SBN Awards: Pitcher of the Year

SB Nation has announced the winners for Pitcher of the year, with R.A. Dickey just edging out Clayton Kershaw for first place in the National League.

Unfortunately, no Brewers received a vote for this award. It's near impossible to argue with most of the choices who did receive votes, however, and I'm not sure who the best contender on Milwaukee would have been. Zack Greinke was clearly the best pitcher on the team, posting a 3.44 ERA and 2.54 FIP. However, he was traded midway through the season, which certainly effected his chances. Mike Fiers was similarly good, and fellow rookie Wade Miley received a handful of votes. But Fiers also did not pitch a full year.

Yovani Gallardo had a typical Yovani Gallardo year. He was good, but not great. It feels like he has plateaued at this point. It appears he'll always be a guy who gives a team a mid-to-high 3.00s ERA, but fails to really break through. There is a whole ton of value in that, especially with the type of contract Gallardo is under. But he won't carry a pitching staff himself.

Gallardo was right around the same level of Lance Lynn when you look back on 2012. I don't think Lance Lynn should have received a vote, so it follows that I should feel the same way about Gallardo. But when you're talking about the 11th best pitcher in the NL, people will have plenty of varying opinions.

Dickey, if you'll remember, was once a member of the Brewers organization. He spent all of 2007 playing for Triple-A Nashville. Making 31 appearances (22 starts) that year, Dickey posted a 3.72 ERA and 6.32 K/9 and didn't really look like much more than a funny name. Too bad the Brewers couldn't have foreseen the eventual breakout of the now 38-year-old knuckleballer a few years later.

Two members of each National League team site voted on the award, along with members of the miscellaneous baseball sites on the network.

In case you wanted to check out the AL Pitcher of the Year voting, here it is: