Lee wins AL Cy Young over Halladay

Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians was the overwhelming winner of the Cy Young Award as the top pitcher in the American League on Thursday, with Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays finishing second.

Lee won his first six starts and later parlayed an 11-game winning streak into a record of 22-3 with a league-best 2.54 earned-run average.

The left-hander received 24 of 28 first-place votes and 132 points overall.

"I knew pretty early that it was going to be a special year, I really did," Lee said. "But I also knew that I had to keep my mind in the moment, keep doing my work, not cut any corners."

Halladay went 20-11 in 34 appearances in a bid for his second Cy Young in five seasons.

The right-hander received four first-place votes and 71 points.

Los Angeles Angels closer Francisco (K-Rod) Rodriguez finished third, followed by Boston Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Lee, 30, is third Indians pitcher to win the Cy Young, joining Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in 1972 and former teammate CC Sabathia last season.

"We're pretty close friends and there is a lot of things I picked up from him and I would like to think there is a few things he picked up from me," Lee said of Sabathia.

"I have tried to help him out in situations and he has tried to do the same for me. Apparently, it has worked - we have turned into pretty good pitchers."

Lee's .880 winning percentage was the third highest ever among southpaws with 20-plus wins.

Hall of Famer Lefty Grove went 31-4 for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931 and Ron Guidry of the New York Yankees went 25-3 in 1978.

"I made a conscious effort to work on throwing away from righties and using my curve ball more, using my change-up more, and actually pitching," Lee said. "I was going to miss spots here and there.

"But for the most part, I felt like I had command from the first start to the last start. I made guys earn their way on."

'I want to make a habit of it'

Lee was determined to earn the respect of the Indians following a miserable 2007, when he was demoted to the minors.

He went 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA, but failed to make Cleveland's playoff roster.

"I was kind of pushed to the side," Lee said. "That was tough.

"It feels a lot better [now] than it felt in '07. I want to win this Cy Young again, I want to make a habit of it."

Halladay, 31, led the AL with 246 innings pitched and nine complete games in 33 starts — he pitched once in relief — and trailed only Lee with a 2.78 ERA.

His career-high 206 strikeouts ranked third in the AL behind teammate A.J. Burnett (231) and Ervin Santana of the Angels (214).

Rodriguez set a major-league record with 62 saves, while Matsuzaka went 18-3 with the Red Sox.

Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants was named National League Cy Young winner on Tuesday.