With yesterday’s acquisition of David Price, Detroit now has the AL’s three most recent Cy Young winners. How many teams have ever had multiple former CYA winners on staff at once?
The answer is 113. Of those, 13 staffs have had 3 former Cy Young winners at once. Here’s a look at those 13:
1980 Texas Rangers (76-85)
Ferguson Jenkins (12-12, 103 ERA+), Gaylord Perry (6-9, 114 ERA+), Sparky Lyle (8 Saves, 83 ERA+)
Perry was just two years removed from his NL Cy Young, but was 41 and the end was nearing. Somehow, 32 year old Willie Montanez, who Texas traded for Perry in the preseason, had fewer years left in his tank than the spitballer. Jenkins’ CYA came in 1971 with the Cubs, but he was a runner-up with Texas in 1975 and had collected votes as recently as 1978. He was still helpful, but hardly the HOF-er Texas expected when they re-acquired him. Lyle won the 1977 AL CYA, and unfortunately the Rangers traded Dave Righetti (among others) to bring Lyle to Dallas 2 years later. In 1979, he was still an effective reliever, but by ’80 the 35 year old was done as a helpful piece to the bullpen. The Rangers traded him to Philadelphia, where he picked up a World Series ring despite not appearing in the postseason for the Phils.
1981 Baltimore Orioles (59-46)
Unlike Texas, who acquired their trio of CYA winners, Baltimore’s threesome in ’81 all won their trophies as Orioles. Jim Palmer (7-8, 97 ERA+) won 3 in 1973, 1975, and 1976. As recently as 1978 he had finished 3rd in the vote. At age 35, Palmer had his first sub-par season since turning 20. He would rebound in 1982 and finish 2nd in the CYA race, but had less than 100 more innings in his arm after that. Mike Flanagan (9-6, 87 ERA+) had won the 1979 AL CYA, going 23-9 with 5 shutouts, but he surrounded that brilliant season with mediocrity. He would have a nice season in 1983, but overall, Flanagan never again really measured up to 1979. Steve Stone (4-7, 79 ERA+) had won the 1980 CYA just a season earlier using an unusual strategy of making the curveball his primary pitch, throwing curves over 50% of the time en route to a 25-7 record. In ’81 Stone suffered from tendonitis, believed to be linked to the sudden change in his pitching repertoire. 1981 would be Stoney’s final season.
1993-1995 Atlanta Braves (262-158)
Greg Maddux (55-18, 219 ERA+) won the 1992 CYA in Chicago and would win it in each of these seasons as well. Tom Glavine (51-22, 123 ERA+) had won it in ’91 and would be impressive over these three seasons as well. The little-remembered 3rd CYA winner on staff was 1987 NL CYA winner Steve Bedrosian (6-6, 127 ERA+). In 1993, he was brilliant. In 1994, he was good. In 1995, Bedrock was terrible, and it would serve as his final season. The 1995 Braves became the first team with 3 CYA winners to win the World Series, matched by only one other such team.
1997-1999 Atlanta Braves (310-176)
More of Mad Dog (56-22, 162 ERA+) and Glavine (48-24, 134 ERA+), this time joined by 1996 CYA winner John Smoltz (43-23, 140 ERA+). These Braves averaged over 103 wins a season and reached two World Series, so clearly the winners were still helpful and in their prime.
1998 Boston Red Sox (92-70)
Pedro Martinez (19-7, 163 ERA+) was very good in his first season in Boston, finishing 2nd in the AL CYA race. Of course, Martinez would be dominant on a historic level the following two seasons, so the ’98 edition is generally overlooked because it was merely great rather than Koufaxian. His rotation mate was 2-time CYA winner Bret Saberhagen (15-8, 119 ERA+), enjoying a brief career resurgence. Former MVP and CYA closer Dennis Eckersley was here as well, wrapping up his career with a 4-1, 99 ERA+ season, picking up a single save, the 390th and last of his HOF career.
