Winner prefers low-key approach

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.

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Associated Press

Zack Greinke

The Kansas City Royals ace easily beat out Felix Hernandez for the honor Tuesday after a spectacular season short on wins but long on domination. Winning left the extremely shy Greinke with mixed emotions.

"Back in Orlando, I haven't really got a whole lot of attention from people, which has been nice," he said. "So I hope it doesn't get that way, where everyone is like, 'Oh, hey, Zack, hi.'"

He'd prefer to remain anonymous when he's not on the mound. He's not looking forward to being introduced at banquets as "Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke" for the rest of his life.

"In that way, it's kind of like a negative for me," he said.

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.

Hernandez, 19-5 with a 2.49 ERA for the Seattle Mariners, drew two firsts, 23 seconds and one third for 80 points.

"I thought it was going to be real close between the two of us," Greinke said.

The NL winner will be announced Thursday.

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.

He fidgeted a bit and spoke softly during a series of telephone conference calls and a video linkup from a studio in Orlando, Fla.

Even before winning, this was sure to be a big week for Greinke. He is getting married on Saturday to high school girlfriend Emily Kuchar, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, and then is heading to Hawaii for a three-week honeymoon.