Mariano Cy Young Rivera

For all the talk you here about Derek Jeter should win this years MVP, no one seems to give Mariano Rivera similar consideration for the Cy Young award. Although I completely disagree with Jeter being an MVP candidate this season, an argument can be made that Mariano, on the cust of another 40 save sub 2.00 ERA should finally be awarded a trophy very few closers are given.

Rivera has had several season in where he competed for the Cy Young Award, placing 3rd on 3 seperate occasions & 2nd once. Losing to 4 different 20 game winners (Bartolo Colon in 05, Johan Santana in 04, Pedro Martinez in 99, & Pat Hentgen in 96). But this year, with no likely 20 winner (3 pitchers with 16 are currently CC Sabathia, Scott Feldman, & Justin Verlander), The Sandman finally has his best chance.

As masterful as Zach Grienke has been, he just doesn't have the win-loss record (13-8). Of the above guys I mentioned, Feldman is likely eliminated because of the lack of strikeout. I'm eliminating CC & Verlander unless they don't get their respective ERA's under 3.00 since they have lost 7 & 8 games this season. Clearly, none of those mentioned has been dominant. For as well as CC has pitched, there were times he was outpitched by teammate AJ Burnett. Verlander's ERA is less impressive considering he pitches in a spacious ballpark & has only 5 of his 16 wins vs contending teams like Texas, Anaheim, NY, & Boston.

The last closer to win the award was Dennis Eckersley in 1992, who led the league in saves that year with 51. Mariano would have to lead the league in saves to win the award (currently 1 save behind Brian Fuentes). The only pitchers in the history of the Cy Young to ever win the award without having led the league in saves was Sparkie Lyle in 1977 & Willie Hernandez in 1984 (Hernandez also won the MVP that year).

My theory is this, if we are going to start giving out lifetime achievement awards in the form of awards like the MVP (like many want for Derek Jeter), lets find someone we can actually make an argument for. & that's Mariano Rivera.