2000 New York Yankees (87-74)
Was this the worst of Joe Torre‘s Yankee championship squads? It is the worst collection of CYA winners in the 3-CYA club, that’s for sure. Roger Clemens (13-8, 131 ERA+) wasn’t bad at all. But the other two winners hardly turned in memorable seasons. In fact, many probably don’t even remember Dwight Gooden (4-2, 144 ERA+) as a member of this team. He pitched well, but he didn’t pitch much with the Yankees, his third and final team of his final season, after having spent time with Houston and Tampa Bay earlier in the season. 1994 AL CYA winner David Cone (4-14, 70 ERA+) had been an excellent pitcher for the Yankees from 1996-1999, but everything imploded here. Nonetheless, these three joined the 1995 Braves as the only trio of former CYA winners to lead their team to a championship.
2001-2002 Atlanta Braves (189-133)
It’s the same trio from ’97-99, interrupted only by a 2000 surgery. Glavine (34-18, 132 ERA+) and Maddux (33-17, 152 ERA+) were still the same old excellent, reliable HOF-ers. Smoltz (131 ERA+, 65 Saves) had begun his second career as a closer after his Tommy John Surgery broke up this streak.
2001 Boston Red Sox (82-79)
Pedro Martinez (7-3, 188 ERA+) was returning to demigod levels, Bret Saberhagen (1-2, 76 ERA+) was giving it one very last try, and former Yankee David Cone (9-7, 104 ERA+) popped in for a season to re-establish form. He’d miss 2002 and finish his career in 2003.
2009 San Francisco Giants (88-74)
Reigning 2008 NL CYA winner Tim Lincecum (15-7, 171 ERA+) was on his way to his second in a row. 2002 AL winner Barry Zito (10-13, 105 ERA+) was a decent pitcher, but decent pitching is not what fans see when there are 8 digits needed to show your annual salary. At least, that was the case in 2009. Future HOF-er Randy Johnson (8-6, 87 ERA+) was a shadow of a shadow of his former self, brought in partly to help tutor 19 year old phenom Madison Bumgarner. Johnson would get to 300 wins with the Giants, as well as the 600 starts plateau.
2014 Detroit Tigers (???)
Never has a team had 3 pitchers who all won CYA’s less than 3 years prior to joining forces. One of these, Verlander, might very well be relegated to the bullpen. David Price and Max Scherzer look like an incredible 1-2 postseason punch, and if Verlander finds his form, this could be a historically good staff.
Either way, make sure to enjoy it. This sort of collection of talent doesn’t happen very often.
And last but not least, here’s a list of every team in MLB history to have had a former CYA winner on its staff:
1957 Dodgers
1958 Braves
1958 Dodgers
1958 Reds
1959 Braves
1959 Reds
1959 Yankees
1960 Braves
1960 Indians
1960 Reds
1960 White Sox
1960 Yankees
1961 Braves
1961 Pirates
1961 White Sox
1961 Yankees
1962 Braves
1962 Pirates
1962 White Sox
1962 Yankees (2)
1963 Angels
1963 Braves
1963 Dodgers
1963 Indians
1963 Pirates
1963 Red Sox
1963 Yankees
1964 Braves
1964 Dodgers (2)
1964 Yankees
1965 Angels
1965 Dodgers (2)
1965 Giants
1965 Mets
1965 Pirates
1965 Yankees
1966 Angels
1966 Dodgers (2)
