Trivia: Cy Young Award winners in both Leagues
 

Blake Snell was awarded the NL Cy Young award today, to go along with the Cy Young he won in the AL for the Rays.

Who are the other 6 players to win a Cy Young award in both leagues?

I know Scherzer did it.

Roy Halladay with Toronto and Philly

I know Pedro, Randy Johnson, and Roger Clemens (with, I think, 4 different teams - I don't think anyone else has won with more than 2 clubs) all did it in close succession.

I'm not 100% sure on the last one here.

All correct answers! Just one pitcher remains.


Roger Clemens (1986, 1987, 1991 Boston, 1997, 1998 Toronto, 2001 Houston (when they were in the N.L.), 2004 New York Yankees – at age 42, the oldest ever)

Randy Johnson (Seattle Mariners 1995 and Arizona Diamondbacks 1999-2002)

Pedro Martinez (Montreal Expos 1997 and Boston Red Sox 1999, 2000)

Roy Halladay (Toronto Blue Jays 2003 and Philadelphia Phillies 2010)

Max Scherzer (Detroit Tigers 2013 and Washington Nationals 2016, 2017)

I think it's Gaylord Perry.

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Ding Ding Ding!

Yes! Gaylord Perry won it for Cleveland in 1972 and San Diego in 1978 – at age 40.

Great job everyone.

I always forget Perry won one with the Padres. He really was a great pitcher at his peak, not just a compiler.

The 60s Giants had Mays, McCovey, Marcihal, Perry, and lots of other solid players, and yet won only one pennant and no WS.

I would have guessed Clemens, Johnson and Pedro.

I totally spaced on Halladay and Scherzer.

I thought of Gaylord Perry, then tossed the idea thinking "No way Gaylord won 2 Cy Youngs". :D

He really had an under-rated career while playing for a lot of poor to mediocre teams after getting traded from the Giants.

...AND Cepeda!

They brought up two future Hall-of-Famers in consecutive years and BOTH were first basemen...
had to scramble of that one...needed both...to not accomplish what they didn't accomplish.

KOUFAX was one of the main obstacles.


.

and Bob Gibson. After the Giants beat the Dodgers in a playoff in 1962, the next 6 NL pennants were won by Koufax's Dodgers (3) and Gibson's Cardinals (3). They both won 2 World Series and 2 WS MVP.

Marichal's best seasons (and they were superb) coincided with Koufax's three best and then Gibson's surreal one, and he never won the Cy.

Marichal is probably the best pitcher to never win a Cy Young award or to be the best pitcher in his league for a season (though he is right there in 1969). I can't think of anyone better.

Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young. Snubbed in 1973.

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I'd put him third in 1973. But I think he was the best pitcher in the league in 1981. Only knock on him that year is his innings count, but he was by far the best starter at not giving up runs.

You could argue Mussina I think career wise, or Schilling.

Schilling finished 2nd three times, and each time deserved to be second. Those are good ones.

Think I read somewhere that Perry got 200+ of his wins after the age of 30, he sure knew his craft.

Randy Johnson? I know he had some great seasons with Seattle. I know for a fact Roger Clemens did it too.

See posts #5 and #7 for answers

Phil Niekro had 31 wins as of his 30th birthday.

So many of the great pitchers did so well after they turned 30. Below are career wins leaders after (and including) age 30.

1) Cy Young (317)
2. Phil Niekro (287)
3. Warren Spahn (277)
4. Gaylord Perry (238)
5. Randy Johnson (235)
6. Jamie Moyer (235)
7. Early Wynn (217)
8. Eddie Plank (216)
9. "Pete" Alexander (213)
10. Lefty Grove (213)

Meanwhile, only 5 pitchers that were active last year have 200 wins or more in their entire career, and most will retire soon or already did in the case of Wainwright:

1) Verlander (257)
2) Greinke (225)
3) Scherzer (214)
4) Kershaw (210)
5) Wainwright (200)

6th on the active list Cole with only 145 career wins.

So Cy Young, Neikro, and Spahn may have more career wins after turning 30 than anyone else gets again in their career. I hope that turns out not to be the case.

Hoyt Wilhelm appeared in 205 games from age 45 to 49.