Zack Britton’s 2016 Cy Young Caliber Season was Mind-Blowing 

you know I'm great when I get more mvp votes than the cy young winner

Every time I hear Zach Britton, I immediately think of the wild card game and die a little inside.

Legend has it he is still waiting in the Bullpen to get into the wild card game

Buck "Best Year a Reliever Ever Had So I Left Him In The Bullpen While We Lost The Wild Card Game" Showalter

For those wondering how the Orioles were winners for 3 years from 2012-2016, homers and the bullpen. No way in hell did they have a starter that could take the ball every 5th day and you were confident that they had a good chance to win. Chris Tillman for a time was the closest thing until injuries. When the starter was knocked out of the game, Showalter had a plethora of arms including Brad Brach, Darren O'Day, Mychael Givens, and of course Britton on the back-end which was basically game over. The formula at that time for the O's was for the starter to go as long as he was effective (typically 5 innings, usually less) bring in the 3 main guys for the 6th, 7th, and 8th, hit a clutch bomb in the 7th or 8th innings, then Britton finished it. Those 2012-2016 playoff teams had no business being there. But because there were a few select arms who were underrated, and power lineup, that was all they needed. By no means is that a very good blueprint for success, but damn it was effective until the league starting using new player development technology and were using NASA software, while the O's were still using Windows 98 and holding players' true potential back. Luckily for them they seem to have caught up .

His WAR, translated into a full season of innings that a starter would make, would have been about 12-14!

Man remembering those O's teams kinda makes me sad, I remember reading somewhere that apparently Britton seriously considered just going in the wild card game anyway despite what Showalter said. Also a fun fact that puts into perspective how insane Britton's ground ball rate was that year: in 2016 Britton recorded 9.14 ground balls for every fly ball, that year second place was Rangers reliever Sam Dyson with 4.09 ground balls per fly ball allowed.

It sucks that Ubaldo Jimenez gets so much shit for that 2016 Wild Card game, especially since Showalter is the one at fault for not bringing his Cy Young caliber reliever in.

We all knew Mike Trout was coming up when he said only one player was above Britton.

Nobody: Buck Showalter: IT WASN'T A SAVE SITUATION

Saw Britton close a game in Fenway in September 2016. He was so good that year I wasn't even really mad that Boston lost because I knew I was getting the opportunity to see one of the greatest relievers of all time at his peak

He definitely should have won. None of the other pitchers had seasons as historic as his. That wild card game hurt a lot as an orioles fan and i really miss that 2016 team

Can you do a Billy Wagner HOF case?

This is such a great topic. I remember being blown away by Brittons season. It has to be one of the best if not the best closer seasons EVER. And nobody was talking about it... I still remember being at the bar during the wildcard game and the Orioles didn’t bring in Britton. Massive mistake. And as a Jays fan I’m still thankful for that memory.

i really enjoy your videos! thank you!

That 2016 O’s team was so much fun to watch for me (probably my fan bias). If only they had a competent starting lineup alongside Chris Tillman who was very solid that year, they could have made some more noise imo. The bullpen was good that year and obviously the lineup was good too.

The videos have been on point recently!

I love having Britton in the pen. He's more reliable than chapman a lot of times

Hi!!! Glad your back!

Zach Britton should have won it in 2016. Not only was it arguably one of the greatest season for a RP none of the starters had typical Cy Young standard seasons. Real shame he didn’t get that year.

This is a bittersweet video as an Orioles fan 🥺

Verlander definitely should have won it in 2016. I think the ripple effect would have also been an AL Cy Young for Gerrit Cole in 2019 rather than a referendum that gave it to Verlander to make up for his 2016 loss.

Yes! Zack Britton definitely should have won the AL Cy Young Award in 2016. This is coming from me and I’m a diehard Red Sox fan! This should speak volumes especially since Rick Porcello won this award in 2016, and he was on the Boston Red Sox. Porcello had a great year no doubt; however, it wasn’t anything like that of Zack Britton. Britton had a 0.54 ERA and a perfect 47 saves in 67 innings pitched! This is one of the best seasons of all time in MLB history. If a relief pitcher earns it; they should definitely get the Cy Young. Zack Britton definitely qualified for this award and was unquestionably the best pitcher in baseball for 2016!

If a closer doesn't blow a single save or lose a game and gets like 35-45 saves, they could be a good candidate for the Cy Young award.

2016 wildcard game changed the O’s from being one of the best teams to one of the worst teams in MLB. Unfortunately.

