Cy Young race between D-backs’ Kennedy and Phillies’ Halladay
Sep 2, 2011, 8:54 PM | Updated: 9:55 pm
The last Arizona Diamondback to win the NL Cy Young award was Brandon Webb nearly five years ago.
But as the season winds down and the Cy Young finalists start to separate themselves from the pack, former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher and current MLB Network analyst Mitch Williams believes the drought could come to an end this season.
“It’s going to come down to three guys Roy Halladay, Clayton Kershaw and Ian Kennedy,” Williams told Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo. “Kershaw has the best overall across the board numbers, but he pitches in Dodger Stadium which is a pitchers ballpark.”
Williams believes Kennedy and Halladay’s home ballparks give them a clear advantage over the Dodgers lefty.
“Kershaw is 9-0 at home but if you put Kennedy or Halladay in Dodger Stadium they would be 9-0 at home too,” Williams said. “Chase Field and Citizens Bank Park are band boxes so Kennedy and Halladay have to pitch.”
This season Kennedy has posted a record of 17-4 with a 3.03 ERA while Halladay is 16-5 with a 2.47 ERA.
“Kershaw has been great,” Williams said, “but there is going to be a lot of writers who look at that [where he pitches] and what Kennedy has done in Chase Field, so if he and Halladay win out I honestly believe it will be between them two.”
