A brief digression -- how the NL Cy Young vote proves democracy/idiocracy doesn't work

Tim Lincecum wins the NL Cy Young.

What puzzles me the most is that C.C. Sabathia got 3 votes (1 first, 1 second, and 1 third).

I understand the first place vote.

But who on earth concludes that he gets a second place vote? Or a third?

There are only two sensible positions to take.

1) Sabathia didn't pitch enough in the National League to prove that he was the best pitcher in the league -- the Cy Young is a year-long award.

2) Sabathia was far and away the best pitcher in the National League, even on three days' rest, he was phenomenal and was the key to the Brewers' playoff run. His ERA was Bob Gibson-level fantastic and no pitcher meant more to his team.

There is no "well, Sabathia only pitched half the season in the National League, therefore, he's the second or third best pitcher in the National League."

Too dumb for words. While it's exceptionally rare that there's someone who is so clearly empirically better than another that this is the case, this is definitely that case.

Yesterday was another proof of democracy not working, with Edinson Volquez receiving three second place votes for Rookie of the Year, even though he was not a rookie. The people casting those votes should have their votes taken away from them.