While I would not characterize it as a gem, Clayton Kershaw delivered five solid innings without ever breaking 90 MPH. He has successfully reinvented himself as a soft-tossing lefty. If the Dodgers can reimagine how they use him and Shohei Ohtani, they could win another World Championship, and Clayton could ride off into the sunset… and if they are successful in that quest, I believe that this is the last season we will see Clayton Kershaw pitch. It’s probably the last one… win or lose, as the Kershaws are expecting their fifth child late this year.
I have almost finished “The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness” by Andy McCullough. I started it about a year ago, but am just getting around to finishing it. Amazon says this about it:
This “outstanding” biography of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw examines the genesis of his brilliance, his epic quest to win the World Series, and his singular place within the evolving baseball landscape—based on exclusive interviews with Kershaw and more than 200 others (The Los Angeles Times).
More than any baseball player of his generation, Clayton Kershaw has embodied the rewards and burdens of athletic greatness. He is a three-time Cy Young award winner, the first pitcher to win National League MVP since Bob Gibson, and a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Many of his peers consider him the greatest pitcher to ever climb atop a big-league mound.
In an age when baseball became more impersonal, Kershaw personified the game’s lingering humanity, with his joy and suffering on display each October as he chased a championship. He pitched through pain, placing his future at risk on the game’s grandest stages. He endeared himself to teammates and foes alike with his refusal to make excuses and with his willingness to shoulder the blame when he failed. He further impressed them when he returned, year after year, even as his body broke down from the strain of his profession. When the Dodgers finally won a title in 2020, the baseball world exulted in his triumph.
The Last of His Kind traces Kershaw’s path from a boyhood fractured by divorce to his development as one of the most-heralded pitching prospects in Texas history to his emergence in Los Angeles as the spiritual heir to Sandy Koufax. The book also charts Kershaw’s place in baseball’s changing landscape as his own stubbornness butted against the game’s evolution. The story of baseball in the 21st century can be told through Kershaw’s career—to understand how baseball is played today, and how it got that way, you must understand the journey of Clayton Kershaw.
I am going to suggest that in order to win in 2025, the Dodgers are going to have to use Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw differently. Shohei is too important to the offense to ride him for six, seven, or eight innings as a starting pitcher. I am going to suggest that the Dodgers figure out how they can “piggyback” Ohtani and Kershaw. Start Ohtani, so he can stay in as DH, and they take him out after four or five innings and replace his RH blazing fastball with a LH soft-tossing LHP… who could go three or four innings. This could be a winning combination. Then add in Blake Snell, Yoshi Yamamoto, and a healthy Tyler Glasnow.
The Dodgers are in first place and have the best record in the NL, despite having an entire pitching staff on the shelf, most of whom will be back. I am thinking we are going to see back-to-back championships and then the G.O.A.T. will ride off into the sunset.
Last night’s games had some unusual heros: Kike and Miggy-Ro. Just keep on keeping-on.
Debating whether to drive down to KC next weekend to watch the Dodgers. I was hoping to catch Kershaw potentially get to 3K. Looks like he will be pitching in Colorado though on Thursday. I thought the bullpen was going to blow another Kershaw win. It might just be me, but it seems like Kersh would have passed Sutton’s win total of 233 had he had a better pen behind him most of his career. I’m not sure how many wins they’ve blown during his career but it seems like a lot.
How did the W-L record of the Sutton Dodgers compare to the Kershaw Dodgers?
Without looking it up, I’m pretty sure that Kershaw had the benefit of playing on better teams.
All considered, I could never get that excited by Sutton. I was spoiled young by Koufax and Drysdale, and later by Fernando and Hershiser–and then Kershaw.
Sutton may be in the HOF, but he doesn’t make my all-time LAD rotation.
Great to see Shohei ramping up on the mound….
In Mountain View, CA, today. Staying at a fantastic Hotel – one of the best I have ever enjoyed: https://www.theameswellhotel.com/
ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!
