Halladay wins AL Cy Young Award
NEW YORK, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The 2003 American League Cy Young Award has been won by Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The righthander became the second pitcher in 60 years to win 15 straight decisions this past season.
Halladay, 26, did not lose a game in May, June or July, joining six-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens as the only pitchers in the last 60 years to record 15 consecutive wins. He won 11 straight starts in the middle of that stretch.
He led or tied for the AL lead in wins (22), starts (36), innings (266), complete games (nine), and shutouts (two), and finished with just seven losses, was fifth in the league with a 3.25 ERA. and third with 204 strikeouts.
Halladay finished strong with a 5-1 record and a 1.41 goals-against average in September, including a 10-inning shutout against Detroit.
He received 26 of the 28 first-place votes and 136 points to win by a comfortable margin over Esteban Loaiza of the Chicago White Sox, and is the third member of the Blue Jays to win the award, joining Pat Hentgen in 1996 and Clemens in 1997 and '98.
Among others getting votes were Pedro Martinez of Boston, Tim Hudson of Oakland, Jamie Moyer of Seattle, and Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees.
Finalists named for Lombardi Award
HOUSTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Southeastern Conference standouts David Pollack of Georgia and Shawn Andrews of Arkansas were among the four finalists named for the Lombardi Award on Tuesday.
They were joined by defensive end David Ball of UCLA and defensive tackle Tommie Harris of Oklahoma. The award honors the top lineman or linebacker in college football each year.
The winner will be announced on Dec. 10.
The SEC has two finalists for the award for the first time since 1985, when Tracy Rocker of Auburn took the honor and Derrick Thomas of Alabama was a finalist.
Pollack, a junior defensive end, is fifth on Georgia's career sack list with 18 1/2. Andrews, a 353-pound offensive tackle, is the Razorback' first finalist since Billy Ray Smith in 1981 and '82. He played every offensive snap in a seven-overtime win over Kentucky.
Ball has 13 1/2 sacks this season and 27 1/5 in his career, both school records.
Harris was a finalist last year as a sophomore.
Biceps injury shelves Hand for season
SEATTLE, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Defensive tackle Norman Hand of Seattle is done for the season for the year because of a torn biceps muscle.
Hand, acquired in April, has been hampered by a groin injury and a bruised toe this season, and managed just 10 tackles and one sack in six games. He tore the biceps muscle in a Nov. 2 win over Pittsburgh and missed last Sunday's 27-20 loss at Washington.
Hand, 31, likely will become the fourth member of the Seahawks to go on injured reserve and second defensive tackle. Fourth-year player Cedric Woodard and rookie Rashad Moore are the starters at the defensive tackle positions for Seattle with veteran John Randle moving in on passing downs.
"When you lose somebody, he's always going to be missed," Randle told the Seattle Times. "It hurts our rotation a little bit, but you know, the next guy has to step it up."
The 6-3, 310-pound Hand started 74 games over the last five seasons, two with San Diego and three with New Orleans.
Quintal sidelined with irregular heartbeat
MONTREAL, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Defenseman Stephane Qunital of the Montreal Canadiens has been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.
Quintal was fatigued during practice on Friday, but dismissed the feeling before growing concerned when his heart started beating erratically prior to the team's pregame meal at Buffalo. He opted to return home to Montreal for treatment rather than remain in Buffalo.
Doctors don't know when Quintal will return.
"They've done all the tests they can do and my heart is fine," he told reporters, adding that there was some speculation his thyroid might be partially to blame. "They said sometimes it can be from stress, but I'm not really stressed out. It's a happy time in my life right now, so I've ruled that out."
Quintal missed both Montreal games over the weekend. For the season, the 6-3, 231-pounder has one goal, two assists, and a plus-4 differential.
