Diamondbacks' Webb wins NL Cy Young

From MOP Squad Sports

Arizona Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks' Webb wins NL Cy Young
By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Baseball Writer
Nov 14, 2006 - 4:22:49 PM

NEW YORK - Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks won a wide-open race for the NL Cy Young Award, beating out San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman on Tuesday.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Webb delivers to Chicago Cubs during the third inning of a baseball game at Wrigley Field in this Monday, July 31, 2006 file photo in Chicago. Webb won a wide-open race for the NL Cy Young Award, beating out San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

One of six pitchers who tied for the league lead with a pedestrian total of 16 wins, Webb received 15 of 32 first-place votes and 103 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Hoffman, who broke the career saves record last season, got 12 first-place votes and 77 points.

St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, last year's winner, finished third with two first-place votes and 63 points. Houston's Roy Oswalt, who led the NL with a 2.98 ERA, got the other three first-place tallies and came in fourth.

Webb, who went 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA and made his first All-Star team, was listed second on seven ballots and third on seven others. No pitcher was included on every entry.

Webb's victory total was the lowest for a starting pitcher who won the Cy Young Award in a full season. The previous low was 17 wins, by Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos in 1997 and Randy Johnson for Arizona in '99.

Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers was honored with a 13-7 record in 1981 and Atlanta's Greg Maddux went 16-6 in '94 — but those seasons were cut shorts by players' strikes.

Before Webb, Johnson was the only Diamondbacks pitcher to take home the award, winning four straight times from 1999-02.

Webb threw a career-best 235 innings, which ranked second in the NL. The 27-year-old sinkerballer also tied Carpenter for the league lead with three shutouts and both had five complete games, good for second in the NL.

The 39-year-old Hoffman finished with a league-leading 46 saves in 51 chances for the Padres. He has 482 career saves, breaking Lee Smith's previous mark of 478.

Hoffman went 0-2 with a 2.14 ERA in 63 innings spanning 65 appearances. He was listed second on three ballots and third on eight.

Hoffman also was a Cy Young Award runner-up in 1998 to Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves.