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  6. article_body => "<p>Since there are no local playoff games to preview, we can debate postseason awards.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, I\u2019m just as excited as you are.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sadly, there isn\u2019t much of a debate to be had. Despite Max Scherzer having arguably the best season of his career, New York\u2019s Jacob deGrom is going win the National League Cy Young.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Max Scherzer was dominant this year. He led Major League Baseball with 300 strikeouts. He was tops in the National League in innings pitched and wins. Scherzer finished with&nbsp;eight more wins (18) than deGrom (10).&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Wait, aren\u2019t wins the most important statistic?<\/p>\n<p>No.<\/p>\n<p>The run support for deGrom this season was embarrassingly low. Among the 58 qualifying starting pitchers this season, deGrom finished 57th in run support average (3.53). Scherzer finished 10th (5.27).&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If you believe&nbsp;wins should be the most important statistic for the Cy Young, think about this. Jacob deGrom finished with the same number of wins as White Sox pitcher (and former Nationals prospect)&nbsp;Lucas Giolito.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Giolito ended&nbsp;the season with the MLB\u2019s worst ERA among starting pitchers (6.13). deGrom had the second lowest ERA in the 21st century.<\/p>\n<p>Jacob deGrom finished with a microscopic 1.70 ERA. Since 1996, only Zach Greinke in 2015 (1.66) had a lower ERA than deGrom. There might be<em> some<\/em> hope for Schezer.&nbsp;Greinke finished <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/14165080\/jake-arrieta-chicago-cubs-wins-national-league-cy-young-award\">second in NL Cy Young voting in 2015<\/a> to Chicago's Jake Arrieta. Arrieta finished with a 1.77 ERA in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Max Scherzer ended this&nbsp;year&nbsp;third in the National League with an ERA of 2.53.<\/p>\n<p>You might be thinking that is pretty close to deGrom\u2019s ERA.&nbsp;Well, it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Still some debate over whether Max Scherzer will make one last start Sunday in Denver. If he does, and he throws 107 2\/3 scoreless innings, he will pass Jacob deGrom in ERA.<\/p>&mdash; Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AnthonyDiComo\/status\/1046046664342032384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 29, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>That is quite a drastic difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The precedent of ERA being more important than wins was set in 2010 when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/blog\/archives\/9159.html\">Felix Hernandez won the American League Cy Young<\/a> over Tampa Bay\u2019s David Price and New York\u2019s CC Sabathia. Hernandez owned a 13-12 record in 2010 but led the Major\u2019s with a 2.27 ERA. Price went 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA and Sabathia was 21-7 with an ERA of 3.18.<\/p>\n<p>Hernandez got 21 of 28 first-place votes.<\/p>\n<p>\"This confirms the Cy Young is an award not only for the pitcher with the most wins but the most dominant,\" Hernandez said back in 2010.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>David Price agreed with the voting.<\/p>\n<p>\"I feel like they got it right. Felix, I thought he deserved it, even though he didn't have a lot of wins. You can't really control all that. You can't control the offense and the hitters and stuff like that.\"<\/p>\n<p>One final statistic to add to deGrom\u2019s application for Cy Young. In each of his&nbsp;final 29 starts, he allowed three or fewer runs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/news\/jacob-degrom-sets-mlb-record-in-loss\/c-294239774\">a MLB record<\/a>. The previous record was set&nbsp;by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/c\/coleki01.shtml\">Leslie \u201cKing\u201d Cole <\/a>in 1908.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jacob deGrom made 32 starts this season.<br>He allowed 0 runs in 8 starts<br>He allowed 1 run in 10 starts<br>He allowed 2 runs in 5 starts<br>He allowed 3 runs in 8 starts<br>He allowed 4 runs in 1 start<br>He never allowed more than four runs in any start<\/p>&mdash; Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Buster_ESPN\/status\/1045265390618718208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 27, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n<p>Max Scherzer had a phenomenal season. He joined the exclusive 300 strikeout club and&nbsp;led the MLB in innings pitched and wins. Unfortunately, deGrom had one of the best seasons on the mound this century.<\/p>\n<p>If you want some good news, Scherzer likely won\u2019t go home empty handed this awards season. At the plate, he hit .243 with six RBI and will have a good shot at a Silver Slugger. So he\u2019s got <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X48G7Y0VWW4\">that going for him, which is nice<\/a>. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>MORE NATIONALS NEWS:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>What a Year:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/all-juan-sotos-rookie-season-milestones-and-accomplishments\">A look back a Juan Soto's rookie season<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Not Great, Bob:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/bryce-harper-cubs-what-oddsmakers-think-will-happen\">Nats with&nbsp;5th-best odds to keep Bryce<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Offseason Questions:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/nationals-biggest-offseason-questions-begin-bryce-harpers-free-agency\">Nats offseason surrounds Harper decision<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Nationals

Nationals

Since there are no local playoff games to preview, we can debate postseason awards.

Yes, I’m just as excited as you are. 

Sadly, there isn’t much of a debate to be had. Despite Max Scherzer having arguably the best season of his career, New York’s Jacob deGrom is going win the National League Cy Young. 

Max Scherzer was dominant this year. He led Major League Baseball with 300 strikeouts. He was tops in the National League in innings pitched and wins. Scherzer finished with eight more wins (18) than deGrom (10). 

Wait, aren’t wins the most important statistic?

No.

The run support for deGrom this season was embarrassingly low. Among the 58 qualifying starting pitchers this season, deGrom finished 57th in run support average (3.53). Scherzer finished 10th (5.27). 

If you believe wins should be the most important statistic for the Cy Young, think about this. Jacob deGrom finished with the same number of wins as White Sox pitcher (and former Nationals prospect) Lucas Giolito. 

Giolito ended the season with the MLB’s worst ERA among starting pitchers (6.13). deGrom had the second lowest ERA in the 21st century.

Jacob deGrom finished with a microscopic 1.70 ERA. Since 1996, only Zach Greinke in 2015 (1.66) had a lower ERA than deGrom. There might be some hope for Schezer. Greinke finished second in NL Cy Young voting in 2015 to Chicago's Jake Arrieta. Arrieta finished with a 1.77 ERA in 2015.

 

Max Scherzer ended this year third in the National League with an ERA of 2.53.

You might be thinking that is pretty close to deGrom’s ERA. Well, it’s not.

That is quite a drastic difference. 

The precedent of ERA being more important than wins was set in 2010 when Felix Hernandez won the American League Cy Young over Tampa Bay’s David Price and New York’s CC Sabathia. Hernandez owned a 13-12 record in 2010 but led the Major’s with a 2.27 ERA. Price went 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA and Sabathia was 21-7 with an ERA of 3.18.

Hernandez got 21 of 28 first-place votes.

"This confirms the Cy Young is an award not only for the pitcher with the most wins but the most dominant," Hernandez said back in 2010. 

David Price agreed with the voting.

"I feel like they got it right. Felix, I thought he deserved it, even though he didn't have a lot of wins. You can't really control all that. You can't control the offense and the hitters and stuff like that."

One final statistic to add to deGrom’s application for Cy Young. In each of his final 29 starts, he allowed three or fewer runs, a MLB record. The previous record was set by Leslie “King” Cole in 1908. 

Max Scherzer had a phenomenal season. He joined the exclusive 300 strikeout club and led the MLB in innings pitched and wins. Unfortunately, deGrom had one of the best seasons on the mound this century.

If you want some good news, Scherzer likely won’t go home empty handed this awards season. At the plate, he hit .243 with six RBI and will have a good shot at a Silver Slugger. So he’s got that going for him, which is nice.  

MORE NATIONALS NEWS: