Where to start? Well...
This is my own personal predictions on the 2012 Cy Young.
Last year was a the best example of why we are in the new dead ball era. Pitching was very dominant in every city all season long. Even "middle of the road pitchers" (Cory Luebke, Doug Fister, Johnny Cueto to name a few) threw like aces from time to time. Then there was the decent pitchers who took off and couldn't be stopped (James Shields). Pitching is extremely deep this year, like it was last season, in fantasy baseball. Top notch pitchers are available late in drafts and are going cheap in auction drafts (Josh Johnson went to me for $5 in one draft).
Keep an eye on all of the pitchers, like Johnson, returning from injury. Adam Wainwright and Stephen Strasburg are two to really monitor entering your fantasy drafts. Seeing how these guys and potential injury risks guys like Tommy Hanson progress early in the season will be important to the success of your squad.
What we saw last year was the handful of elite pitchers pull away from the crowd. The two Cy Young winners (Kershaw and Verlander) along with Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Jered Weaver really pulled away from the other horses. My guess is that this year some of the other aces will return to the top but WHO WILL WALK AWAY FROM 2012 WITH SOME HARDWARE?
AL Cy Young Contenders
Felix Hernandez SEA- I think that with some new youthful hitters around him all season long King Felix will feel like a kid again, I know he's only 25 but still feeling rejuvenated on the mound can go a long way for a pitchers psyche.
Justin Verlander DET- Last year's numbers will be difficult to repeat and if Justin feels that he has to do that in order to be considered a success then he is in over his head. He will still be a top 5 pitcher but he did throw the most pitches, BY FAR, than anyone else in the bigs last year.
And the AL Cy Young is...
Jered Weaver LAA
Last year Weaver proved he has the "stuff" and stamina to compete with the best of the best. The only reason he doesn't get as much credit in the baseball world is because he plays a majority of his games out on the west coast. When most of America is asleep this guy is out there throwing gems. With Pujols hitting in this lineup the Wins will come in a lot more often this year. Weaver is on point to have a season to remember out in LA.
Sleepers: Sabathia NYY, Haren LAA, Price TB, and Lester BOS.
NL Cy Young Contenders
Clayton Kershaw LAD- This young lefty is finally proving the Dodgers right for drafting him ahead of Tim Lincecum in the draft just a handful of years ago. Lasts year's winner is stepping into his own and will be a monster on the mound for years to come. I think he will have a tremendous season again but I think someone else in the senior circuit will have a better season.
Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels PHI 1-2-3- These guys get grouped in here by me because every single one of them can have Cy Young numbers. They could be the first pitching staff in a long time to have 3 twenty game winners. Here's my issue, since they are all on the same team, the value of them decreases (Similar to Lebron and Wade in Miami). I love all of these pitchers this year and I expect every name i've mentioned thus far to finish in the top 10 in your fantasy leagues but I think one NL pitcher will take the cake in every fantasy league this year...
And the NL Cy Young is...
Tim Hudson ATL no I'm joking (Could you imagine?)
NL Cy Young is...
Zack Greinke MIL
A sabermetrician's dream pitcher, Greinke actually got unlucky last year and was still a viable #1. He may not even have to pitch against other #1's with Gallardo on his team. Here's something else to keep in mind, last year he had to face Pujols, Pena, and other legit NL Central hitters. Now who is the biggest bat in that division not in a Brewers uniform? Matt Holliday? Andrew McCutchen? My point is that his division got weaker, he's fully healthy, and he's pitching for a new contract. If he can keep his head on straight (no off season basketball pick up game injuries) there is nothing stopping the 28 year old from walking away with this award.
Sleepers: Lincecum SF (not really a sleeper), Cain SF (more of a realistic sleeper), Zimmerman WAS (I'm serious, yes over Strasburg).
http://mrfantasyfreak.com/
Connect with The Fantasy Freak Podcast and its voices by twitter and email:
@MrFantasyFreak
@Awies28 (has a picture of me and Jackie Joyner Kersee) Not just sports tweets, PG18ish
email us at Mrfantasyfreak@yahoo.com
Podcast Link
Alex Wiesner
This is my own personal predictions on the 2012 Cy Young.
