Offical - Jake wins the Cy Young Unanimously

Official - Jake wins the Cy Young Unanimously

<TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=right>I heart Jake!


Thursday, November 15, 2007<NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>
Last modified Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:41 PM PST
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Hardware is headed Peavy's way

By: DAN HAYES - Staff Writer, North County Times

SAN DIEGO -- Jake Peavy completed pitching's unofficial triple crown in 2007 and it appears he'll gain some hardware for his efforts.

The Padres right-hander -- who had a National League-best in wins, ERA and strikeouts --Ýwill win his first NL Cy Young when balloting for the award is released at 11 a.m. today. Based on an informal poll of voters, he will become the first Padres pitcher since Mark Davis in 1989 to win the award.

Twelve of the 32 baseball writers who voted for the award participated in the poll with Peavy a unanimous selection on all ballots. A total of 21 voters were contacted.

The 26-year-old finished 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 223 1/3 innings pitched. As dominant as Peavy was, general manager Kevin Towers wasn't ready to proclaim him the winner.

"I don't want to jinx anything," Towers said. "But it was by far his best season ever. I don't know how anyone can beat him out. I think any time you log well over 200 innings, 30 starts and lead in ERA, strikeouts and wins, that's about as dominant as you can get."

Arizona's Brandon Webb, the 2006 NL Cy Young winner, will likely finish second after going 18-10 with a 3.01 ERA and 194 strikeouts. Rancho Bernardo High graduate Cole Hamels of the Phillies (15-5, 3.39 ERA), Brady Penny of the Dodgers (16-4, 3.03), Colorado's Jeff Francis (17-9, 4.22) and Cincinnati's Aaron Harang (16-6, 3.73) are also amongst the finalists.

To win the award Peavy has to overcome the Petco Park bias; the belief that he greatly benefits from making a majority of his starts in a pitcher's park.

But until his final start in Denver on Oct. 1, Peavy had a better road ERA compared with his home numbers. Even after he allowed six runs in 6 1/3 innings against the Rockies, Peavy finished 10-1 with a 2.57 ERA on the road in 15 starts. He was 9-5 at home with a 2.51 ERA in 19 starts.

Perhaps even more impressive, however, was Peavy's performance after the team's other ace, Chris Young, was injured on July 25. From July 27, Peavy was 10-1 with a 2.63 ERA. He also had an 11-3 record in starts after a Padres loss.

"From Opening Day in San Francisco through September he was consistently the best pitcher in the National League," manager Bud Black said. "And when we needed him in the second half, when the games take on greater significance, he was there."

Randy Jones (1976) and Gaylord Perry (1978) are the team's other previous Cy Young winners, along with Davis.

Mum on Blum

Utility man Geoff Blum is a bit surprised the Padres have had minimal contact with his agent, Arn Tellem, since he became a free agent earlier this week. The 34-year-old wants to stay with the Padres but has already received an offer from Houston and has been contacted by several other teams in the NL West.

Blum hit .252 with five homers and 33 RBIs in 330 at-bats.

But he was significantly better when he began getting regular at-bats, hitting .274 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 223 at-bats after July 17. Still, Blum said his best option for coming back is as a utility man.

Towers said the club would look internally for a starting second baseman with the early favorite expected to be rookie Matt Antonelli. Luis Rodriguez, Oscar Robles and Craig Stansberry -- all of whom would earn the league's minimum salary -- are on the 40-man roster. The Padres' front office has said it views Blum as a role player and not a starter.

"For me to look for a starting job at this point in my career is a little far-fetched," Blum said. "I think it would be a great fit even if they signed a second baseman. Last season they signed me in the utility role and then went out and signed Marcus Giles. I don't have the expectation to say I should start."

Padres interested in Clement, Colon

Last week Towers said he was interested in adding another proven, veteran starting pitcher to his stable. At the time he said the club was enticed by Bartolo Colon and Matt Clement, both of whom are coming off injuries, and might be willing to sign incentive-laden deals.

-- Contact staff writer Dan Hayes at dhayes@nctimes.com.
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I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope...

- San Diego Spotlight - http://mvn.com/mlb-padres -

<CENTER>Cy Young Winner May Yet Stay In San Diego

Posted By Rich Campbell On November 15, 2007 @ 8:54 am In Uncategorized | No Comments
In about two and a half hours, San Diego will have it’s first Cy Young Award winner since 1989, and it’s first to win the award as a home-grown starter since Randy Jones.
Jones has become synonymous with the Padres in San Diego. Certainly not to the level that Tony is, but still right there. He was the Padres first major star (although Nate Colbert should have been) and his name is still associated with the team through his ballpark barbecue and his local presence on television and radio.
Could Jake be next? In this mornings paper and in minor rumblings among bloggers and radio hosts with an ear for information that turns out to be correct ( especially former San Diego Spotlight co-writer Peter Friberg) the rumors are beginning to be heard…
The Padres might surprise their critics once again and extend Jake’s deal. And Jake wants to do so.
It makes sense. Jake is a family man with strong ties to this community, a man respected off the field as well as on. He is beloved by the fans and is the rock of this pitching staff. This franchise is on the verge of losing it’s face, Trevor Hoffman, to retirement. There are really only two players who are in position to become the new “face” of the Padres in San Diego. One, Adrian Gonzalez, is already signed to a long term deal. Jake is the other.
We all know what Jake means on the field, something that will be recognized by his first Cy Young Award today. But his off the field presence is just as important in this discussion. Because the man writing the checks is John Moores.
Moores has reasons he will open the supposedly ironclad checkbook cover. Jake Peavy embodies the things that John loves in a ballplayer. John can sell the move, both to himself and to his accountants, by stressing the fact that it is a good business decision for the Padres, both in terms of marketing and on-the-field return on investment. Also, it sets a good precedent when seeking free agents, showing that the Padres take care of their own.
Will it happen? Will the Padres go against their cheapskate image and extend Peavy’s contract at a rate that seems far above what they normally pay? Wouldn’t that be a joyous thing.:yes: The Union-Tribune letter writers would be beside themselves for lack of reason to complain. (Oh, who am I kidding? If there is anyone with a negative opinion on a local team anywhere in this town, the U-T will find him and print his letter. They seem as addicted to that as Paris Hilton is to bad decisions. )
Jake Peavy as a Padre through 2011. It seems much more likely than it did in July.


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