At the start of this year’s Major League Baseball Division Series, three former Cy Young awardees got their respective teams to a good start as they pitched their teams to victory.
What do CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay have in common before the start of the MLB Divisional playoffs?
All of them were Cy Young awardees (an award for the best pitcher of the season in the MLB) in the American League in separate occasions. Halladay won it in 2003 while pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays, Sabathia won it for the Cleveland Indians in 2007 and Lee won it in 2008 also with the Indians.
And all of them left their team to pursue their playoff bids. Halladay is the game one starter for the Philadelphia Phillies, Sabathia pitches for the 2009 World Series Champs New York Yankees and Lee took the lead for the Texas Rangers.
All of them played on Oct. 6 and won.
The 6’7” Sabathia, who was with the Yankees since last season, labored against the Minnesota Twins through six innings allowing four runs (three earned) while striking out five in a 6-4 win.
The 32 year-old Lee, who led the Phillies to the World Series last year, clipped the Tampa Bay Rays in seven innings as he struck out 10, allowed only five hits and one earned run in a 5-1 win.
Sabathia and Lee may have the postseason experience but Halladay, who played his first for the Phillies, outdid his fellow Cy Young awardees with a rare feat, only one guy did it decades ago.
Halladay, who was acquired by Philadelphia via a big trade which dealt Lee and some minor league prospects to the Seattle Mariners at the start of the 2010 season, threw a gem of a masterpiece.
He pitched the second no-hitter in playoffs history and helped the Phillies win Game One over the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0. Halladay, who is a prime candidate for the National League Cy Young award, walked one batter and was smooth sailing all along as he struck out eight.
These guys stamped their dominance early on. This proves that the MLB Playoffs is a pitcher’s premiere stomping ground.
There are two more Cy Young winners playing for this season’s playoffs. They are back to back NL Cy Young awardee (2008-09) Tim Lincecum and 2002 AL Cy Young winner Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants.
Lincecum, whose mother is a Filipina, will start against the Braves on Thursday (Friday, Philippine time). Zito, on the other hand, will not start for the Giants but he will play as a relief pitcher for NL West champs.
Three Cy Young award winners showed their class in the first day of the playoffs proving their worth and ability as baseball’s elite hurlers.
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As the UAAP Season 73 basketball tournament came to a close, the 36th season of the Philippine Basketball Association kicked off last Sunday.
Filipinos welcomed back the country’s play for pay league with a bang and as the league’s treat to the viewers, an exciting opening rites and a close opening game kickstarted this brand new season.
Something to look out for this season is the reversion to the three conference format from the two conference scheme and lots of exciting surprises.
Six teams already showed their wares. And early on, there is one team who can surprise everyone with their high-octane offense, the Powerade Tigers.
They have artillery to shot the lights out. Good playmakers that can provide leadership and they have one mentality: RUN!
Yes, their running game was superb against Rain or Shine. They scored 111 points. They were firing at all cylinders and surprised everyone with balanced scoring attack. They had five players in double figures.
Coach Bo Perasol, who coached the run-oriented Air 21 during his time, installed this philosophy to shrug off the loss of behemoth Asi Taulava, who was traded to Meralco.
Another team to look out for is Talk N Text. Talk N Text loss their main scorer Mark Cardona, as he was traded to Meralco, but they showed no ill-effects of this.
Jared Dillinger benefited from Cardona’s trade scoring 18 points to lead the Tropang Texters to an 87-76 win over defending Philippine Cup champs Derby Ace Llamados, who played without injured stars Kerby Raymundo and Mark Pingris.
Aside from Dillinger scoring in double figures, four other Tropang Texters joined the double figure party.
In the very first match of the season, Meralco Bolts, with new additions Cardona and Taulava edged Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings 73-72.
With four more teams to show up their talents the following days, expect a very exciting 36th season of the PBA.
