Clayton Kershaw wins second Cy Young Award
Kershaw joins Sandy Koufax as the only Dodgers to win multiple Cy Youngs
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw was named the 2013 National League Cy Young Award winner today, his second-career selection, in voting conducted by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Kershaw earned 29 of 30 first-place votes and one second-place vote, garnering 207 total points.
"Winning this award a second time is every bit as special as it was the first time around," said Kershaw. "I want to especially thank my teammates and coaches for helping place me in such amazing company."
Kershaw previously won the award in 2011, receiving 27 first-place votes (of 32) and 207 points, and was the runner-up last year (two first-place votes, 96 points) behind New York's R.A. Dickey (209 points).
"Congratulations to Clayton on his second Cy Young Award in three years," said Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten. "This is an extraordinary accomplishment by an incredible player and person. I'm sure that when our fans discuss the long legacy of great Dodger pitchers, the name Kershaw will stand convincingly alongside Koufax, Drysdale, Newcombe, Sutton, Valenzuela and Hershiser."
"Once again, Clayton Kershaw has shown the world that he is the best pitcher in Major League Baseball," said Dodger Owner Earvin "Magic" Johnson. "I'm so proud of his accomplishments both on and off the field. He is everything a true Dodger represents and the city of Los Angeles should take tremendous pride in that."
A Dodger has now won the award a Major League-best 11 times as Kershaw joins Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers in franchise history with multiple Cy Young Awards. Overall, Kershaw is just the 17th all-time pitcher to win multiple Cy Youngs since the award was instituted in 1956 and the fifth to win the honor twice before the age of 26, joining Denny McClain (1968-69), Bret Saberhagen (1985, 1989), Roger Clemens (1986-87) and Tim Lincecum (2008-09).
"Congratulations to Clayton on a great year and a most deserving Cy Young honor," said Dodger Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who won Cy Young Awards in 1963, 1965 and 1966. "This is the second of many more to come. He's got quite a future ahead of him."
Kershaw went 16-9 with a Major League-leading 1.83 ERA in 33 starts this season, becoming just the third pitcher since 1900 to top the big leagues in ERA in three consecutive seasons along with Lefty Grove (Philadelphia Athletics, 1929-31) and Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves, 1993-95). Among pitchers with more than 220.0 innings in a single season, Kershaw's ERA was the lowest by a Major Leaguer since Dwight Gooden's 1.53 mark in 1985 and overall, he was just the third qualifying pitcher since 2000, joining Clemens (1.87, 2005 Houston) and Pedro Martinez (1.74, 2000 Boston), and second all-time Los Angeles Dodger hurler to post a sub-2.00 ERA (Koufax, three times: 1963, 1964, 1966).
Kershaw also led the Majors this season with a 0.92 WHIP and ranked among the NL leaders in wins (T-3rd), strikeouts (232, 1st), opponents' batting average (.195, 2nd), quality starts (27, 1st), shutouts (2, T-1st), complete games (3, T-3rd), pickoffs (7, 2nd) and innings pitched (236.0, 2nd).
"It is a great achievement and recognition of one of the finest pitchers and people in the game," said Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti.
The 25-year-old commenced his third-consecutive All-Star season with a shutout of the Giants on Opening Day, his third consecutive Opening Day start for the Dodgers and, with 16.0 scoreless innings during the season's opening week, was named the NL's Pitcher of the Week. Kershaw also won league honors in July, when he was selected NL Pitcher of the Month with a 4-1 record and a 1.34 ERA (7 ER/47.0 IP) in six starts in the month.
Kershaw was previously honored this year with the Roy Campanella Award as the "most inspirational Dodger," the Players Choice Award for Outstanding National League Pitcher, a selection to Sporting News' NL All-Star Team and the Warren Spahn Award as the game's top left-hander.
Kershaw has gone 77-46 in 184 games (182 starts) in six professional seasons and since making his MLB debut in 2008, he leads the Majors with a 2.60 ERA and a .211 opponents' batting average. His career ERA is the lowest among pitchers with at least 1000.0 innings pitched and 100 starts since the start of the Live Ball Era in 1920. Kershaw was originally selected by the Dodgers in the first round (seventh overall) in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Highland Park (Texas) High School.
Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, have also made an impact off the field through their charitable work in Los Angeles, their hometown of Dallas and abroad, with the couple visiting Africa again next week. Clayton and Ellen hosted a charity event this past August, Ping Pong 4 Purpose, to raise money for their charity organization, Kershaw's Challenge, which encourages people to make a difference by giving back to at-risk children and communities in need. The charity has provided assistance to a variety of organizations, including to its cornerstone charity, "Arise Africa," which helped the Kershaws build and sustain an orphanage for children in Lusaka, Zambia, called "Arise Home," along with Sharefest in Southern California and Mercy Street in Dallas. For his charity work, Kershaw was recognized by Major League Baseball with the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award as the baseball player who best represents the game through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. In addition, the Rotary Club of Denver will recognize him this weekend with the 2013 Branch Rickey Award, which honors individuals in baseball who contribute unselfishly to their communities and who are strong role models for young people.
Voting Results:
Pitcher, Club 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Points
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers 29 1 207
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals 1 15 4 1 5 86
Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins 9 3 5 7 62
Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves 4 1 8 4 39
Matt Harvey, New York Mets 1 8 4 3 39
Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies 6 6 2 32
Jordan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals 6 3 21
Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers 2 4 4 18
Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants 1 1 3
Francisco Liriano, Pittsburgh Pirates 1 1 3
Previous winners (* - Unanimous):
2012 R.A. Rickey, New York Mets; 2011 Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers; 2010 *Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies; 2009 Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants; 2008 Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants; 2007 *Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres; 2006 Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks; 2005 Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals; 2004 Roger Clemens, Houston Astros; 2003 Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers; 2002 *Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks; 2001 Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks; 2000 Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks; 1999 Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks 1998 Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves; 1997 Pedro Martinez, Montreal Expos; 1996 John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves; 1995 *Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves; 1994 *Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves; 1993 Greg Maddux, Atlanta Braves; 1992 Greg Maddux, Chicago Cubs; 1991 Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves; 1990 Doug Drabek, Pittsburgh Pirates; 1989 Mark Davis, San Diego Padres; 1988 *Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1987 Steve Bedrosian, Philadelphia Phillies; 1986 Mike Scott, Houston Astros; 1985 *Dwight Gooden, New York Mets; 1984 *Rick Sutcliffe, Chicago Cubs; 1983 John Denny, Philadelphia Phillies; 1982 Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies; 1981 Fernando Valenzuela, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1980 Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies; 1979 Bruce Sutter, Chicago Cubs; 1978 Gaylord Perry, San Diego Padres; 1977 Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies; 1976 Randy Jones, San Diego Padres; 1975 Tom Seaver, New York Mets; 1974 Mike Marshall, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1973 Tom Seaver, New York Mets; 1972 *Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies; 1971 Ferguson Jenkins, Chicago Cubs; 1970 Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals; 1969 Tom Seaver, New York Mets; 1968 *Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals; 1967 Mike McCormick, San Francisco Giants; 1966 *Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1965 *Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1963 *Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1962 Don Drysdale, Los Angeles Dodgers; 1960 Vernon Law, Pittsburgh Pirates; 1957 Warren Spahn, Milwaukee Braves; 1956 Don Newcombe, Brooklyn Dodgers.
Note: One award given from 1956-66; AL pitchers won in 1958-59, '61 and '64.