2011 FanSided National League and American League Pitcher of the Year

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2010 was designated as the “Year of the Pitcher.”  2011 wasn’t quite the same, but there were some great individual pitching performances this past season.  With that, the FanSided awards for National League and American League Pitcher of the Year go to…

Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander.

The battle in the NL was tough, with Kershaw finishing ahead of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Ian Kennedy, but the Los Angeles Dodger deserved the honor.  Over 33 starts, Kershaw tossed 233.1 innings with a 2.28 ERA (2.84 xFIP, 2.81 SIERA), 0.977 WHIP, 9.6 K/9 (he led the league with 248 strikeouts) and 4.59 K/BB to go along with a 21-5 record and 6.8 fWAR.  He also completed five games, two of which were shutouts, while throwing five innings or fewer in just three starts.  In short, he was dominant, durable and deserving to be named the National League Pitcher of the Year.

Kershaw was Rising Apple’s top choice for this award, and given how he performed against the Mets in two outings this season, why not? In 14.1 innings, the southpaw allowed just one run on eleven hits and five walks while fanning seventeen.  Mets fans are all too familiar with Halladay and Lee (and Cole Hamels for that matter), but Kershaw was something else this year.

In the American League, Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander took home the award.  Verlander made 34 starts this season, and led the Majors in innings pitched (251), wins (24 against five losses), strikeouts (250) and WHIP (0.920), while also owning a league leading 2.40 ERA (3.12 xFIP, 2.99 SIERA) and 7.0 fWAR.  In his start against the Amazins this season, Verlander went seven innings, allowing one run (a solo homer to Dan Murphy), walking two and striking out six.

Stay tuned to Rising Apple. for the remainder of this year’s FanSided awards.

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