Sabathia wins American League Cy Young Award

NEW YORK: C.C. Sabathia of the Cleveland Indians won the American League Cy Young Award as top pitcher for the 2007 season, beating Boston's Josh Beckett on Tuesday.

Sabathia garnered 119 points to 86 for Beckett, receiving 19 first-place votes against eight for the Red Sox pitcher in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America that was based solely on regular season performance.

Sabathia, 27, posted a 19-7 record with a 3.21 earned run average for the Central Division champion Indians.

"I was surprised," Sabathia told reporters on a conference call. "Beckett had a great year and an even better postseason, so going in I didn't know what to expect. I was pleased that I won.

"It could have gone either way."

The big left-hander, who became the first Cleveland pitcher since Gaylord Perry in 1972 to win the Cy Young, struck out 209 in 241 innings and issued just 37 walks.

Beckett, also 27, had nearly identical credentials going 20-7 with a 3.27 ERA. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out 194 batters in 200.2 innings while walking 40.

Sabathia said that avoiding injury woes that had bothered him in recent seasons was a key to his 2007 success.

"I was proud of the fact that I was able to go out there every fifth day, take the ball and be in control of most games. when I went out there," he said.

Sabathia, who has lobbied baseball officials to support programs encouraging more African Americans to play the game, became the first black player to win the AL award in 36 years.

"It's big," Sabathia said. "Vida Blue (of the 1971 Oakland Athletics) was the last guy in the American League so that's awesome."

Beckett had a superb postseason, winning American League Championship Series MVP honors with two wins starting opposite Sabathia and winning Game 1 of the World Series for the triumphant Red Sox over the Colorado Rockies.

Sabathia said he hoped the Indians would use their 2007 season as a launching point.

"We had a good year," he said. "We're a pretty young team and have pretty much the same guys coming back. Hopefully we can take this experience and work hard at being a better team and get further next year."

Los Angeles Angels starter John Lackey (19-9, 3.01 ERA) received the only other first-place vote and finished third in the balloting with 36 points.

Agencies

(China Daily 11/15/2007 page22)