Ate dinner at Sushi Tomi in Mountain View. Some of the best sushi I have ever enjoyed. https://sushi-tomi.restaurants-world.com/ It’s a beautiful 70 degree day day in the Bay Area today.
Our son is staying at our house, throwing himself another birthday party. 😉
Headed to Milpitas this afternoon for a family reunion of my wife’s family. She is the rock Star of her family… I am just Mr. Patricia Timmons. I’m fine with that!
I cannot tell you enough how great Andy McCullough’s book on Claytin is.
I just posted about this on the “other” non-TrueBlue blog.
McCullough is a wonderful writer.
Yes he is!
Great stuff
I got back yesterday from a 20 day European river cruise. Picturesque but I’m “castled” out, “ancient-ed-out”. Everything was 13th century this and 17th century that. It all runs together in my mind. Nice trip but I’m more a home body and could not watch a single Dodgers game. I’d wake up at 4am there to “watch” via the Gameday function on the MLB app. Better than nothing at all but NOT for a real baseball fan.
I tried to stay up til 7:10pm last night but that was 4am to my body clock right now, I didn’t make it. Recorded and watched it when I woke up at 2am here because nothing else to do at that time of day!!
Roberts has been chanelling his inner Lasorda.
5 PM PDT Sunday, I will be in Front of a TV somewhere in the Bay Area.
Go Pacers!
Friday scores
Round Rock 13, Oklahoma City 4
Midland 2, Tulsa 0
Peoria 7, Great Lakes 1
Rancho Cucamonga 10, Lake Elsinore 7
Saturday schedule
Peoria (Chen-Wei Lin) at Great Lakes (Sean Linan), 4:05 PM PST
Midland (Kyle Robinson) at Tulsa (Jackson Ferris), 5:00 PM PST
Round Rock (Michael Plassmeyer) at Oklahoma City (TBA), 5:05 PM PST
Lake Elsinore (Abraham Parra) at Rancho Cucamonga (Jakob Wright), 6:30 PM PST
For more detailed recaps,stats,schedules, daily standings and box scores for Dodger minor league teams go to the top of this page and cIick on MINOR LEAGUE AFFLIATES.
ACL Dodgers 3, ACL Angels 1
I’m not sure where Eduardo Quintero is ranked in the Baseball 100 top prospects various lists, but come mid-season rankings, he should be Top 50!!
Definitely Top 100. The Dodgers should have 9 or 10 by then
10:10 PM ET
Nationals (31-45)
Dodgers (47-30)
SP Jake Irvin R
5-3 4.23 ERA
SP Dustin May R
4-4 4.46 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
RF T. Hernandez R
3B Max Muncy L
CF Andy Pages R
LF M. Conforto L
2B Tommy Edman S
68° Wind 9 mph Out
“I am going to suggest that the Dodgers figure out how they can “piggyback” Ohtani and Kershaw. Start Ohtani, so he can stay in as DH, and they take him out after four or five innings and replace his RH blazing fastball with a LH soft-tossing LHP… who could go three or four innings. This could be a winning combination. Then add in Blake Snell, Yoshi Yamamoto, and a healthy Tyler Glasnow.”
-Ain’t gonna lie….that sounds alright, alright, alright….
“… best record in the NL, despite having an entire pitching staff on the shelf, most of whom will be back. I am thinking we are going to see back-to-back championships and then the G.O.A.T. will ride off into the sunset.”
-Not sure about that (are we sure about anything in this crazy game) ….but it should be an interesting ride down the stretch….
Watching last night’s game with the Nats in town; can’t help but think if ‘Trader’ Jack McKeon-wannabe AJ Preller just stood still with the deals and kept Abrams, Wood and Gore…I think the only thing left from any of the lingering Soto wreckage is King, who’s on the shelf….
Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals brought to you by The Paul George Foundation hopefully is a good one…enjoy…..
Probably won’t be a popular thought but it might be time to change Betts and Pages in the batting order.
That won’t happen. Pages is more of a power guy. Betts is a 30 million dollar a year superstar. They do not hit 6th in the order.
