Hace cuarenta a\u00c3\u00b1os un serpentinero cubano acompa\u00c3\u00b1aba a los Leones de Ponce en la Serie del Caribe a efectuarse en Caracas en febrero de 1970. Miguel Cuellar abrir\u00c3\u00ada el primer juego ante Magallanes. Ven\u00c3\u00ada de ganar el Cy Young de la Liga Americana igualado con Denny McLain. Lo recuerdo muy bien, porque a ese lanzador, el jardinero del Magallanes Armando Ort\u00c3\u00adz le despach\u00c3\u00b3 un jonr\u00c3\u00b3n enorme que puso n\u00c3\u00bameros definitivos al juego.<\/p>\n
Desde mi punto de vista el premio Cy Young de la Liga Americana en 2009 se decidir\u00c3\u00a1 entre F\u00c3\u00a9lix Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez y Zack Greinke. Algui\u00c3\u00a9n podr\u00c3\u00ada preguntar \u00c2\u00bfpor qu\u00c3\u00a9 no C.C. Sabbathia? Su m\u00c3\u00a9rito m\u00c3\u00a1s importante fueron las 19 victorias que obtuvo y comparte ese liderato con Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez. Pero la raz\u00c3\u00b3n fundamental radica en que F\u00c3\u00a9lix y Zack jugaron para equipos que los respaldaron poco tanto a la ofensiva como a la defensiva.<\/p>\n
Greinke s\u00c3\u00b3lo fue respaldado con 100 carreras por los Reales de Kansas City a lo largo de la temporada lo cual implica un promedio de 3.92 carreras por juego. Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez recibi\u00c3\u00b3 ayuda de 116 carreras de los Marineros de Seattle para promedio de 4.37 carreras por juego.<\/p>\n
En cuanto a defensiva los Reales fueron el peor equipo de toda la Liga Americana, lo cual representa una carga muy onerosa a la hora de registrar victorias. Cinco de las posibles victorias de Greinke fueron desperdiciadas por el bull pen, mientras que a Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez el bull pen s\u00c3\u00b3lo le malbarat\u00c3\u00b3 dos hipot\u00c3\u00a9ticos triunfos.<\/p>\n
Observar a F\u00c3\u00a9lix y a Greinke lanzar es en cierta medida recrear las gestas de Juan Marichal en los a\u00c3\u00b1os sesenta, qui\u00c3\u00a9n nada m\u00c3\u00a1s en 1966 tuvo marca de 25-6 con efectividad de 2.23 m\u00c3\u00a1s 222 ponches, pero el Cy Young fue a parar a manos de Sandy Koufax (27-9, 1.73, 317). O las de Steve Busby (22-14, 3.39, 198) en 1974, Dennis Leonard (20-12, 3.04, 244) en 1977, Paul Splitorff (16-6, 3.69, ) en 1977, Larry Gura (18-10, 2.95, 113) en 1980, Mark Gubicza (20-8, 2.70, 183) en 1988, Bret Saberhagen (23-6, 2.16, 193), Cy Young en 1989, Kevin Appier (18-8, 2.56, 186) en 1993; a lo largo de los 40 a\u00c3\u00b1os de los Reales de Kansas City. O la de Johan Santana (20-6, 2.61, 265) CyYoung en 2004.<\/p>\n
\u00c2\u00bfQu\u00c3\u00a9 dicen los n\u00c3\u00bameros? F\u00c3\u00a9lix 19-5 a 16-8 en balance de victorias-derrotas, 238 a 229.1 en innings lanzados, 7.5 a 7.7 hits\/ 9 innings, .227 a .230 promedio de bateo de oponentes.<\/p>\n
Greinke 2.16 a 2.49 en efectividad, 242 a 217 ponches, 195 a 200 hits permitidos, 55 a 66 carreras limpias, 11 a 15 jonrones permitidos, 1.073 a 1.135 whip, 51 a 71 boletos, 4.75 a 3.06 ponches\/boleto, 0.4 a 0.6 jonrones\/9 innings, 2 a 2.7 boletos\/9 innings,.<\/p>\n
Ambos tienen m\u00c3\u00a9ritos suficientes para acreditarse el Cy Young de la Liga Americana este 2009. Tanto que pudiera repetirse el empate de 1969 entre Cuellar (23-11, 2.38, 182) y McLain (24-9, 2.80, 181).<\/p>\n
English Translation <\/strong><\/p>\n Forty years ago, a Cuban pitcher played for the Ponce Lions in the Caribbean Series that would take place in Caracas in February 1970. Mike Cuellar would start the first game before the Magallanes Navigators. He came from winning the American League Cy Young award tied with Denny McLain. I remember it very well, because Cuellar surrendered a home run to the Magallanes outfielder Armando Ort\u00c3\u00adz in that first game.<\/p>\n From my point of view the American League Cy Young Award of 2009 should go to F\u00c3\u00a9lix Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez or Zack Greinke. Somebody can ask Why not C.C Sabbathia? His most important achievement are the 19 wins he got and he shares that leadership with Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez. But the main reason is that Felix and Zack played for teams that hardly supported them offensively or defensively.<\/p>\n Greinke only got 100 runs of support from the Kansas City Royals through the whole season. This implies an average of 3.92 runs per game. Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez got a help of 116 runs from the Seattle Mariners for an average of 4.37 runs per game.<\/p>\n About the defensive game, the Royals were the worst team in the whole American League, which represents a heavy burden at the time of getting wins. Five of the probable victories Greinke could have achieved were blown by the bull pen, while Hern\u00c3\u00a1ndez was only affected by his bull pen blowing two hypothetical wins.<\/p>\n Watching Felix and Greinke on the mound is like recreating the performances of Juan Marichal in the sixties, who only in the 1966 season had a 25-6 record, with an ERA of 2.23 plus 222 strikeouts. But the Cy Young Award went to Sandy Koufax (27-9, 1.73, 317). Or those of Steve Busby (22-14, 3.39, 198) in 1974, Dennis Leonard (20-12, 3.04, 244) in 1977, Paul Splitorff (16-6, 3.69, ) in 1977, Larry Gura (18-10, 2.95, 113) in 1980, Mark Gubicza (20-8, 2.70, 183) in 1988, Bret Saberhagen (23-6, 2.16, 193), Cy Young in 1989, Kevin Appier (18-8, 2.56, 186) in 1993, all the way long in forty years of history for the Kansas City Royals. Or that one of Johan Santana (20-6, 2.61, 265) CyYoung in 2004.<\/p>\n What do the stats say? F\u00c3\u00a9lix 19-5 to 16-8 for wins-losses, 238 to 229.1 innings, 7.5 to 7.7 hits\/ 9 innings, .227 to .230 batting average opponents.<\/p>\n Greinke 2.16 to 2.49 ERA, 242 to 217 strikeouts, 195 to 200 hits allowed, 55 to 66 earned runs, 11 to 15 home runs allowed, 1.073 to 1.135 whip, 51 to 71 walks, 4.75 to 3.06 strikeouts\/walk, 0.4 a 0.6 home runs\/9 innings, 2 to 2.7 walks\/9 innings.<\/p>\n Both pitchers have enough merits to get the American League Cy Young Award in 2009. Such enough merits that we could end seeing a remake of the 1969 tie between Cuellar(23-11, 2.38, 182) and McLain (24-9, 2.80, 181).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t