Hoffman? Really? How many two-inning saves did he have again? I have a hard time giving the award to a guy who never comes in unless it's the ninth inning.

I know it's only one bad appearance in a statistically excellent season, but as an NL fan, I can't forgive Hoffman for blowing the All Star game.

Webb deserves it, sadly he pitches in no mans land so he will get little respect. If Hoffman wins its a shame. The Cy Young should be reserved for the special closers have special seasons. Anything less then Gagne a la 2003 should be thrown away with the other closers. Cy Young is an award for the best pitcher of the year, its hard to be that with less then 70 innings.

Webb got it.

It's tough this year. I wouldn't say anybody really had a Cy Young-caliber season in the NL, but they have to give it to somebody.

Yeah, I have a hard giving it to a guy w/ only 63 IP as well. However, down the stretch w/ the chance to lock up the NL Central, Carpenter was beat up by the Padres. And in the last game of the year, the Padres beat up on Webb and knocked his ERA up over 3.00.

While Hoffman isn't ideal, neither are Carpenter or Webb...

Go Hoffy! ;-) Hey, I'm from S.D.

Roy Oswalt got robbed, at least in terms of where he finished in the voting. He, Webb, and Carpenter were all pretty close to each other statistically, but Oswalt's ERA was the best of the three. He also pitched well down the stretch, while Webb and Carpenter were imploding. That's when he passed those guys, in my opinion, but I suppose the voters had stopped watching baseball by then. I just don't understand how he could have a 2.98 ERA and the second most wins in the league, yet only make it onto 13 ballots.

Hoffman's high finish is a joke. It has to be a nod to his stellar career and the fact that he got the saves record this year. I don't think the Cy Young award (or votes) should be given to players for achieving career milestones; that's what the Hall of Fame is for. Hoffman had a nice season (for a closer) and all, but it was nowhere near Gagne's 2003 or even Rivera last year, and even then you have to be somewhat skeptical about saying that a guy who pitched 60-80 innings was the best pitcher in the league. Bah humbug. Add this to the enormous body of evidence that sportswriters are the dimmest kind of journalists.

i agree with jeffw, especially that last bit regarding the sportswriters. and while i dont take too much issue with webb winning after posting a great season, i am convinced that if oswalt pitched for the mets with their offense (more wins) and location (media exposure) he would not only have won the cy young this year, but also would be recongnized nationally one of, if not the, best pitchers in the NL over the past 3 years. (no disrespect to clemens)

though needless to say, as a houstonian i love that he is an astro--i just get tired of the lazy, espn-ized sports media. it's a shame that so many awards (mvp, hank aaron, golden gloves, all-star selections), which are a significant part of a players hof resume, have become such a popularity contest.

Not that I disagree, AG, but its hard to complain that its all about media exposure and the lack of it when an Astro gets beaten by a Diamondback and a Padre. (For the record, if I remember correctly, I had Webb #1 and Oswalt #2. Hoffman down the line -- but while there is no doubt he doesn't really deserve the Cy Young for this year, I'm not horribly offended by career-recognition votes fro Hoffman.)

i was going to type exactly what dave b did. word

I am also a Padres fan, and Hoffman should have won the award in 98 if he was going to win it (look up the numbers sometime - this was as good as Gagne ever was). The only argument I would have for him winning it this year would be, in a down year for starting pitchers (16-8 with a 3.10 ERA is a Cy Young Pitcher?), why not give it to somebody as a career award. There's precedent - see Willie Stargell, MVP, 1979. There's even precedent for a reliever winning in a sub-par season for starters - see Mark Davis, 1989. If the votes are going to go to the best of the above-average, why not give away a vote for a classy guy and hall-of-famer? It wouldn't be without precedent or even, it could be argued, without merit.
If I'd had a vote, though, I would have given it to Oswalt. And I think if the Astros had pulled it out he'd have won it.