Hey Bear. I read your post on Crawford. I was at the game you mentioned on August 1, 1971. My family was celebrating my seventh Bday at Dodger Stadium.
When the players walked off the field we knew the Dodgers had won but we didn’t know why. It was on the way home when we heard on the radio that catchers interference was called on Johnny Bench.
I know it won’t happen. A power guy that’s hitting .292 needs to have a decent guy hitting behind him. Why our opponents throw Pages a strike with any runner on and Conforto hitting behind him is beyond my comprehension. I thought Pages went chasing in his first at bat because the Dodgers had a runner on and two out. That might be my prejudice working.
Even slumping, Betts remains one of the best baserunners in the game. And he’s always had a knack for performing in the clutch. I think opposing coaches and teams are wary every time he steps to the plate in a key moment.
And remember: a Betts slump isn’t anything like a Conforto slump. Plus, Mookie should improve. So I’d keep him batting 2nd.
But if we want to fiddle with the lineup, how about this versus RHP:
Shohei DH (ain’t broke)
Smith C (leading the league in BA at .328, with a .425 OBP)
Freddy 1B (of course, with a .321 BA and .391 OBP)
Pages LF (team’s top RBI man with an .844 OPS)
Max 3B (.904 OPS vs RHP; platoon with Kike or Rojas vs lefties)
Teo RF (still dangerous, but Pages has nudged ahead of him in offense)
Mookie SS (batting 7th!?! His OPS of .729 is the lowest of the starting 9)
Edman CF (.746 OPS, with 10 HRs)
Kim 2B (small sample–74 ABs–but .959 OPS including a .418 OBP)
Jason Heyward DFA
4:10 PM ET
Nationals (32-45)
Dodgers (47-31)
SP Michael Soroka R
3-5 5.06 ERA
SP Shohei Ohtoni
0-0 9.00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
DH S. Ohtani L
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
3B Max Muncy L
RF Andy Pages R
2B Tommy Edman S
CF Hyeseong Kim L
LF M. Conforto L
C D. Rushing L
78° Wind 8 mph Out
What’s up with Teo??
Thanks for posting as always Andrew
ALL:
I hate non-pitchers pitching! For the costs of watching ” Dodger Baseball” in person or on Spectrum TV, it is a comsumer ripoff. As a LA Dodger fan since 1958, it is an embarssemnt! I sure hope the Dodgers or MLB will interject some come sense into selling this wonderful entertainmet product to the public,…
You’re welcome!
Somehow I missed these words of wisdom from a recent dispatch in the Book of Moron:
“I am sure they [Dodger brass and scouts} are kicking the tires all over the league, but as I have said before, Ward, Ruiz, Outman, or any other internal solution is likely worse than the present player in LF. Some of you want change just for the sake of change, and that is never good! Realistically, the Dodgers do not have an LF’er in the system that is better than what they presently have.
Ryan Ward hit another Grand Slam last night, but no one really thinks he can play in LA. MAYBE!
James Outman is hitting .125 in his last 15 games and is striking at at nearly a 40% clip. NO!
Esteury Ruiz is hitting .278 and can run down any hit ball… he just might not catch it. HARD NO!
Dalton Rushing has played a total of 10 innings this year in LF. DEFINITE NO!
I’d humbly submit that Ward, Outman, Ruiz and Rushing would all be an upgrade over Conforto in the outfield.
Consider:
–Today Rushing got on base in each of his of his 4 ABs. After a slow start, he has raised his OPS to .689 and his BA to .244. Meanwhile, Conforto got a hit and raised his OPS to .565 and his OPS to .165. Playing Rushing in LF as well as C will help him get more ABs and develop consistency.
–Ruiz recently led the AL in stolen bases. In OKC his OPS is .811 and his OBP is .389–a great number for a “second leadoff” type. Why should we assume Conforto would be better?
