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It may not be R.A. Dickey Day any longer — though let's be honest, every day is Dickey Day around here — but it's not like we could reasonably go another three days without talking about the best pitcher in baseball. Moreover, not doing so would be a disservice to the Internet.
We've already talked about, and will continue talking about, Dickey's unprecedented season within the context of Mets history, but Dickey is not only the Mets' best pitcher and the frontrunner to start the All-Star Game for the National League, but he's also a viable potential candidate for the NL Cy Young.
Before the season, Bovada in Las Vegas didn't bother to include Dickey among their Cy Young odds, though they did give Johan Santana 25/1 chances to take home the award. Their current odds have Dickey as the favorite to win:
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| R.A. Dickey | 3/2 |
| Matt Cain | 8/5 |
| Stephen Strasburg | 3/1 |
| Cole Hamels | 7/1 |
| Lance Lynn | 10/1 |
ESPN's Cy Young Predictor, using a method created by Rob Neyer and Bill James, likewise has Dickey leading the NL pack
| Player | Cy Young Pts |
|---|---|
| R.A. Dickey | 110.3 |
| Matt Cain | 94.3 |
| Lance Lynn | 85.4 |
| Cole Hamels | 82.5 |
| Chris Capuano | 80.1 |
If you're interested in the math, you can see the CYP formula here.
In short, Las Vegas and a computer have both finally realized what we've known all along: Praise Dickey.