Cy Young Picture Isn’t All That Clear

Just like his fastball, which has been known to reach 97 mph as late as the eighth inning, Seattle pitcher Freddy Garcia’s campaign for the Cy Young Award, which most conceded to New York Yankee ace Roger Clemens a month ago, is picking up steam.

Garcia has given up one earned run in 312/3 innings of his last four starts, improving to 17-5 and lowering his league-leading earned-run average to 2.85. Mariner left-hander Jamie Moyer’s 3.25 ERA ranks second in the AL. Clemens’ ERA is 3.42.

Clemens’ 20-1 record is superb, and he has more strikeouts (192) than Garcia (146), but Clemens doesn’t measure up to Garcia in several categories. Opponents are batting .246 with a .305 on-base percentage and .378 slugging percentage against Clemens; they’re hitting .225 with a .281 on-base percentage and .338 slugging percentage against Garcia.

Garcia averages 7.12 innings per start, compared with Clemens’ 6.76, and he has pitched into the eighth inning 15 times, compared with Clemens’ seven. Garcia has three starts in which he has yielded more runs than innings pitched, while Clemens has none. But Garcia has yielded one run or less 12 times and five runs or more only three times. Clemens has given up one run or less seven times and five runs or more eight times. Clemens’ run support (6.9 a game) is far better than Garcia’s (5.3).

Some would argue Garcia had an advantage facing the Angels five times, going 5-0 with an 0.44 ERA against them. Clemens had only one crack against the Angels, but faced AL East weaklings Baltimore and Tampa Bay seven times, while Garcia made only four starts against them.

There’s a belief that Garcia and Moyer (18-5) will pull votes from each other, giving Clemens an advantage. But the Cy Young is more of an individual award, based purely on performance, whereas intangibles such as leadership, general character, disposition, loyalty and effort are considered for most valuable player.

“I only know what [Garcia] has done against us, and that’s definitely Cy Young worthy,” the Angels’ Scott Spiezio said. “Going by hittable pitches, Garcia gives you far fewer than Clemens.”

*

You would think after losing 13 of 17 games to an opponent, after being frustrated by your inability to compete, a player would begin to loathe that opponent. Not Angel center fielder Darin Erstad, who can’t come up with one bad thing to say about the Mariners.

“I respect them more than any team in the league, because they play the game the right way,” Erstad said. “They’re the epitome of a baseball team, the way they carry themselves. They expect to win every game, but they also respect their opponent, and that’s a deadly combination.

“Am I in awe of them? No. Are they beatable? Yes. But they take advantage of mistakes you make, and they have a bunch of veterans who play the game the right way. I mean, when you have [then-cleanup batter] John Olerud bunting on his own to move a runner up, that’s impressive.

“They have the best pitching, they’ve scored the most runs, they even lead the major leagues with runners left on base ... that’s ridiculous. To be honest with you, now that we’re out of it, I’m cheering for them. That’s how much respect I have for them.”

*

Cleveland outfielders Ellis Burks, Jolbert Cabrera and Kenny Lofton experienced baseball’s heightened security firsthand on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Their cab pulled into the driveway that leads to the Metrodome’s parking lot during a thunderstorm before the game, but guards at the gate told them they couldn’t go any closer. So the trio sprinted about 50 yards in the driving rain to get inside the stadium.

*

In adding a week to the season to make up all games postponed by the Sept. 11 terrorist acts, Commissioner Bud Selig wanted to maintain the “sanctity” of the 162-game schedule. Players believe Selig should be held accountable too if the sanctity of the 162-game schedule is violated by a labor dispute in 2002.

“If we lose 10 games because of a lockout, that would take away from the integrity of the schedule,” Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said. “Hopefully he feels the same way when he’s negotiating against us.... If it’s integral now to play 162, then we have to play them next year too. I don’t want to hear, ‘Oh, well, we can’t get something done.”’