The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball. The award is named after Cy Young, an early American baseball pitcher who compiled a record 511 wins in his 22-year career.http://www.baseball-almanac.com/pitching/piwins2.shtml Two members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BWAA) from each league city (56 writers for the American League and 64 for the National League) choose the winner after the end of the baseball season.

Each November, after voting, Major League Baseball names the award winners for each league. The winners are named on consecutive days and are given trophies for their efforts.

With the conclusion of the 2010 MLB season, some names have been in discussion for the 2010 Cy Young Award. In the American League, the New York Yankees' C.C. Sabathia and Tampa Bay Rays' David Price are two big contenders for the award. Boston Red Sox starter Jon Lester also has comparable numbers two Sabathia and Price. All three pitchers have never won a Cy Young Award.

In the National League, three pitchers have been mention as contenders. The Philadelphia Phillies' Roy Halladay is a big frontrunner, with a 20 win season. Halladay has won a Cy Young Award in the American League, with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2003. Two pitchers that may upset him for the award are the St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright and the Colorado Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez.

In 2009, Tim Lincecum was named the National League Cy Young Award Winner for the second straight season. Lincecum won a very close vote, earning just 11 first place votes compared to 12 by the St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. However, Lincecum had 100 total points, just ahead of Wainwright for the win.http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/12535921/-cy-young-award-voting-results

Zach Greinke of the Kansas City Royals won the 2009 American League Cy Young Award, the first of his career. Greinke ran away with the award, earning 25 of 28 first place votes. Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners finished second in the voting.http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/12535921/-cy-young-award-voting-results

Starting pitchers who win the Cy Young Award are typically close to the lead league in wins, strikeouts and E.R.A. Eight pitchers who won the Cy Young Award also won the pitching "triple crown" in their year by leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and E.R.A. They are Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton, Dwight Gooden, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana and Jake Peavy.

Twelve pitchers have won the award more than once, including four current players: Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson and Johan Santana. Don Newcombe won the first award in 1956, and the first player to win the award in consecutive seasons was Sandy Koufax in 1965 and 1966. Nine relief pitchers have won the award, with Eric Gagne being the latest, in 2003.http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/mlb_awards_content.jsp?content=cy_history

• 2008: Tim Lincecum
• 2007: Jake Peavy
• 2006:Brandon Webb
• 2005: Chris Carpenter
• 2004: Roger Clemens
• 2003: Eric Gagne
• 1999 - 2002: Randy Johnson
• 1998: Tom Glavine
• 1997: Pedro Martinez
• 1996: John Smoltz
• 1992 - 1995: Greg Madduxhttp://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/mlb_awards_content.jsp?content=cy_history

• 2008: Cliff Lee
• 2007: C.C. Sabathia
• 2006: Johan Santana
• 2005: Bartolo Colon
• 2004: Johan Santana
• 2003: Roy Halladay
• 2002: Barry Zito
• 2001: Roger Clemens
• 2000: Pedro Martinez
• 1999: Pedro Martinez
• 1998: Roger Clemens
• 1997: Roger Clemens
• 1996: Pat Hentgen
• 1995: Randy Johnsonhttp://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/awards/mlb_awards_content.jsp?content=cy_history