Read Sports Geek’s argument that a reliever should not win the Cy Young Award and Bleacher Fan’s argument that a reliever should win the Cy Young Award.
The Major League Baseball playoffs kicked off yesterday with three games and will continue with three more games today. Hopefully, Tuesday’s scintillating winner take all game between the Twins and Tigers was enough to create excitement for the playoffs. It sure got me pumped! But, while the Sports Debates keeps one eye on the playoffs, we are taking a look at the Cy Young award. As we often say in our production meetings, “we aren’t in the prediction business.” So, TSD is not going to write about who we think will win the Cy Young award. If you want to see who we think is the best pitcher in baseball, please check out a debate we did a couple of weeks ago.
What TSD is going to debate today revolves around the credentials of the Cy Young award. There have been a handful of relievers who have won the award, with Eric Gagne being the most recent in 2003 with his 55 saves. Seemingly, Mariano Rivera is in contention for the American League Cy Young award nearly every year.
The Cy Young award is given to the pitcher who has had the best season in each league, respectively. It can be debated all day long about whether or not a reliever should be eligible to win the award. But, who has time to debate something all day, especially when my colleagues are more than willing to duke it out on this very website!
That leads me to the question: Should a relief pitcher be eligible to win the Cy Young award?
Bleacher Fan will argue that a reliever should be in consideration for the award while Sports Geek will argue that the award should be strictly for starting pitchers.
The ball is yours. Present your cases and the real closer, Loyal Homer, will come in during the ninth inning to decide the outcome of this debate!
I love baseball! I don’t like it to watch on TV unless its the world series. I like to go to the ballpark and watch the action in person. I find that exciting.
mandii
I definitely agree that baseball is more exciting in October – and in person!