Idk what's more amazing: an 803 ERA+, 0.54 ERA, 1.97 FIP, 4.1 WAR, Rick Porcello winning a Cy Young, or the fact that Buck didn't even use Britton in that WC Game and let UBALDO JIMENEZ in instead. What a shame, it feels like possibly the greatest reliever season of all time was wasted. I remember hoping Britton would win the Cy Young, even though I didn't think they'd give it to him, and being shocked that freaking Porcello won it. I may be biased but that and the 2017 AL MVP vote are 2 of the biggest robberies in recent memory and it looked like the voters chose Wins in one case and Batting Avg in the other over literally every other important standard and advanced stat. Go back and look at Britton vs Porcello/Verlander/Kluber in 2016. If anything Verlander should've won but any of the 3 would've been better than Porcello. I don't like using WAR for pitchers but he had a freaking 4.1 as a closer! And in 2017 Judge was head and shoulders (pun intended) better than Altuve in every important stat possible but the voters looked at Batting Average and strikeouts only I guess. And now we know he was cheating on top of it. Ugh. We should have a committee that can go back and right wrongs like that every 10 years or so, kind of like what they do with the HOF. Okay rant over, great video!

Man, was it ever a joy to have him on my fantasy team that year. :D

Britton had a 0.16 ERA in 57 innings the last 5 months of the season. One earned run.

Wade Davis in 2015 was insane too

Similar to Joakim Soria's 2010 season: 43 SV, 1.78 ERA, 71 K, 1.9 WAR All-Star, 10th in CYA voting and 19th in MVP voting, definitely one of the GOATs 🇲🇽

2016 was a good season to watch imo. AL East was stacked.

I was at that August 24th game with my dad. It was awesome.

I always enjoy watching MLB closers, for some reason the whole situation fascinates me, even more than watching a team's #1 starter. #COFFEEisForClosers

WERe gonna miss these days one day

If Zach britton played for a team that said boston, New York, or Los Angeles on the front of its jersey he would’ve won the cy young that year. It’s absolutely ridiculous to say he was not both the best and the most outstanding pitcher that season

I miss Britton😭 And of COURSE he went to the yanks and we have to deal with him.

You should have way more subscribers.

The only circumstance I’d consider giving a closer the Cy young is if there isn’t a dominant season by a starter and a closer has a 0.00 ERA

Can you do a video about Blake Treinen’s insane 2018 season?

Vid Suggestion!!! Could you do a vid concerning the relationship between the MLBPA and the Owners? As fans, I think we don't always appreciate the intricacies and politics that happen between those two bodies and simplify it as two different groups being greedy. I'm sure greed is deeply involved but I it's also a lot more involved and complicated than that.

This guy was amazing that season. I was so confused as a Jay's fan when they did not bring him in and shortly after SO happy... he was like the touch of death and they did not use him!

I actually wrote an article in seventh grade about this

Hello Sportstorm I see your covering Zack Britton but can you do a Hall of fame case for Mookie Betts

Bout time someone makes a video on that season he had. It’s the best relief pitcher season ever. Change my mind. Above 800 ERA+

4:56 holy shit i don't think ive ever seen the american league east look like that ever! im a mets fan and i do not remember the blue jays in first and the orioles in 2nd and the yankees in fourth and the rays last. lol that is fucking awesome. I remember when the orioles made it to the playoffs a couple times with buck showalter as their manager!!! and now hes taking the mets to the playoffs too most likely!!!!! LFGM!

I miss him

1. Britton 2. Verlander 3. Kluber 4. Porcello

I don't know Britton but 2 Dodger relief pitchers have won the Cy Young award , Mike Marshall & Eric Gagne!

Britton has been arguably the best pitcher in the league since he converted to a reliever full time. Should have won the Cy Young in 2016

Rumor has it he is still warming up in the Toronto bullpen

2:19 Laughs in Gustavo Cerati

Willie Hernandez won it in 1984. He was as important to the Tigers success as Morris and that deep lineup. Also, an argument could be made that the best pitcher that year was Andrew Miller

You should do a video about the Royals bullpen in 2014-15

Fun fact, Liam Hendriks 2019 and Blake Treinen’s 2018 were both almost 2x as good WAR wise as Britton’s 2016

At the rate hitters and starting pitchers are going these days, I’m expecting closers to win not only Cy Young Awards again, but MVPs as well.

Well, since a closer has already won the Cy Young, it's a moot question...Eric Gagne, Dodgers, 2003...

holy shit he really should have won the award. At least like co-cy youngs? idk lol april 30th to august not allowing one run. And 4 games with one earned each for the season is dominate!!!

Awethome video

That's hard to say cause they usually are just in a inning maybe if starters just went till like the 6th inning but then there are relievers. And then its like well do these relievers deserve a CY Young? Thata a hard one

Britton, as a Yankee, relieved 2 of the guys below him on that list. Now he'll get to relieve Kluber, who finished above him.

I thought the novelty of a 62 save season was worth an MVP. In a year where pedroia won as a dark horse. My pick was K Rod.

had an argument with an analytics nerd (i like analytics too btw) on twitter that brittons 2016 was better than edwin diazs 2018. i got roasted but i stand by it.