1966 Pirates
1966 Yankees
1967 Dodgers
1967 Pirates
1967 Twins
1967 Yankees
1968 Dodgers
1968 Giants
1968 Red Sox
1968 Twins
1969 Cardinals
1969 Dodgers
1969 Giants
1969 Red Sox
1969 Tigers
1969 Twins
1970 Cardinals
1970 Giants
1970 Indians
1970 Mets (2)
1970 Orioles
1970 Red Sox
1970 Tigers
1970 Yankees
1971 Cardinals
1971 Mets
1971 Orioles
1971 Red Sox
1971 Royals
1971 Senators
1971 Tigers
1971 Twins
1972 Athletics (2)
1972 Braves
1972 Brewers
1972 Cardinals
1972 Cubs
1972 Mets
1972 Orioles
1972 Twins
1973 Athletics
1973 Cardinals
1973 Cubs
1973 Indians
1973 Mets
1973 Orioles
1973 Phillies (2)
1973 Tigers
1974 Athletics
1974 Cardinals
1974 Indians (2)
1974 Mets
1974 Orioles (2)
1974 Phillies (2)
1974 Rangers
1975 Athletics (2)
1975 Cardinals
1975 Dodgers
1975 Indians (2)
1975 Mets
1975 Orioles (2)
1975 Phillies (2)
1975 Rangers (2)
1975 Yankees
1976 Athletics
1976 Braves
1976 Dodgers
1976 Mets
1976 Orioles (2)
1976 Phillies (2)
1976 Rangers
1976 Red Sox
1976 Yankees
1977 Angels
1977 Athletics
1977 Braves
1977 Mets
1977 Orioles
1977 Padres
1977 Phillies (2)
1977 Rangers (2)
1977 Red Sox
1977 Reds
1977 Yankees
1978 Giants
1978 Orioles
1978 Padres (2)
1978 Phillies (2)
1978 Rangers
1978 Reds
1978 Twins
1978 Yankees (2)
1979 Giants
1979 Orioles
1979 Padres (2)
1979 Phillies (2)
1979 Rangers (2)
1979 Reds
1979 Twins
1979 Yankees (2)
1980 Cubs
1980 Giants
1980 Orioles (2)
1980 Padres
1980 Phillies (2)
1980 Rangers (3)
1980 Reds
1980 Twins
1980 Yankees (2)
1981 Braves
1981 Cardinals
1981 Giants
1981 Mets (2)
1981 Orioles (3)
1981 Phillies (2)
1981 Rangers
1981 Reds
1981 Yankees
1982 Brewers
1982 Cardinals
1982 Cubs
1982 Dodgers
1982 Mariners
1982 Mets
1982 Orioles (2)
1982 Phillies (2)
1982 Reds
1982 Royals
1982 White Sox
1982 Yankees
1983 Brewers (2)
1983 Cardinals
1983 Cubs
1983 Dodgers
1983 Mariners
1983 Mets
1983 Orioles (2)
1983 Phillies
1983 Royals (2)
1983 Yankees
1984 Brewers (2)
1984 Cardinals
1984 Dodgers
1984 Orioles (2)
1984 Phillies (2)
1984 White Sox (2)
1984 Yankees
1985 Braves
1985 Brewers (2)
1985 Cubs
1985 Dodgers
1985 Giants
1985 Orioles
1985 Padres
1985 Phillies (2)
1985 Tigers
1985 White Sox
1985 Yankees
1986 Braves
1986 Brewers
1986 Cubs
1986 Dodgers
1986 Giants (2)
1986 Mets
1986 Orioles
1986 Padres
1986 Phillies
1986 Red Sox
1986 Reds
1986 Royals
1986 Tigers
1986 White Sox
1986 Yankees
1987 Astros
1987 Blues Jays
1987 Cubs
1987 Dodgers
1987 Indians
1987 Mets
1987 Orioles
1987 Red Sox
1987 Royals
1987 Tigers
1987 Twins
1987 Yankees
1988 Astros
1988 Blue Jays
1988 Braves
1988 Cubs
1988 Dodgers
1988 Mets
1988 Phillies
1988 Red Sox
1988 Royals
1988 Tigers
1988 Twins
1988 Yankees
1989 Astros
1989 Blue Jays
1989 Cubs
1989 Dodgers (2)
1989 Giants
1989 Mets (2)
1989 Phillies
1989 Red Sox
1989 Royals
1989 Tigers
1989 Twins
1990 Astros
1990 Blue Jays
1990 Cubs
1990 Dodgers (2)
1990 Giants
1990 Mets (2)
1990 Red Sox
1990 Royals (2)
1991 Angels
1991 Astros
1991 Athletics
1991 Cubs
1991 Dodgers
1991 Mets (2)
1991 Orioles
1991 Pirates
1991 Red Sox
1991 Royals (2)
1991 Twins
1992 Athletics
