crown. Verlander dominated the balloting in much the same way he humbled hitters with his 100 mph fastball, sharp curve and wicked slider.Now, the big question of the baseball awards season: Will he also be chosen the AL MVP next Monday?"Do I think it's possible? Yes. Would I like to win it? Of course," Verlander said during a conference call from his home in Virginia. "It's kind of a weird scenario.""Pitchers are on the ballot," he said. Bolstering the case of all pitchers, Verlander pointed to "the tremendous effect we have on the day of our game."No starting pitcher has won the honor since Roger Clemens in 1986, with Dennis Eckersley the last reliever to get it in 1992. Many observers say pitchers shouldn't win the MVP, period, contending they already have their own award. Verlander's year, though, has ratcheted up the debate in a crowded MVP field that includes Curtis Granderson, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jose Bautista, Miguel Cabrera and more. "If you had told me at the beginning of the year that I had the chance to win the MVP and be a unanimous Cy Young winner, it would have blown my mind," he said in an ESPN "SportsCenter" interview Tuesday.If he doesn't win, Verlander said he'd like to see Granderson, his former teammate, get the award. Verlander led the majors in wins by going 24-5 and topped baseball with 250 strikeouts. His 2.40 ERA was the best among AL pitchers who qualified for the title.Verlander drew all 28 first-place votes in balloting by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and finished with 196 points. Jered Weaver (18-8, 2.41) of the Los Angeles Angels was the only other pitcher listed on every ballot and second with 97 points. James Shields of Tampa Bay was third with 66, followed by CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees with 63. Tigers reliever Jose Valverde, who was perfect in 49 save chances, was fifth with 28. Verlander pitched his second career no-hitter, won 12 straight starts down the stretch and helped the Tigers take the AL Central, their first division title since 1987.In many games, the 28-year-old righty was simply unhittable. He pitched a no-hitter on May 7 at Toronto, missing a perfect game just by an eighth-inning walk on a full-count delivery.In his next start, he held Kansas City hitless for 5 2/3 innings. Johnny Vander Meer is the only pitcher to throw back-to-back no-hitters. Later in the season, the 6-foot-5 star took a pair of no-hit bids into the eighth inning -- one of those came on July 31 against Weaver and the Angels, a 3-2 win at Detroit."I felt like it was a statement game," Verlander said. "A lot of people had eyes on that game."Verlander also led the majors with 251 innings, all while issuing a career-low 57 walks. He pitched four complete games, including two shutouts.This was the ninth time there was a unanimous winner of the AL Cy Young and first since Johan Santana in 2006, when he won the AL pitching Triple Crown. This was the fourth time a Detroit pitcher won it, with Denny McLain earning the award in 1968 and tying for the honor in 1969, and reliever Willie Hernandez winning in 1984.McLain, in 1968, and Hernandez went on to win the AL MVP awards, too. A four-time All-Star, Verlander became the first former AL Rookie of the Year to also take the Cy Young. This win included a $500,000 bonus to his $12.75 million salary in 2011.The only thing missing from Verlander's pitching resume is a World Series title. He is 3-3 with a 5.57 ERA in eight career postseason starts, and went 2-1 in the playoffs this year as the Tigers reached the AL Championship Series before losing to Texas. Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young when the results are released Thursday. He won the NL pitching Triple Crown, leading with a 2.28 ERA and 248 strikeouts and tying for wins at 21.The AL and NL Managers of the Year will be announced Wednesday. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. NEW YORK -- Detroit's Justin Verlander has become the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to win a Most Valuable Player award, adding it to his Cy Young Award last week. Verlander earned the American League MVP honor Monday, receiving 13 of 28 first-place votes and 280 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Boston center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was second with 242 points, followed by Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista with 231 points."It was such a relief to get that phone call," Verlander said in an ESPN "Sports Center" interview minutes after the announcement. "Obviously, I want to say it's a dream come true, but winning the Cy Young was a dream come true."Verlander went 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts to take the AL pitching triple crown. He is the first pitcher to win MVP since Oakland's Dennis Eckerlsley in 1992 and the first starter since Boston's Roger Clemens in 1986."(The MVP) means so much, I couldn't have even dreamt of it," he told ESPN. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. |
I am somewhat bias to present a baseball story in this website,
however you will understand if you happen to know that I am a
Michigander as well as a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan.
Justin Verlander,ace of Detroit Tigers has achieved tremedously
this year to get Cy young Award as well as MVP Award in 2011.
This is extremely rare bird in MLB, I must say.
He earned a triple crown of pitching(most wins(24-5),most K(250),
and best ERA(2.40)) and his over 100mph fast ball,superb curved ball,
and nasty slider made almost unhittable.
He got Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote and MVP Award,which is
traditionally to everyday player rather than a pitcher.
This is tremendous individual achievement as a MLB player and let
us give him big hands! KJ