(My Sportsbook) - The Baseball Writers' Association of America will continue to dole out their postseason awards on Thursday, as the American League's Cy Young Award winner will be announced.

Cleveland lefty Cliff Lee appears to be a lock for the award after going an MLB-best 22-3 with an AL-leading 2.54 ERA, second in the majors only to Johan Santana of the New York Mets (2.53 ERA). His 22 wins were tied for the major league lead with Arizona's Brandon Webb, who was the National League's runner- up for the Cy Young Award to San Francisco's Tim Lincecum on Tuesday.

Lee, who had to fight for a rotation spot in spring training after a miserable 2007 campaign that saw him spend some time in the minor leagues, threw four complete games, including two shutouts, and struck out 170 batters in his 223 1/3 innings, allowing just 214 hits and 34 walks.

His remarkable season included an 11-game winning streak, the longest in baseball since 2005, and he was tabbed as the AL's starting pitcher in the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.

Lee's season was even more amazing considering the fact that he was just 5-8 a year ago with a 6.29 ERA in 20 games, 16 of which were starts.

Should he win, Lee would be the second straight Indian to claim the award, following CC Sabathia's triumph from a year ago. Gaylord Perry was also a Cy Young Award winner for Cleveland back in 1972.

Lee has already been named the AL Comeback Player of the Year and was named the AL's best pitcher by the Sporting News in addition to being the Player's Choice Award winner for the best pitcher in his league.

Lee's main competition will come from Toronto Blue Jays righty Roy Halladay, who was 20-11 with a 2.78 earned run average and a major league-best nine complete games, including two shutouts.

Halladay won this award in 2003.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim closer Francisco Rodriguez may also get some votes after saving a major league-record 62 games for the AL West champions this season.

Rodriguez's reward, though, will likely come in the form of a monster contract this offseason, as the right-hander is testing the free agent waters for the first time in his career.