15
2012
From Left Field: Only 3 Teams Have Traded A Reigning Cy Young Winner
An article by 
Now that it’s official that R.A. Dickey has won the NL Cy Young, hopefully the trade talks surrounding him begin to subside.
It’s sad that the Mets are in such a financial bind that they can’t find the money to lock up a Cy Young award winner to a contract extension.
Sure, the arguments for trading him make sense. His value is at an all time high, and the Mets could maybe get back a few Major League ready prospects in return.
But here’s a guy who (surprisingly) actually wants to stay with the Mets because this is where he got his shot to succeed.
Dickey was 20-6 in 2012 with a 2.73 ERA and led the league in strikeouts (230), complete games (five) and innings (233.2). In those innings, he only walked 54 batters, which is extremely rare for a knuckleballer.
Let’s take a look back at baseball history to see how many Cy Young award winners started their next season for a different team the year after winning the award.
Reliever Mark Davis won the 1989 NL Cy Young for the San Diego Padres after posting a 1.85 ERA and 44 saves. However, he signed with the Kansas City Royals for three years and $10 million prior to the 1990 season.
In 1992, Chicago Cubs hurler Greg Maddux won the NL Cy Young with a 20-11 record and 2.18 ERA. He had played seven seasons in Chicago, but contract negotiations stalled, leading Maddux to sign a five-year, $28 million deal with the Atlanta Braves. How did that one work out for the Cubs? Well, Maddux wound up winning the next three Cy Youngs pitching for the Braves.
In the strike-shortened 1994 season, former Met David Cone won the AL Cy Young with the Royals after finishing 16-5 with a 2.94 ERA. But right after the strike ended, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Chris Stynes, David Sinnes and Tony Medrano.
The 1997 season saw Pedro Martinez of the Montreal Expos win the NL Cy Young after going 17-8 with a 1.90 ERA and 305 strikeouts in 241.1 innings. He also threw 13 complete games that year. However, the Expos knew they wouldn’t be able to sign him long-term, so the team traded him that winter to the Boston Red Sox for Carl Pavano and Tony Armas Jr. Martinez signed a six-year, $75 million contract in Boston, which was the largest ever awarded to a pitcher at that time.
Roger Clemens won the 1998 AL Cy Young with the Blue Jays, finishing the year 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA. Even with two years left on his contract, Clemens was traded to the Yankees for David Wells, Homer Bush and Graeme Lloyd.
Three Cy Young Award winners – Frank Viola (1988, Twins), C.C. Sabathia (2007, Indians) and Cliff Lee (2008, Indians) – started the following year with the same team but were traded near the July trade deadline.
So excluding those last three, that’s five pitchers in the 56-year history of the award that pitched for a different team immediately after winning a Cy Young. Further exclude Maddux and Davis since they signed free agent contracts, so just three pitchers – Cone, Martinez and Clemens – were traded after winning the award.
Dickey would fall into that category if the Mets traded him, since he was put under contract for the 2013 season once the Mets exercised his option. He would join impressive company if traded, but hopefully this award and his desire to return convinces ownership to get a deal done.
His age and pitching style are certainly risk factors, but now that he’s finally shown consistency over the past three years, it would be a worthy investment.
Maybe a two- or three-year extension with a higher base salary could get the job done. But seeing Dickey become just the fourth reigning Cy Young winner to get traded would be tough to swallow.
About the Author: Jim Mancari
Jim Mancari hails from Massapequa, N.Y. He recently earned a Master's degree in Journalism at Hofstra University. He is a devout Mets fan and takes pride in his team, despite their lack of success over the last few years. Like all Mets fans, Jim has plenty of hope. He also writes as the sports reporter for the Brooklyn Tablet newspaper and the senior editor of metroBASEBALL Magazine. Click my name to view my personal website.
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I would perform a three way trade- Toronto trading one of there catchers for prospects send d’arnaud and some more prospects to the mets, but there one thing I doubt Toronto wants to trade him because he DEFF would be wearing a marlins uniform.
Good information jim… again, if we keep him after having a super impressive season that ended up in him winning the cy young and we finish in 4th place again, then what good would that do for the future of the team?? the best way he can trade this team is by being traded and bring in players that can help us down the road. within 1 or 2 years this guy might be done…
Which one of those guys was a 38 year old journeyman when he won?
Even if there was no question about finances, this is a conversation that would need to be had.
After reading this, I am more convinced that they need to keep this guy. Look at the returns these other pitchers brought back. Who are these 3 guys coney was traded for? If you sign Dickey you know what you have. A leader, a winner, a second pitching coach. you trade him for prospects you may get lucky but the track record says probably not.
Past trades do not indicate how trading Dickey will or won’t work out.
Personally they should move him if it helps them for long term.
I say the same with Wright because by the time they are really good, Wright will be on downside of career.
They HAVE WAY TOO MANY HOLES.
They HAVE WAY TOO MANY HOLES.
So lets create an even bigger hole and get rid of our ace, because .240 hitting catchers and outfielders will do the trick. After all, 20 game winners are so easy to come by.
Manaic, explain to us then why would you keep dickey then?? It is obvious that this FO is in rebuilding mode, just because they haven’t said it doesn’t mean fans are stupid and bling not to see what’s going on.. why keep dickey and pay him $15+ million and wright $20+ if we’re securing 4th place after 4th place and once again financially strapped with 2 guys with tremendous salary and no production out of either one of them…
Who says rebuilding mode cant have solid veterans? We got Keith Hernandez in rebuilding mode, and George Foster. And look at the 67-68 rebuilding modes.
See this is where I come in because I see BOTH sides of the issue and realize that without knowing the details there is no right or wrong answer at this point.
Yeah, but most of those moves were made once we knew what we had for the future… other than wheeler (Not 100% sure as of yet), Harvey, Davis, Niese, Flores, what else do we have to show for in the future?? Once we got a core of young players ready THEN you bring in the veterans to teach him how to win… Dickey and Wright are 4th place losers, what can they teach this kids? On how NOT to choke? how to throw a knuckle ball?
I get the venom towards Wright, I really do. You hate the guy and take every shot you get. Why the hate towards RA? Is it the media thing again?
I think we are nearing that future. Niese, Ike, Harvey, Tejada already here. Wheeler, Flores, Fulmer, Montero on the way.
Maniac, 2014 is the year that’ll dictate where we are in terms of needs for real… Trade them BOTH now, create more cap space, with santana coming off the book in 2014, we
ll be more flexible to spend while having more young studs to trade, have in the roster and surround them with good players from FA and those veterans who always help to have on a team…
You know what? it doesnt matter what we think because Golden Boy is going to get paid his weight in gold. Literally. We are playing Moneyball with Money, remember.
http://news.yahoo.com/dickey-caps-unforgettable-cy-young-041247233–mlb.html
Note; Both CY winners come from same city Nashville.
Note; one is lefty and one is righty
Note; one throws over 100 mph the other a knucleball
An “old white dude actually won the NL Cy Award. He is southern comfort to boot: Jack Daniel’s anybody:
R.A used to spend his season in oblivion
Baseball was the only love he’d known
But you Omar rescued him, baby
And you brought him back from being too far gone.
CHORUS:
And R. A, you’re as smooth as TENNESSEE WHISKEY
I still think RA is worth more to the Mets if he stays than he’s going to be to the Mets on the trade market.
Hoping to seem him extended for a reasonable contract.