Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Rick Porcello Wins Cy Young Award (11/16/16)

In a turn of events nobody saw coming in August of 2015, Rick Porcello was named the 2016 American League Cy Young Award winner. He beat out former teamate Justin Verlander, Indians ace Corey Kluber and Blue Jays ace JA Happ.  Porcello had the best numbers with his 22-4 record and 3.15 ERA although he fizzled in his only playoff start.


The folks in Toronto were upset seeing as Happ was a mediocre .500 pitcher his whole career before having an outstanding season but the one who was absolutely fuming was Verlander's girlfriend Kate Upton.

She does have a small point that Verlander got more first place votes but still, accept it with dignity will you?

All in all it is a hell of an accomplishment for Porcello who was being called PorcelBlow during and after his miserable 2015 season. It wasn't just that he won his games, after all Daisuke Matsuzaka won 18 games in 2008, but his rubber armed starts saved the bullpen and stopped losing streaks unlike Dice K who went 5 innings a start.


This also bodes well for David Price because he struggled this year going 17-9 but if Porcello needed a year to adjust to Boston, chances are Price will be okay next year as well. Even though the season ended badly, Mookie Betts in the running for MVP, Porcello winning the Cy Young and the heroics of David Ortiz made it a fun season. If they can only replace Ortiz, they have a shot to win the Division again.