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Sabathia wins Cy Young

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

C.C. Sabathia won the American League Cy Young Award on Tuesday, topping Boston ace Josh Beckett and two other worthy contenders by a comfortable margin to become the first Cleveland Indians pitcher in 35 years to earn the honor.

Sabathia received 19 of 28 first-place votes and totaled 119 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Beckett, who outpitched Sabathia twice in the playoffs, was second with eight first-place votes and 86 points.

John Lackey of the Los Angeles Angels got the other first-place vote and came in third. Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona was fourth.

Sabathia went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 241 innings. Beckett (20-7) became the only big leaguer to win 20 games since 2005, compiling a 3.27 ERA in 200 2/3 innings and beat Sabathia twice in the playoffs. Lackey led the A.L. in ERA at 3.01, going 19-9 and tossing 224 innings. Carmona was 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA.

Rivera offered three-year deal

Mariano Rivera was offered a $45 million, three-year contract to stay with the New York Yankees. Now, the team is waiting to hear back from its star closer.

“He’d be by $4 million a year the highest-paid relief pitcher,” Yankees senior vice president Hank Steinbrenner said. “To say that’s a strong offer would be an understatement.”

Around the league

Andy LaRoche drove in three runs with two hits and a sacrifice fly and also scored a run to lead the United States to a 4-2 win over South Africa and a berth in the quarterfinals of the Baseball World Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. LaRoche is a prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The U.S. is 5-1 in the tournament. … The Minnesota Twins acquired Craig Monroe from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named. The 30-year-old outfielder batted .219 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs last season for the Tigers and Cubs, who obtained him Aug. 23 after Detroit designated him for assignment. … John Allen, who ran the Cincinnati Reds after former owner Marge Schott was suspended in the 1990s, resigned as the team’s chief operating officer. … Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had a follow-up operation to remove some blood that built up near where he had a broken piece of bone removed from his left wrist last week. Zimmerman had the original surgery on Nov. 7.