East Coast Bias Nets Clay Buchholz August Pitcher of the Month, Felix Hernandez Robbed

Clay Buchholz won American League pitcher of the month in August. Buchholz beat out pitcher Felix Hernandez, and while Buchholz had a very good month, it paled in comparison to the statistics that Hernandez was able to put up. In a season that has been compiled with disappointment in Seattle, it is such a shame that the chance was placed in front of Major League Baseball to finally recognize Hernandez, and they passed on it again. MLB stated that Buchholz finished the month of August with a 1.03 ERA over 43.2 innings and had 28 strikeouts to go with four wins. He beat the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays (twice) and the Anaheim Angels during the month, on his way to improving his season record to 15-5 overall.

Felix Hernandez started six games in August, posting a 0.82 ERA, an opponent's average of just .189 and a strikeout rate of 10.5 per nine innings. He did this against the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, and Cleveland Indians. The impressive showings against three of the best offensive teams in the American League went unrewarded though, as East Coast bias dictated that the votes would go to the Red Sox Clay Buchholz instead. Ask the Yankees hitters, who were shut out on August 20, if Hernandez was tough to hit. He struck out 11 that night, on the way to yet another victory over the best team in baseball. What more could you want from an ace pitcher? Did we mention that Hernandez also struck out 51 hitters in his 43.2 innings during August?

Felix Hernandez plays for the Seattle Mariners, and that is the only reason he did not win Pitcher of the Month in August. Had Hernandez been pitching for Boston, New York, or any other team in the East market, he would have been front page news for what he did in the month of August. This is also something that Hernandez is going to have to get used to, because the voters will most likely go with Sabathia for the Cy Young as well, even if he has much worse statistics. Coming into Sunday's games, Hernandez has a 2.38 ERA, 200 strikeouts, a 1.10 WHIP, and five complete games. Sabathia is at a 3.02 ERA, 165 strikeouts, and a 1.20 WHIP in two complete games. It will be the win-loss record that nets Sabathia the Cy Young in 2010, and nothing else. This will simply confirm that adage that award go to the best teams, and not necessarily the best players.

References:

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