By: Locke Hoover
KENNESAW, Ga. (Sept. 29, 2012) — The Cy Young is an award every pitcher strives to win during there career. It is a great achievement in a pitchers career. This award means they are the best pitcher in the league. I am going present four candidates case for winning to Cy young and then tell you who I think should win the award. The four pitchers I think should be considered are R.A. Dickey, Gio Gonzalez, Craig Kimbrel, and Matt Cain. The first candidate is R.A. Dickey. Dickey has a 2.66 ERA 20 wins five complete games over 200 strikeouts and well over 200 innings. Batters are hitting .223 against him and he is 7-5 after the all-star break. Dickey has had a career year and the knuckleballer has a great chance at winning the award. Gio Gonzalez is a 20 game winner with a 2.84 ERA. He has over 200 strikeouts and will have over 200 innings pitched (193.1) when the season is over. Opponents are hitting .204 against him and he is 8-5 after the all-star break. Craig Kimbrel has 40 saves in 43 chances, a 1.04 ERA and has pitched 60.1 innings. Kimbrel has 111 strikeouts in 60 games pitched and opponents are hitting .126 against him. After the all-star break in 27.1 innings he has a .66 ERA with 15 saves and 55 strikeouts. Matt Cain is the fourth and final candidate in the running for the Cy young. In Cain’s 31 starts he has 16 wins and a 2.77 ERA. He has thrown over 200 innings pitched and will have over 200 strikeouts (191) when the season ends. Opponents are hitting .222 against him. He is 7-2 after the all- star break with a 2.97 ERA.
There are the four candidates stat breakdowns and now I will tell you whom I think should win the Cy. Gonzalez is tied for first in wins, fourth in strikeouts, seventh in walks, sixth in ERA, sixth in WHIP, seventh in winning percentage, and fourth in complete games. He is on a division leading team has had a great year. He has a great case to make but in some peoples opinion he is not the best pitchers on his own team, so how can if win a Cy if this is the case? Kimbrel has had a great year as a closer. He leads the lead in saves and has the most strikeouts as a reliever since 1990. He has been light all year and just going by the eye test has been on of the best pitchers in the game. Cain is fifth in wins, second in innings pitched, eighth in innings pitched, fourth in ERA, second in WHIP, fourth in winning percentage, and fourth in complete games. Cain is on a division winning team and has been a horse all season for the Gaints. Dickey is tied for first in wins, first in innings pitched, first in strikeouts, second in ERA, third in WHIP, second in winning percentage, and first in complete games. Dickey is pitching for a losing team, which will hurt his chances, but to me that is why he should win the Cy. Dickey has 20 wins on a team that has only won 72 games. So there you go folks you 2012 Cy Young winners is R.A. Dickey.
