Giants Lincecum NL Cy Young winner

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NEW YORK, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum was named Tuesday as the 2008 National League Cy Young Award winner.

Lincecum placed first on 23 of the 32 ballots cast by two writers from each NL city to become just the second pitcher in Giants history to win the award and the first since lefthander Mike McCormick in 1967. Lincecum finished second on seven ballots and third on one, as he received 137 points based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system.

Arizona's Brandon Webb, the 2006 winner, finished second for the second straight year with 73 points, placing first on four ballots. New York's Johan Santana received four first- place votes and was third with 55 points.

Lincecum, 24 and in just his second major league season, was 18-5 for the Giants. He led the majors with 265 strikeouts, was second in the NL with a 2.62 earned run average and had the highest winning percentage in the NL (.783).

He joins Dwight Gooden (1985) and Fernando Valenzuela (1981) as the only pitchers to win the NL Cy Young Award in their second season. Brett Saberhagen (1985) did it in the AL.