felix hernandez

Hernandez was as dominant in the voting as he was on the mound. Ballots cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America gave him 21 of 28 first-place votes, and he topped the second-place finisher by 56 votes.

Hernandez led the American League in earned-run average (2.27), innings pitched (249-2/3) and quality starts (30). Hernandez combined tenacity and capacity with superb performance. No pitcher has previously won with fewer than 15 victories. Young also owned Major League Baseball's record for losses. Hitting legend Babe Ruth, who famously aimed a home run over the fence, would not have pointed toward his epic strikeout numbers.

Selecting Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez as the American League Cy Young Award winner recognizes the artistry he brought to the craft of pitching. Hernandez dazzled in a season with a three-digit loss record. Even as the team stumbled, Hernandez was posting numbers that made winning a possibility, if only his teammates had mustered a little offense.


Murray Chass spoke with Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune about the American League Cy Young Award results. Rogers, who voted for David Price, wondered about the outcome:

Please.  Here’s Tracy Ringolsby, offering his opinion of Hernandez’s win:

Félix Abraham Hernández (born April 8, 1986, in Valencia, Venezuela), nicknamed "King Felix", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners.

Like some other pitchers, Hernández wears a long-sleeved undershirt beneath his uniform jersey.