Last year was a the best example of why we are in the new dead ball era. Pitching was very dominant in every city all season long. Even "middle of the road pitchers" (Cory Luebke, Doug Fister, Johnny Cueto to name a few) threw like aces from time to time. Then there was the decent pitchers who took off and couldn't be stopped (James Shields). Pitching is extremely deep this year, like it was last season, in fantasy baseball. Top notch pitchers are available late in drafts and are going cheap in auction drafts (Josh Johnson went to me for $5 in one draft).
Keep an eye on all of the pitchers, like Johnson, returning from injury. Adam Wainwright and Stephen Strasburg are two to really monitor entering your fantasy drafts. Seeing how these guys and potential injury risks guys like Tommy Hanson progress early in the season will be important to the success of your squad.
What we saw last year was the handful of elite pitchers pull away from the crowd. The two Cy Young winners (Kershaw and Verlander) along with Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Jered Weaver really pulled away from the other horses. My guess is that this year some of the other aces will return to the top but WHO WILL WALK AWAY FROM 2012 WITH SOME HARDWARE?
AL Cy Young Contenders
Felix Hernandez SEA- I think that with some new youthful hitters around him all season long King Felix will feel like a kid again, I know he's only 25 but still feeling rejuvenated on the mound can go a long way for a pitchers psyche.
Justin Verlander DET- Last year's numbers will be difficult to repeat and if Justin feels that he has to do that in order to be considered a success then he is in over his head. He will still be a top 5 pitcher but he did throw the most pitches, BY FAR, than anyone else in the bigs last year.
And the AL Cy Young is...
Jered Weaver LAA
Last year Weaver proved he has the "stuff" and stamina to compete with the best of the best. The only reason he doesn't get as much credit in the baseball world is because he plays a majority of his games out on the west coast. When most of America is asleep this guy is out there throwing gems. With Pujols hitting in this lineup the Wins will come in a lot more often this year. Weaver is on point to have a season to remember out in LA.
Sleepers: Sabathia NYY, Haren LAA, Price TB, and Lester BOS.
NL Cy Young Contenders
Clayton Kershaw LAD- This young lefty is finally proving the Dodgers right for drafting him ahead of Tim Lincecum in the draft just a handful of years ago. Lasts year's winner is stepping into his own and will be a monster on the mound for years to come. I think he will have a tremendous season again but I think someone else in the senior circuit will have a better season.
Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels PHI 1-2-3- These guys get grouped in here by me because every single one of them can have Cy Young numbers. They could be the first pitching staff in a long time to have 3 twenty game winners. Here's my issue, since they are all on the same team, the value of them decreases (Similar to Lebron and Wade in Miami). I love all of these pitchers this year and I expect every name i've mentioned thus far to finish in the top 10 in your fantasy leagues but I think one NL pitcher will take the cake in every fantasy league this year...
And the NL Cy Young is...
Tim Hudson ATL no I'm joking (Could you imagine?)
NL Cy Young is...
Zack Greinke MIL
A sabermetrician's dream pitcher, Greinke actually got unlucky last year and was still a viable #1. He may not even have to pitch against other #1's with Gallardo on his team. Here's something else to keep in mind, last year he had to face Pujols, Pena, and other legit NL Central hitters. Now who is the biggest bat in that division not in a Brewers uniform? Matt Holliday? Andrew McCutchen? My point is that his division got weaker, he's fully healthy, and he's pitching for a new contract. If he can keep his head on straight (no off season basketball pick up game injuries) there is nothing stopping the 28 year old from walking away with this award.
Sleepers: Lincecum SF (not really a sleeper), Cain SF (more of a realistic sleeper), Zimmerman WAS (I'm serious, yes over Strasburg).
http://mrfantasyfreak.com/
Connect with The Fantasy Freak Podcast and its voices by twitter and email:
@MrFantasyFreak
@Awies28 (has a picture of me and Jackie Joyner Kersee) Not just sports tweets, PG18ish
email us at Mrfantasyfreak@yahoo.com
Podcast Link
Alex Wiesner
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