Verlander Defends Cy Young Case With Detailed Spreadsheet
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Justin Verlander was named one of the three finalists for the American League Cy Young Award on Monday, along with Boston's Rick Porcello and Cleveland's Corey Kluber.
The Tigers' ace has a strong claim to the award - an irrefutable claim, one might say - and he made that known on Twitter on Monday night.
In response to a writer bemoaning the omission of Baltimore's Zach Britton on the final ballot, Verlander posted a comprehensive spreadsheet comparing his stats to those of the other top starting pitchers in the A.L.
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) November 8, 2016
The chart was originally posted by BlessYouBoys at the conclusion of the season.
In the 12 categories shown above, Verlander is the leader in eight. No other pitcher leads in more than three.
The writer vouching for Britton quickly responded to Verlander's tweet.
Admittedly, lotta yellow. But talking starter dominance, I'm partial to 24-5, 2.40 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 8.4 WAR. That's dominant
— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) November 8, 2016
The numbers Connolly is referencing might look familiar. They belonged to Verlander during his 2011 MVP/Cy Young season.
Are they superior to the numbers Verlander posted this year? Sure, no question about it. But should that matter in voting for...this year's Cy Young?
Verlander made it clear he wasn't trying to discredit the other A.L. finalists.
Hey everyone... no negativity here. Objectivity. I just enjoy the debate and the stats. That's 1 of the things that makes baseball great.
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) November 8, 2016
Good luck to the other #cyyoung finalists @RickPorcello @CKluber Both had great seasons as well. @MLB #exciting https://t.co/XxhfAOHfXB
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) November 8, 2016
This isn't the first time Verlander has initiated a good Twitter debate. Earlier this season, he came to the defense of Michael Fulmer when a writer from FoxSports suggested that Gary Sanchez of the Yankees was more deserving of the A.L. Rookie of the Year Award.
Fulmer was nominated for said award yesterday, along with Sanchez and Cleveland's Tyler Naquin.
The Rookie of the Year winners will be announced on Nov. 14. The Cy Young winners will be announced on Nov. 16.