Players say Price, not Felix, is AL’s best pitcher

Published 11:57 am Thursday, October 28, 2010

If a Players Choice Award is an indicator of honors to come, then Felix Hernandez’s chances of winning the American League Cy Young Award may be slimmer than Mariners fans would hope.

David Price of the Rays was the winner today when the Players Choice Award for outstanding AL pitcher was announced. The Players Choice Awards, sponsored by the players association, are determined by a vote of (you guessed it) players.

While I’m not sure there was a great deal of sabermetric thought put into the voting – break it down statistically and Hernandez clearly had the best season – I also put a lot of stock into the players’ viewpoint. They’re the ones who have to hit and play against these guys, compared with those of us who watch from afar and measure things statistically.

The AL Cy Young Award will be announced Nov. 18. It’s determined in voting by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.