–Despite Mark’s cherry-picked negative stats, Outman’s OPS in OKC is .908, with 16 HRs in 59 games. Add his 2 HRs for the Dodgers and his total matches Ryan Ward’s 18. Even though Outman slumped badly during his brief stay in The Show, his weak .596 OPS is actually superior to Conforto’s .565. Outman 2 HRs came in only 24 ABs–on every 12 ABs–while Conforto has 4 HRs in 212 ABs, or 1 every 53 ABs (Of course, the Book of Moron insists that Outman’s bat just “runs into” the occasional HR, though it has happened 18 times this season.) And nobody is claiming that Conforto plays defense better than Outman.
–Ryan Ward must really be a terrible fielder, because his offense in OKC has been awesome: a 964 OPS, . 398 OBP, a .302 BA and 18 HRs. Can somebody make a rationale argument as to why Conforto’s crappy stats actually make him the better choice to play LF for the Dodgers? Does this look like a meritocracy? Or is it that the brass decided to pay Conforto $17 million and they will wait a long time before admitting their mistake…
And because Mark insists that none of these four ould be better than Conforto, he suggests that the brass should target the Marlin’s Kyle Stowers in a trade.
Certainly Stowers would be an upgrade over Conforto, but he’s under team control for a few more years. The Marlins would need a big haul and Stowers could wind up blocking prospects like Hope, Sirota and De Paula. (Would Mark offer any of these prospects to land Stowers?)
A rental like Mullins would make more sense than just riding with Conforto.
And I don’t see how Conforto makes more sense than more ABs from Outman, Rushing, Ruiz or Ward.
Having written this, I fully expect Conforto to get hot. If that happens, you’re welcome, Dodger fans.
Good post.
The question with a Stowers or Duran is: do you think they have equal or more upside than the prospects the Dodgers currently have (Quintero, Hope, DePaula, Sirota) who would be included in a trade or blocked by a Stowers or Duran?
One thing to consider is that both of those guys are at the MLB level now (Duran might be off the table bc of the Devers trade). DePaula and Sirota are at least a couple of years away, assuming they aren’t busts like the vast majority of prospects (where are you now, Cartaya?)
Conforto stinks, but he stunk in the first half last year, and the Dodgers signed him bc of his second half performance. The Dodgers can afford to wait.
I don’t entirely get the Ward situation. I know his value as a prospect is diminished bc he’s older for a prospect and his defense isn’t good, but it’s hard to imagine why he has seemingly NO value. It’d be nice for him to see The Show, even for a proverbial cup of coffee.
My hunch is that if Conforto improves even a little during the 2nd half, he’ll be on the playoff roster. Ya know. Veterans.
If I’m the Dodgers, though, you’re gonna have to teach Rushing to play another position unless you want to trade him. His offensive ceiling is too high to be a backup catcher, and Smith is here for the next decade.
Please,NO more Kiki pitching in blowouts, even for one inning. It’s NOT real baseball. It’s an embarassment! Bring in a Real reliever for one inning and end the game. The last two times he pitched Roberts had to bring in a relever to end the game. I hope MLB tightens up this clamity.
amen AVF! i thought the minute he had kike warming up to in the bullpen,NO! Trevino is not a “premier “. arm down there ( he has been pretty good), why couldn’t he just finish it up? that’s two in a row Doc. put kike out there and had to put a regular reliever in to stop the bleeding. Enough! …. Ohtani mustvhave set his alarm clock ! He finally got out if the snooze he was in! … Max? enough said!…. Again, freddie looks like he’s not enjoying being at the ballpark. Hopefully Coors field will get him right!….. Why do the dodgers take 5 out of 7 from the giants and padres, and then struggle with the Nats? they could have lost all 3 games realistically! …. June is almost over. Will AF make a move for a corner outfielder? Conforto is averaging around 1 hit every 3 games! …. nice outing by glasnow. is Snell getting close? …. I don’t think the dodgers will resign Dustin May. just my opinion though. Time and Dustin’s remaining performance will most certainly dictate what happens.
Freddie really struggling with injuries and sad to watch. I guess they feel a stint on IL won’t help him. Mookie struggling. All that lost weight probable catching up with him. Ohtani finally had great game. Teo hanging in there—-We keep winning and 1 game short of best record in baseball