The Real Cy Young Poll

[steveringo]

Pick the four stats you would look at first to pick your Cy Young candidate.

 

[steveringo]

I'm hoping, after more people vote, that a few stats rise to the top, and a few sink to the bottom.

 

[navamind]

ERA+
IP
WHIP
K/BB

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

ERA+
IP
WHIP
K/BB

Same here.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I voted... and i did not include QS, because i agree Innings Pithced is very important...
the four i Included was ERA, WHIP, Wins, Innings...

 

[Wazmankg]

ERA+
IP
WHIP
K/BB

This, except swap K/BB for OPSA.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

This, except swap K/BB for OPSA.

Yeah, OPSA is probably my #5.

 

[RoboticDreams]

ERA+
IP
WHIP
K/BB

This

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I dont like adjusted stats to determine CY Young... not taking away the value of them, i just dont think they are great in determining what really happened... they assume that a pitcher would have pitched differently in another ballpark... I dont think that assumption is strong enough to allow it to determine who had the best season... In my opinion adjusted stats, and most advanced stats measure talent more than they measure what really happened...

 

[Wazmankg]

I dont like adjusted stats to determine CY Young... not taking away the value of them, i just dont think they are great in determining what really happened... they assume that a pitcher would have pitched differently in another ballpark... I dont think that assumption is strong enough to allow it to determine who had the best season... In my opinion adjusted stats, and most advanced stats measure talent more than they measure what really happened...

Maybe I shouldn't speak for everyone who's posted but I don't think any of us would have a huge problem using ERA instead of ERA+. I wouldn't. The only reason I left ERA off is because I think ERA+ is a better stat and I thought also including ERA on my list would be a bit redundant. If I hadn't used ERA+, ERA would be right there with IP near the top of my list.

 

[element1286]

FIP
IP
K/BB
ERA+

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

I dont like adjusted stats to determine CY Young... not taking away the value of them, i just dont think they are great in determining what really happened... they assume that a pitcher would have pitched differently in another ballpark... I dont think that assumption is strong enough to allow it to determine who had the best season... In my opinion adjusted stats, and most advanced stats measure talent more than they measure what really happened...

Can you please explain how ERA+ "measures talent"?

 

[steveringo]

Maybe I shouldn't speak for everyone who's posted but I don't think any of us would have a huge problem using ERA instead of ERA+. I wouldn't. The only reason I left ERA off is because I think ERA+ is a better stat and I thought also including ERA on my list would be a bit redundant. If I hadn't used ERA+, ERA would be right there with IP near the top of my list.

Most would pick ERA+ simply for the reason that is does what you would want it to in this instance. It just levels the playing field and compares pitchers to the league average and adjusts for park differences. It just tells a little bit more that ERA alone.

And, a little bit more is usually better.

Year-by-Year Top-Tens Leaders &amp Records for Adjusted ERA+ - Baseball-Reference.com

 

[steveringo]

I'm a little surprised by IP getting all the votes... And by W getting 2....

 

[MilkSpiller22]

A stat that was not listed which is just as important as Innings pitched is Games started... Those 2 stats go hand in hand and are 2 of the most important stats to answer this question...

 

[broncosmitty]

WHIP, IP, K/BB, ERA.

 

[uncfan103]

WAR
WHIP
IP
FIP

I put FIP, but I'd rather use xFIP. I put IP because you can have a good whip, and xFIP and not pitch enough to be a CY Young award winner (even though WAR probably tells you enough about how much he pitched).

 

[Hambombs]

WAR,x FIp,Strikeouts,IP,ERA, WHIp

 

[broncosmitty]

That's cheating HamBombs!

 

[Brahmsian]

WHIP has got to be #1. ERA can be too easily effected by the quality of the fielders behind a pitcher.

WHIP is not immune to that, but is closer than ERA by a large margin.

K/BB would probably be next in my book.

I'm rather vague on what the difference between ERA and ERA+ is. Could someone
elucidate it for me?