Examiner.com MLB Awards: American League Cy Young - Zack Greinke

November 7, 3:59 PMMLB ExaminerAlex Brown

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Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Zack Greinke is the
choice as American League Cy Young Award winner
among baseball writers for Examiner.com. (AP Photo/
Jim Mone)

What a turnaround for Zack Greinke.  The Royals hurler made his much heralded major league debut in 2004, showing great promise but posting a record of 8-11 on a miserable team.  He would lead the American League in losses in 2005, and ultimately leave the team during Spring Training in 2006 to battle his social anxiety disorder.  Greinke worked his way back in 2007, splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen before breaking out in 2009 and winning the voting to earn the Examiner.com American League Cy Young Award.

Critics may argue that the award should have gone to a pitcher on a winning team such as the Yankees' CC Sabathia or the Tigers Justin Verlander.  But the fact that the Royals were so miserable may validate Greinke's incredible season even more.  He posted a 16-8 record for the last-place Royals, all while leading the American League in ERA (2.16) and WHIP (1.073).  He also struck out 242 batters in 229.1 innings of work, and was nearly unhittable at the beginning of 2009, earning a 10-3 record from April through June. 

If there's a perceived bias towards teams on the West or East coast, it doesn't show in this Examiner.com vote for the American League Cy Young Award.  Greinke is a deserving winner by 13 votes, proving that pitching for a bad team does not ruin a truly spectacular season.  Heck, he even finished in sixth place in the Examiner.com American League Most Valuable Player voting!

Voting Panel
Robert Quinn (Tampa Bay Rays)
Theo Fightmaster (San Francisco Giants)
Greg Filice (Toronto Blue Jays)
Brian Pietrzak (Minnesota Twins)
John Stankevitz (Chicago White Sox)
Rand Huguely (Texas Rangers)
Josh Hood (Kansas City Royals)
Sam McPherson (Oakland A's)
Travis Lay (Colorado Rockies)
Randall Castro (Detroit Tigers) 
Claire Reclosado (SF Baseball)