1992 Braves (2)
1992 Dodgers
1992 Mets (2)
1992 Orioles (2)
1992 Pirates
1992 Red Sox (2)
1992 Royals
1993 Astros
1993 Athletics (2)
1993 Braves (3)
1993 Dodgers
1993 Mets (2)
1993 Orioles (2)
1993 Padres
1993 Phillies
1993 Red Sox (2)
1994 Astros
1994 Athletics (2)
1994 Braves (3)
1994 Cardinals
1994 Dodgers
1994 Mets (2)
1994 Padres
1994 Phillies
1994 Red Sox (2)
1994 White Sox
1995 Astros
1995 Athletics
1995 Blue Jays
1995 Braves (3)
1995 Indians
1995 Mets
1995 Padres
1995 Red Sox
1995 Reds
1995 Rockies
1995 Yankees (2)
1996 Astros
1996 Blue Jays
1996 Braves (2)
1996 Cardinals
1996 Indians (2)
1996 Mariners
1996 Padres
1996 Red Sox
1996 Yankees (2)
1997 Blue Jays (2)
1997 Braves (3)
1997 Brewers
1997 Cardinals (2)
1997 Indians (2)
1997 Mariners
1997 Padres
1997 Red Sox
1997 White Sox
1997 Yankees (2)
1998 Angels
1998 Astros
1998 Blue Jays (2)
1998 Braves (3)
1998 Giants
1998 Indians
1998 Mariners
1998 Orioles
1998 Red Sox (3)
1998 Yankees
1999 Angels
1999 Blue Jays
1999 Braves (3)
1999 Diamondbacks
1999 Indians
1999 Mets
1999 Red Sox (2)
1999 Yankees (2)
2000 Astros
2000 Braves (2)
2000 Cardinals
2000 Devil Rays
2000 Diamondbacks
2000 Dodgers
2000 Red Sox
2000 Yankees (3)
2001 Braves (3)
2001 Diamondbacks
2001 Orioles
2001 Red Sox (3)
2001 Yankees
2002 Braves (3)
2002 Diamondbacks
2002 Orioles
2002 Red Sox
2002 Yankees
2003 Athletics
2003 Braves (2)
2003 Diamondbacks
2003 Mets (2)
2003 Orioles
2003 Red Sox
2003 Yankees
2004 Astros
2004 Athletics
2004 Blue Jays (2)
2004 Braves
2004 Cubs
2004 Diamondbacks
2004 Dodgers
2004 Mets
2004 Red Sox
2005 Astros
2005 Athletics
2005 Blue Jays
2005 Braves
2005 Cubs
2005 Dodgers
2005 Mets (2)
2005 Twins
2005 Yankees
2006 Angels
2006 Astros
2006 Athletics
2006 Blue Jays
2006 Braves
2006 Cardinals
2006 Cubs
2006 Dodgers
2006 Mets (2)
2006 Twins
2006 Yankees
2007 Angels
2007 Blue Jays
2007 Braves
2007 Cardinals
2007 Diamondbacks (2)
2007 Giants
2007 Mets (2)
2007 Padres
2007 Rangers
2007 Red Sox
2007 Twins
2007 Yankees
2008 Blue Jays
2008 Braves (2)
2008 Brewers (2)
2008 Cardinals
2008 Diamondbacks (2)
2008 Dodgers
2008 Giants
2008 Indians
2008 Mets (2)
2008 Padres (2)
2008 Red Sox
2009 Blue Jays
2009 Cardinals (2)
2009 Diamondbacks
2009 Giants (3)
2009 Indians
2009 Mets
2009 Padres
2009 Phillies
2009 Red Sox
2009 White Sox (2)
2009 Yankees
2010 Cardinals
2010 Giants (2)
2010 Mariners
2010 Mets
2010 Phillies
2010 Rangers
2010 Royals
2010 White Sox
2010 Yankees
2011 Brewers
2011 Cardinals
2011 Giants (2)
2011 Mariners
2011 Phillies (2)
2011 White Sox
2011 Yankees (2)
2012 Angels
2012 Athletics
2012 Brewers
2012 Cardinals
2012 Dodgers
2012 Giants (2)
2012 Mariners
2012 Mets
2012 Phillies (2)
2012 Tigers
2012 White Sox
2012 Yankees
2013 Athletics
2013 Blue Jays
2013 Dodgers (2)
2013 Giants (2)
2013 Mariners
2013 Phillies (2)
2013 Rays
2013 Red Sox
2013 Tigers
2013 White Sox
2013 Yankees
2014 Blue Jays
2014 Dodgers (2)
2014 Giants (2)
2014 Mariners
2014 Mets
2014 Phillies
2014 Rays
2014 Red Sox
2014 Tigers (3)
2014 Yankees
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