1886 Cy Young Awards

1886 American Association - Dave Foutz, St. Louis Browns

41-16, 2.11 ERA 283 K

It was hard to not pick rookie Matt Kilroy for this award, given his all-time record 513 strikeouts, but he also led the league in both losses (34) and earned runs (218), and his ERA was barely above the league average.  There were other worthy candidates for the award though, including Ed Morris, Bob Caruthers, and the curiously nicknamed Toad Ramsey, but I felt that Foutz, who led the league in wins, ERA, winning percentage, and led the Browns to their second consecutive AA pennant, was the most deserving of the award.  His ERA was particularly impressive though, being .21 points higher than the nearest competition, for a 164 ERA+, 15 points ahead of second place Ramsey.

1886 National League - Lady Baldwin, Detroit Wolverines

42-13, 2.24 ERA, 323 K

Don't let the nickname fool you; Lady Baldwin was a good pitcher, in 1886 anyway.  It was a close call between him and Charlie Ferguson, but in the end I chose Baldwin, who tied for the league lead in wins, was third in ERA (behind Ferguson), led in strikeouts, WHIP (0.967), and shutouts (7 - and the next highest in the league was 4).  Interestingly, it was Baldwin's only full season as a starter; he played for six years, and nearly half of his 118 games came in 1886.  In 1886, his Detroit Wolverines finished second in the NL with a starting rotation that included not only Lady Baldwin, but other names such as Pretzels Getzien and Phenomenal Smith.