Martinez Also Dominant in Winning AL Cy Young

Pedro Martinez became only the fourth pitcher to win the American League Cy Young Award unanimously and joined Gaylord Perry and Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to win the honor in each league.

Martinez, 23-4 with a 2.07 earned-run average for the Boston Red Sox, received all 28 votes for 140 points in balloting announced Tuesday by the Baseball Writers’ Assn. of America.

Baltimore’s Mike Mussina was next, getting 16 seconds and six thirds for 54 points, followed by New York Yankee reliever Mariano Rivera with 27 points and Cleveland pitcher Bartolo Colon with 14.

“I pretty much expected it,” Martinez said.

The only previous unanimous AL winners were Denny McLain (1968), Ron Guidry (1978) and Roger Clemens (1986 and 1998).

Two years ago, Martinez won the NL Cy Young Award for Montreal and gave it to Hall of Famer Juan Marichal. Martinez is keeping this one.

“The first one is always really special,” Martinez said. “This one also makes me feel special, especially in the other league. People say it’s a lot more offense than the National League.”

Seven NL pitchers have won in a shutout: Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965 and 1966), Bob Gibson (1968), Steve Carlton (1972), Rick Sutcliffe (1984), Dwight Gooden (1985), Orel Hershiser (1988) and Greg Maddux (1994 and 1995).

Martinez, a 28-year-old right-hander, started the season 15-2, putting himself in position to become baseball’s first 30-game winner since McLain with the 1968 Detroit Tigers.

“I think my best chance was this year,” Martinez said. “I think it could happen, but it’s going to be really difficult to get. The way the rotation is these days, you have to get every break. It’s almost like being perfect for one year.”

Martinez led the AL with 313 strikeouts. The Angels’ Chuck Finley was second with 200.

Martinez also is the co-favorite for the AL MVP award with Cleveland’s Manny Ramirez, who had 165 runs batted in. That award will be announced Thursday.

“It would mean a lot, probably more than this Cy Young alone,” Martinez said. “I’ve already achieved that, so the MVP would be something different, especially to a pitcher.”

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AL Cy Young Voting

Voting for the 1999 American League Cy Young Award, with pitchers receiving five points for each first-place vote, three points for second and one point for third:

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Player 1st 2nd 3rd Tot Pedro Martinez, Bos 28 - - 140 Mike Mussina, Bal - 16 6 54 Mariano Rivera, NY - 6 9 27 Bartolo Colon, Cle - 3 5 14 Aaron Sele, Tex - - 4 4 David Cone, NY - 1 - 3 Jamie Moyer, Sea - 1 - 3 John Wetteland, Tex - 1 - 3 Freddy Garcia, Sea - - 2 2 Keith Foulke, Chi - - 1 1 Roberto Hernandez, TB - - 1 1

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