I was surprised that 11 pitchers have won both awards in the same season. It makes a good trivia question for which I don't have the answer.
The Tigers figure prominately in that list. Besides Verlander, Willie Hernandez in '84, Denny McLain and Hal Newhouser (2) also won MVPs
That's 4 of 11. Does the (2) after Newhouser mean that he twice won Cy Young and MVP? If so, that's 5 Tigers of the 11 total. Even if only 4, it's pretty impressive.
I googled Newhouser. He had an amazing career. Back to back MVPs in 1944 and 45, and 2nd to Ted Williams in 1946. He also won back to back Sporting News Pitcher of the Year awards in 1945 and 46. This award was the forerunner of the Cy Young, which originated in 1955. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992. I just learned something new today about a great MLB pitcher.
Well earned and well deserved for both awards. Let's not neglect the American League Cy Young winner Cory Kluber of my Tribe. A young man who never made the major league roster out of spring training until this year...who made $514,000...just above the minimum. (Clayton Kershaw signed a $215 million extension last winter.) Kluber thought that he would not win it because the Indians fell 3 games short of their playoff push. But he was 9-3 with a 1.73 ERA in the second half of the season. (Clayton was 1.76 for the entire year!). Felix Hernandez led the AL for the year with a 2.14 ERA to Kluber's 2.44, but he only won once in his last 8 starts. The vote was very close.
:idea: :!: I know less about Kluber than any other pitcher who received votes. I'm going to have to start paying more attention...LOL!
The kid just flat out stepped up. Masterson was supposed to be our ace but he was struggling and was traded. A very quiet, unassuming, professional guy. http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2014/11/2014_al_cy_young_goes_to_cleve.html
oops...I misread that Sid. 3rd Dodger to do that, I was a Dodger fan back when Koufax and Newcombe did it.
How about Mike Trout, youngest MVP. I think we had a long discussion about whether or not he should have been MVP as a rookie even though he didn't play a full season. He finished 2nd that year and last year. Barring injury he should have a long and great career on the way to the HOF.