EARLY NL CY YOUNG WATCH

In most sports. offense helps you win championships... but in baseball, things are a little bit different.

Each team needs a staff of strong pitchers to help keep their team in the game. Let's take a look at a few of the pitchers that are making an early name for themselves for the NL Cy Young Award for Season 8:

Fred Allensworth Norfolk Southern Age: 35 B/T: R/R Born: Boone, NC Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

FRED ALLENSWORTH - (4-0, 1.00)
Allensworth has been the most dominant pitcher in the league since its inception, and this season is no different. Having never sported an ERA below his first season result of 3.39, Allensworth is continuing his dominance through his first four starts, earning an ERA of 1.00. His WHIP has never been below 1.18, and, as it stands, it is sitting at a sultry 0.93, good for 11th in the league.

Not known for his velocity, Allensworth has a master level of control on all of his pitches and continues to be one of the top pitchers in the game, even at age 35. He's currently holding teams to .190, good for tenth in the league. If Allensworth can keep up these types of numbers, don't be surprised if he ends up the NL Cy Young winner for the seventh time in eight years.

Brett Collier Toronto Kids in the Hall Age: 28 B/T: L/L Born: El Paso, TX Position(s): P (SP1) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

BRETT COLLIER - (1-0, 0.00)
Don't let his win/loss record fool you... Brett Collier is the real deal. In his first four starts, Collier has yet to allow an earned run. In fact, his WHIP is as low as the Seattle City Government's combined IQ, sitting at 0.82.

Now, you may ask... "why is his win/loss record at 1-0 if he hasn't let in an earned run?" If we look at Toronto's run production in Collier's three no-decision games, we see that Toronto averaged under one run per game while Collier was on the mound. If Toronto can produce some offense while Collier is on the mound, and Collier continues to allow his OAV to be at .156, don't be surprised if he wins 20 games this season, well on his way to his first NL Cy Young Award.

Joaquin Ayala Santa Fe Slammers Age: 21 B/T: L/L Born: Bani, DO Position(s): P (SP2) View Hardball Dynasty Profile

JOAQUIN AYALA (3-0, 1.37): Ayala, acquired by the Slammers from Louisville in late June for 3B Don Woo, is showing the world why Santa Fe GM "7Yankees7" had faith in his young pitcher to excel in the big leagues in only Ayala's fourth professional season.

After earning a 3.09 ERA in the minors in his first three professional seasons, Ayala is sporting a 1.37 ERA in his first four starts. Holding opponents to a .200 batting average, Ayala is making his case early in the season for an NY Cy Young award. He's only given up one earned run in each of his first three starts and blanked the Rangers on June 18th in his fourth start, giving up only one hit.

If Ayala keeps this up, he will be the youngest pitcher in history to earn an NL Cy Young award.