[MikefromOhio]

pitchers who relieve the regular pitching staff because they are inferior to the starters and consequently be used for only 1-2 innings at a time.

So wait, Mariano Rivera is INFERIOR to Jose Lima just because he is a reliever? LOL!!!!! That's a friggin joke. So in effect you are saying that Eric Gagne is inferior to horrible pitchers like Mark Hendrickson (6.06 ERA) or Zack Greinke(5.58 ERA) because he is RELIEVER!?!? Incredible. I am really glad you don't have a vote. Hell the ONLY reason the Dodgers even made the playoffs a couple years ago was because of GAGNE and clearly he was the best pitcher that year by far and away.

[Hegewisch Dupa]

Amen! People don't factor in that every inning your closer pitches is a stress inning. THere is no (or very little) coasting thru a line-up with the comfort of a big lead for a reliever. In a lot of ways, market forces decide the game. You wouldn't make such good pitchers relievers if the job was not critical. Similiar to the "Pithching is 75% (or 90% or whatever) part of the game arguement" - if that was true, Babe Ruth would have never been taken off the mound. How the game uses it's talent dictates the relative importance of positions.

[SpringheelJack]

So in effect you are saying that Eric Gagne is inferior to horrible pitchers like Mark Hendrickson (6.06 ERA) or Zack Greinke(5.58 ERA) because he is RELIEVER!?!?

I don't think that's quite what he was saying, though Gagne sure doesn't have what it takes to be a starter, as shown by his toxic 5.00 ERAs whenever he pitched in that role. Moving those guys to the bullpen would probably be best for them, though many seem to think Greinke has potential to be quite a good starter, and perhaps he will be.

Also, Gagne certainly was not the best pitcher "far and away" two years ago; Prior and Schmidt both had better seasons.

[Enterprise1788]

What I'm saying is that pitchers like Rivera, Gagne, and Foulke failed as starters, so they were then shifted to the bullpen, where they flourished. It seems to me that in order to be a great pitcher (i.e. Cy Young worthy), he must be able to pitch well whether he is starting or closing. Anyone who can only do half is not worthy of the award.

Nobody's comparing Mariano Rivera to Jose Lima, however Rivera definitely is inferior to pitchers like Colon, Santana, and Garland, and because of that, any of them deserve the award over Rivera.