When will people show love to Happ?
by Scott Butler 8/20/09
Phils' crafty left-hander JA Happ continues to dominate major league hitters time and time again, yet nobody will come out and say that he is the real deal. I don't even think that it is certainty that Happ will even be one of the four starters if the Phillies make the playoffs.
The answer to that question does not lie in the numbers. Happ is 9-2 this season with a 2.66 ERA and 2 complete game shutouts in 16 starts. Happ has averaged 6.6 innings per start in his 16 starts this season. Beginning with his complete game shutout of the Blue Jays, he has averaged 7.12 innings per start. That's ridiculous.
I think the reason why people don't want to give Happ a Cy Young award yet is because of the Kyle Kendrick syndrome. When Kendrick was here, everyone loved his demeanor and ability to get out of trouble despite average stuff. We know how that story ended. It is a similar story with Happ, who does not have crazy stuff like Cliff Lee does. Most people attribute his success to his deceptive delivery and ability to work his way out of jams.
I don't know what to think about it. The fact that he is continually able to work deep into ballgames even without his best stuff this far in the season, you have to think that teams have had their chances to figure him out. On the other hand, a couple of bad breaks here and there and it could be a much different story.
Unfortunately for Happ, people are not likely to make up their minds until his second season when teams have seen him two, three, and four times. He may not get all of the respect, but I would feel comfortable handing the ball to JA Happ in the postseason.
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