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Sunday, September 28, 2008

az central: Boivin: Webb deserves Cy Young

Danger! Clear the Fusiform face area, now!

Sue me. Tag me old school. Revoke my membership to the Secret Society of Sabermetricians if you must, but don’t tell me Brandon Webb isn’t Cy Young worthy.

Don’t call me Homer unless it’s a nod to a certain Greek poet. Watching Webb face the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night made me wonder if this current trend of devaluing a pitcher’s win total could erroneously put the ace’s chance for the award in jeopardy.

Numbers shmumbers.

Twenty-two victories is a perfect reason Webb should win his second Cy Young in the past three years. While others will argue for San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum’s superior ERA (2.66 vs. 3.30) and strikeout total (252 vs. 183), Webb’s ability to gauge his team’s temperature and give it exactly what it needs is more important than recording an endless stream of strikeouts.

This is the statistic that matters: 22 victories vs. 17 victories (Lincecum also pitches Sunday).

Repoz Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:44 PM | 35 comment(s)
Related News: General, Arizona, San Francisco, Awards

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1. The Most Interesting Man In The World Posted: September 28, 2008 at 06:55 PM (#2959351)

Webb’s ability to gauge his team’s temperature

I don't even want to know.

2. Phil Coorey Needs To Know How To Kill A Cat Posted: September 28, 2008 at 06:59 PM (#2959354)

The only thing Webb will be able to gauge now is the break on the greens.

Excellent well thought out article otherwise...

Jesus

3. Harris Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:00 PM (#2959358)

ehh... I think you go Lincecum, possibly even Santana over Webb. Great season, but those other guys outdid him. Wins is not a good stat to base Cy Young off of, sorry.

4. 1k5v3L, Useless

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:01 PM (#2959361)

I love BW, and he put together a Cy Young-worthy season again this year, but Lincecum deserves the Cy Young over him. In some ways, this year is a repeat of last season, when again BW pitched well enough to win a Cy Young, but Peavy was better and deserved it over him. I think Lincecum (who pitched one hell of a game today and got win #18) will win the award, and BW will finish second on the strength of his win total, even though Santana probably deserves to finish in second place. Still, this doesn't take anything away from BW, who had another very good season in an excellent career. I hope BW wins it next year fair and square.

5. Robert S. Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:09 PM (#2959373)

Don’t call me Homer unless it’s a nod to a certain Greek poet.

While Boivin has deserved to be fired for years, it certainly should've happened as soon as her editor saw this.

6. 1k5v3L, Useless

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:16 PM (#2959380)

I imagine the AZ Republic editors thought she was bashing the guy who invented the Pythagorean theory of projected baseball win/loss records, so they were cool with that

7. Justin T Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:16 PM (#2959381)

Her? If I wasn't already going to assign zero weight to the argument made within, this would have clinched it.

8. 1k5v3L, Useless

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:20 PM (#2959389)

Justin, you have a problem with Boivin herself, or just women writers in general?

9. It's Steve... a proven RBI-guy Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:20 PM (#2959391)

Dear God, this is a stupid article. Seriously?

10. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:22 PM (#2959395)

Her? If I wasn't already going to assign zero weight to the argument made within, this would have clinched it.

Nice to see it only took seven posts for us to top Boivin's level of idiocy. Well done Justin T.

11. Crashburn Alley Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:24 PM (#2959397)

Lincecum/Santana

[Very large gap]

Haren/Dempster

Hamels > Webb

Lidge

12. STEROIDS!!!!! Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:26 PM (#2959399)

I imagine the AZ Republic editors thought she was bashing the guy who invented the Pythagorean theory of projected baseball win/loss records, so they were cool with that

And if you were Webb, you could tell us exactly how cool.

Hoho, man that was dumb.

13. The Grich Who Stole Christmas Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:26 PM (#2959400)

Don’t call me Homer unless it’s a nod to a certain Greek poet.

I'm not gonna call this guy a homer. I'm gonna call him completely blinded by his love of his Arizona Diamondbacks and his boner for Brandon Webb. Wow, 4 more wins. Try a difference of 82 strikeouts or an ERA that almost led the league vs. a guy who's barely in the top 10.

14. 1k5v3L, Useless

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:26 PM (#2959401)

Now, for the record, Boivin is not a baseball writer. She's more of a "sports op-ed" person for the Republic, and I can definitely say baseball is not her strong suit. But, to give her credit, she's really improved her baseball knowledge over the last couple of years, and I think she's really made an effort to learn as much about the game as possible. So I give her credit for that.

15. 1k5v3L, Useless

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:29 PM (#2959405)

And if you were Webb, you could tell us exactly how cool.
Hoho, man that was dumb.

