The single best way to measure a pitcher's performance is a stat called "Pitching Runs" or "Runs Saved Above Average". It's defined as: PR (Pitching Runs) Invented by John Thorn and Pete Palmer, this is a measure of the number of runs a pitcher saved compared to average. The formula is league-average RA/IP minus park-adjusted RA/IP, times total innings pitched. This is the same formula as Lee Sinins' RSAA (see below). from - http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/statpages/glossary/ This stat factors in Carpenter's edge in IP. so it makes for a better comparison than simply ERA alone. Here are the NL leaders in this category: Clemens - 51 Carpenter - 42 Oswalt -37 Pettitte is 8th with 26. Note also that Oswalt is closer to Carpenter than Carpenter is to Clemens. For more info, see - http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/stats2005/pitch/nl/
Whether or not it should be, the Cy-Young, like the MVP, is always a mix of individual and team accomplishments. It's the reason why Randy Johnson didn't win it last year and others have not won in previously. If it were simply about the best individual performance, it should be given to the ERA leader every year. As a team award, Carpenter has a pretty good argument. His team is 70-41 overall (63.1% WP). In games Carpenter has started, the team is 19-4 (82.6%). In all other games, they are 51-37 (58%). For Clemens, the team is 60-51 overall (54%). In Clemens' starts, it's 13-10 (56.5%), and in other starts, we're 47-41 (53.4%). The difference is extreme. While StL is a better overall team already, Carpenter takes them to ridiculous levels of success - Clemens has not, whether his fault or not. We win about at the same rate when Clemens starts as we do in other games, oddly enough. Carpenter also has the advantage of arm strength - he can consistently pitch 8 or 9 innings, while Clemens cannot these days. So he adds "value" there. Realistically, the award is Clemens' if the season were to end today - his ERA is too noticable to be ignored. But the award will be won or lost over the next 2 months. Like MVP, a phenomenal or mediocre September can be the difference, especially now that its essentially a two man race with Willis falling flat a bit. On a side note, I see a lot of the "the goal of a pitcher is to hold the other team down" - this isn't necessarily the case. The goal of a pitcher is to help your team win, and in most cases, holding the other team to as few runs as possible is the best way. However, another way to help your team win is to give them innings and rest your bullpen. If you have a 10-0 lead, you challenge hitters more in the hopes of throwing fewer pitches, getting out of innings quickly, and getting through more innings. In the process, you're not worried if you give up some single runs here and there, so in that circumstance, runs allowed is not the ideal measure of how effective the pitcher was.
You almost get the impression, Clemens knows he is so close, and the intensity, and competiveness will only benefit the team...
Great off night for the Stros tonight. The Brewers and Cubs both lost, and best of all Florida lost both games of a doubleheader to the Rockies!
