 The selection committee usually consists of five former pitchers.The 2008 panel consisted of Masayuki Dobashi (chairman), Masaji Hiramatsu, Tsuneo Horiuchi, Choji Murata, and Yutaka Ohno.Because it began as an independent award by "Nekkyū", a magazine catered towards Giants fans, only Central League pitchers were eligible to win the award from (the first year the NPB employed the current two-league format) to .