http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/tank/mlb/mlbawards03.html
http://www.bayarea.com/mld/observer/2003/09/28/sports/6880284.htm
NL Cy Young
ERIC GAGNE
It takes a lot for a relief pitcher to win a Cy Young award, as evidenced by the fact it has only been done eight times previously (last by Dennis Eckersley in 1992). But the Dodgers' Eric Gagne should be a unanimous choice this year.
DALEY'S PICKS
1. Eric Gagne, Dodgers
2. Jason Schmidt, Giants
3. Mark Prior, Cubs
http://www.heraldguide.com/sports/sept03/InTheBattersBox9-27.htm
National League Cy Young Award
Your Choice: Eric Gagne
My Choice: Eric Gagne
We agree completely on this one. Without Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Greg Maddux at their best this year, the Cy Young is seriously up for grabs. But there has been no pitcher that has been more valuable to his club than Gagne has been to the Dodgers this year. He has NO blown saves this year (except in the All-Star Game, go figure) and has an ERA of 1.27. He’s got 136 strikeouts (starter numbers), and with 55 saves he is on pace to break or tie Bobby Thigpen’s single season record of 57. Jason Schmidt, Russ Ortiz and Mark Prior had great years as starters, but Gagne was the pitcher of the year, period.
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/2003/09/28/sports/6880453.htm
NL Cy Young. A long-standing argument is whether relief pitchers should win the Cy Young Award. Why not? The award is for the league's most outstanding pitcher, and this year that pitcher has been Gagne, the Dodgers' closer. Even Randy Johnson, winner of the last four NL Cy Young awards, has endorsed Gagne.
Fans in Philadelphia are keenly aware of how painful and demoralizing a blown save can be. Imagine having a closer who didn't blow a save in 55 chances. That's where Gagne stood entering yesterday - 55 for 55. With one more save, he would break John Smoltz's single-season NL record. The major-league record is 57, set by Bobby Thigpen in 1990.
Entering yesterday, Gagne had saved a record 63 in a row, dating back to last season. In the second half this season, he had allowed just one run in 36 innings. For the season, he had 136 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/writers/tom_verducci/09/24/insider/
NL Cy Young Award
The Giants lost only five games this year when Jason Schmidt started, and Mark Prior might have won this award if he hadn't missed three weeks following the All-Star break after injuring his shoulder in a collision with Atlanta second baseman Marcus Giles. (Then again, the DL time did keep Prior fresh and prevented him from running up a dangerous total of innings pitched.) But you can't deny the season of the Dodgers' Eric Gagne. If ever a reliever should win the Cy Young Award, this is the year. How could you ask for more? L.A.'s closer was perfect in save situations, struck out 45 percent of the batters he faced and gave up one hit all year with two outs and runners in scoring position.
1. Eric Gagne, Dodgers
2. Jason Schmidt, Giants
3. Mark Prior, Cubs
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/N...ent_id=588590&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=lan
More postseason awards for Gagne
The Sporting News honors Dodgers' closer
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
LOS ANGELES -- The avalanche of Eric Gagne postseason awards continued Tuesday when he was named The Sporting News' National League Pitcher and Reliever of the Year.
The Pitcher of the Year award earns Gagne the only right-handed pitcher's berth on The Sporting News' National League All-Star team. Gagne earlier became the first Dodgers winner of the Rolaids Relief Man award with a record 165 points and is considered the favorite to be the National League's first reliever to win the Cy Young award since Mark Davis in 1989.
Gagne last month completed perhaps the greatest season ever by a closer. He successfully converted all 55 save situations, setting Major League records for most consecutive saves in one season, from the start of a season, and over two seasons (63). The 55 saves tied John Smoltz's National League record and were two short of Bobby Thigpen's Major League record.
He is the first Major Leaguer with two 50-save seasons and his career save percentage of .964 (107-of-111) is a Major League record for a minimum of 100 saves.
Gagne finished the season with a 2-3 record, 1.20 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings, the average of 15 strikeouts per nine innings setting a Major League record. The ERA was second among NL relievers and the opponents' batting average of .122 was lowest among NL relievers.
In Gagne's 55 save situations, he had a 0.32 ERA with 98 strikeouts, 21 hits and 10 walks allowed in 57 innings.
He was a major reason the Dodgers bullpen was the best in baseball as determined by Rolaids points, incurring the fewest blown saves and lowest ERA of any bullpen. The Dodgers were 76-0 when leading after eight innings.
Gagne, 27, is a native of Montreal who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1995. He missed his second season of professional ball when he required Tommy John elbow reconstruction, and was a struggling starting pitcher when he was given his first chance to save a game in April 2002. He has been the undisputed closer of the staff ever since.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This article was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