There was only one game that season where he was in danger of blowing a save. June 18 vs the Blue Jays. Toronto had bases loaded for the reigning MVP Josh Donaldson and he grounded into a game ending double play.

Putting ubaldo in the game at all a terrible idea but to leave him in the game with Britton sitting on his ass in the bullpen is unforgivable. Buck didn't even own up to his decision he just kept making a bunch of excuses. I was done with him at that point. If that game was a series and not a win or go home situation....I don't know still bad. But lose or go home with Britton watching ubaldo pitch foh. Go out with your best guy on the mound. Ridiculous. The window slammed shut for that team right there. Great video as always! It's especially cool when my Orioles are the topic and yes Britton should have won the Cy Young.

lol i used to love showalter until that wildcard game

Zach earned it, straight up. But...let's not talk about the end of that season.

My favorite memory of Zack Britton is when Buck Showalter didn’t use him against my Blue Jays at the end of that wild card game--probably the second greatest modern Blue Jays playoff memory/moment behind the Bautista bat flip vs. Texas from the year before.

Hoffman, Gagne, Williams. Nuff said. Try to hit them. You cant. Cy Young deserving right here.

In other seasons if he put up those numbers, nah. But in 2016 given there was no "dominant" starter with 30+ games started and a era near 2.5, i would say Britton deserved it.

The problem with the Wild Card game wasn't Britton not getting in, it was that the starter (Tillman) went less than 5 and Toronto's went 7+. The Orioles burned the BP and Britton was the last bullet in the chamber. What if Britton had come in and pitched 1 scoreless inning, then 2, and the game is still going? Then Showalter is ridiculed for using him too early. Was Ubaldo the right choice? Probably not. The team weakness was exposed in a very tight extra inning game.

Sparky Lyle won the 1977 Cy Young as a reliever so I guess it's possible for a reliever to win the Cy Young award.

Matt Wieters is a god in MLB the show 20 and his defense certainly helped that staff

yes

For me Cy Young was an inning eater that won a lot. Starting Pitchers should get Cy Youngs. And Closers or relievers should have their own award. Maybe Mariana Rivera award. Not measuring saves, but focusing more on ERA and preventing losses.

And then buck showalter but in ubaldo Jimenez in the wild card. Pain

Yup, I’ve always felt that Britton was robbed, Showalter was right, it probably was the greatest year a reliever has ever had. The other three guys years probably wouldn’t have won them the award in most years, usually there is a a clear standout performer. What Britton did was unprecedented, and we can sit around forever waiting for someone to have a year as good.

That’s crazy how they score the Cy Young Award. Because what if there’s some debate about who should be #1 but everyone agrees on who should come in 2nd. Like they think a pitcher is really, really good. He wasn’t the best but there’s no one else you would put above him. You know he’s not #1 but he forsure ain’t a #3 or higher. Get what I mean?

Man, I miss Zach

Is that why they created the Mariano Rivera award for Best relief pitcher?

i don't think he would have won, but was more deserving than Porcello

Yes....

I saw something that said that wasn’t top 50 RP season all time

Willie Hernandez 1984 Cy Young & MVP

Short answer. YES.

Josh Hader- Brewers- 2021

I was shocked then I'm still shocked now he didn't win and that buck didn't use him in the playoff game against the blue jays

It was so sad watching that team fall apart due to financial restrictions a small market team has to deal with. They were probably never winning a championship with that roster, but at least they were fun to watch. Now they're just irrelevant with no hope. :(

Now he’s with the Yankees and has an above 5 era and became the first player to lose on a walk off home run he gave up at the field of dreams. Became a freaking bum

What is the award actually for? Is it the best pitcher? What if the best pitcher is a closer? I dont think they should be held from it unless there is something else they strive for themselves.

Porcello went 22-4 a 20+ win season for a starter will always out shine w/e a closer does in any season maybe except for Gagne who had 115ks as a closer.

Do a video on who kidnapped Chris Davis?

A closer should not win the cy young, because for me innings pitched is an important stat for Cy Young (I gotta see at least 200 innings). BUT on the other hand, a closer should win the MVP since every time he pitches its in an important tight spot.

I can't blame the skipper for not going with Zach because what happens if you don't score. People forget that.

If Fernando Rodney didn't win his year with the Ray's no reliever ever should win

2,000th like

Here’s the real question are closers even necessary Why not have ur best reliever in the most high leverage situations it may not always be the 9th inning

Why is every sentence stated as a question? Good show regardless

What would have been his era if he didn’t allow the one with the white sox

This is a fun argument but its forgetting one thing: A front line Ace can be a closer ... a closer could not be a front line Ace Why you see rotation guys coming into games at big moments during the playoffs.

I would totally be ok if we did a re vote on this one and give it to him or Verlander and just admit the fuck up. Literally either of them but porcello