MLB Cy Young Watch: Brad Penny Stares Down Jake Peavy

We here at the MLB FanHouse will be musing twice a month until the end of the season on who we think leads the AL and NL Cy Young award races. This is the sixth installment.

National League: Brad Penny, Los Angeles Dodgers

Brad Penny proved he belongs at the top of the list after staring down Jake Peavy in a Cy Young worthy battle. This race is razor thin. Penny is at 10-1 with a 2.00 ERA, while Peavy is at 9-2 and 2.09. What keeps this race so close is Peavy's huge strikeout advantage (119 to 77), but chances are this race will go back and forth the rest of the season, with the team that wins the division also winning the Cy Young Award for their pitcher.

Also in the mix:
Jake Peavy: 9-2, 2.09 ERA, 119 K's
Chris Young: 8-3, 2.14 ERA
Ben Sheets: 10-3, 3.19 ERA
John Maine: 9-4, 2.74 ERA
Takashi Saito: 23 saves, 1.30 ERA

American League after the jump ...

American League: Dan Haren, Oakland Athletics

Dan Haren had his worst outing in a while against the Yankees this past Sunday, giving up five runs in five and a third innings. Even after that (a game which he still won to bring him to 10-2) his ERA is still at 2.20, a full run lower than C.C. Sabathia. But Sabathia has sure closed the gap at 12-2 and 116 K's, and is probably just one more good outing away from taking over the lead. With Josh Beckett and a host of others hot on the trail, this promises to be a great race down the stretch.

Also in the mix:
C.C. Sabathia: 12-2, 3.20 ERA
Josh Beckett: 11-2, 3.38 ERA
John Lackey: 11-5, 3.04 ERA
J.J. Putz: 23 saves, 0.92 ERA, 0.59 WHIP
Justin Verlander: 9-3, 3.18 ERA