Royals’ Greinke claims AL Cy Young award

NEW YORK -- When the phone rang, Zack Greinke let it go -- he didn't recognize the number. Only after listening to the voice mail did he call back and find out he'd won the American League Cy Young Award.

The Kansas City Royals ace easily beat out Felix Hernandez for the honor yesterday. Former Goochland High School and Old Dominion star Justin Verlander, who led the major leagues in strikeouts, finished third.

It's been quite a turnaround for Greinke, who led the AL in losses in 2005 and quit baseball for six weeks the following year after being diagnosed with a social anxiety disorder.

Greinke went 16-8 with a major league-low 2.16 ERA this season and received 25 of 28 first-place votes and three seconds for 134 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Despite what he's overcome, Greinke doesn't view himself as a role model.

"I really don't like having a bunch of attention, so even if I did see myself in that light, I don't do anything about it," he said. "I'm real uncomfortable doing stuff like that, to be around people and doing stuff like that," he said.

The 26-year-old right-hander was the sixth overall pick in the 2002 amateur draft. He made his major league debut in 2004 and got hit hard the next year. After leaving spring training in February 2006 to combat his anxiety, he worked his way back to the majors by late September.

Greinke was 7-7 the following year and 13-10 in 2008 before his breakout season. Greinke's ERA was the lowest in the AL since Pedro Martinez's 1.74 ERA in 2000 and his 242 strikeouts were second in the league behind Verlander.

He allowed just 11 home runs this year -- nine solo and two with one man on, according to STATS LLC. His victory total matched that of Arizona's Brandon Webb three years ago for the fewest by a starting pitcher to win a Cy Young Award in a non-shortened season and was the fewest by an AL starter to win in a full-length season.

For all the recognition, Greinke could have done without it.

"A lot of stuff going on today," he said, "when I usually just like doing nothing. But just part of life."