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Brandon Webb of Arizona Wins NL Cy Young Award

Arizona Diamondback sinkerballer Brandon Webb, 27, won the National League Cy Young Award. The pitcher, who won 16 games as a starter this season, received 15 first place votes and a total of 103 points. He beat San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman, 39, who broke the career saves record this season and received 12 first place votes on his way to a total of 77 points. Hoffman`s second place run is explained around the league as a traditional bias against closers.

Converting 46 of 51 save opportunities was not enough to win Hoffman enough points to win the award, even in a year in which no Major League pitcher reached 20 wins. Last year`s winner, St. Louis Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter, finished third with two first place votes and 63 points. The Houston Astros Roy Oswalt, received three first place votes and came in fourth, even though he led the NL with a 2.98 ERA.

The low wins total ? for the first time in the award`s history, a pitcher with less than 17 in a complete uninterrupted by strikes ? and the over 3.00 ERA (his was 3.10) were rare. Webb commented o the close race, saying "All three of us probably were deserving of it and probably a couple more guys, too." He will continue wearing the Diamondbacks` purple uniform over the next few years, after agreeing to a $19.5 million, four-year contract with Arizona in January.