I don't quite follow, but OK...

I'm not gonna call this guy a homer.

This gal...

16. Justin T Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:35 PM (#2959409)

Nice to see it only took seven posts for us to top Boivin's level of idiocy. Well done Justin T.

Joke, dumbass.

17. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:38 PM (#2959410)

Ah, the joke defense. I've always found it really helps if the initial material is funny.

18. T.J. makes a mochary or the sport Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:41 PM (#2959414)

Someone should take away her membership to the Secret Society of Sabermetricians!

19. Phil Coorey Needs To Know How To Kill A Cat Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:43 PM (#2959416)

I hope to god she does not have a vote

20. Justin T Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:44 PM (#2959417)

Ah, the joke defense. I've always found it really helps if the initial material is funny.

After your insistence that the Marlins were dicks for wanting to beat the Mets this weekend, I'm really not concerned with your opinion on anything.

21. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:50 PM (#2959422)

After your insistence that the Marlins were dicks for wanting to beat the Mets this weekend, I'm really not concerned with your opinion on anything.

I'm OK with that, since reading doesn't appear to be your strong suit.

22. Justin T Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:55 PM (#2959425)

Ahh, the I can't read defense. I've always found it really helps if the other guy reads what he wrote again first.

23. Dewitty_Pun Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:56 PM (#2959426)

Webb’s ability to gauge his team’s temperature and give it exactly what it needs

Like putting up his worst two starts of the season against the Dodgers a weekend apart that shifted the NL West race?

24. davoarid in MN Posted: September 28, 2008 at 07:57 PM (#2959427)

This is the statistic that matters: 22 victories vs. 17 victories

Numbers shmumbers.

25. 1k5v3L, Useless

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 08:03 PM (#2959439)

Looking at VORP in the NL, after today's games Santana and Lincecum are going to be in a league of their own, with VORP in the low 70s, with everyone else behind them in the 50s. It'll be really interesting, however, to see how high Sabathia can climb after today's start. The guy might end up being the 5th or 6th most valuable starter in the NL by VORP, despite having half (17) of the starts that an NL starter would get (33 or 34). Amazing 1/2 season by CC.

26. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: September 28, 2008 at 08:06 PM (#2959440)

I know what I wrote Justin. It's not the same as what you wrote in 20. I have no interest in pursuing this further, or rehashing an older thread. Have a nice night.

27. baseball chick (now, with NEW blog) Posted: September 28, 2008 at 08:35 PM (#2959468)

Justin T Posted: September 28, 2008 at 08:16 PM (#2959381)

Her? If I wasn't already going to assign zero weight to the argument made within, this would have clinched it.

- oh WOW justin, this is like the absolute FUNNIEST joke i have ever read in my ENTIRE life. i just laughed myself sick.

because nothing is funnier than pointing out how someone's inadequacies are either because the person is female or the male person has some female quality, such as an irritated, infected vagina

you GO boy!!!!!

somewheres else, that is

28. Elisabeth R�hm and Walter Haas Posted: September 28, 2008 at 09:37 PM (#2959536)

Someone should take away her membership to the Secret Society of Sabermetricians!

Done.

29. aljunquin Posted: September 28, 2008 at 10:43 PM (#2959629)

Yokums, how bout drawin the curtains down on the ol homestead...lettin too much sunlight into Webb's ass might give ya scurvy

30. Darren

Posted: September 28, 2008 at 10:47 PM (#2959637)

It's amazing that writers can forgive Sabathia's low win total because he wasn't in the league but cannot do the same for pitchers who had lousy teammates.

31. ValueArb Posted: September 29, 2008 at 01:00 PM (#2960264)

Let's get back to how Paulas columns are a waste of column space the most horrible death a tree could ever die for. Not only is she wrong, she is intellectually dishonest. She says give Webb the award over TimL because Webb pitched in a pennant race, when it was Webbs collapse during said race that cost his team the pennant. She might be trying to learn baseball but she aint trying very hard.

32. Best Dressed Chicken in Town Posted: September 29, 2008 at 01:14 PM (#2960275)

There are some sensitive ####### around here.

33. Gaelan Posted: September 29, 2008 at 01:18 PM (#2960281)

Sabathia should win the Cy Young. But if it isn't Sabathia then it has to be Lincecum. Webb isn't in the conversation.

34. AJM Posted: September 29, 2008 at 01:29 PM (#2960297)

We never should've given them the right to vote.

35. STEROIDS!!!!! Posted: September 29, 2008 at 01:34 PM (#2960303)

God it would be funny if Lee and Sabathia were Cy Youngs. How the hell did the Indians suck this year?

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az central: Boivin: Webb deserves Cy Young

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