Clayton Needs To Fix This

I think the end result could be reality. Darvish? Maybe… if he’s healthy. That has been an issue, but the Rangers have had a lot of injuries. I expect them to come back.

And from Waaaaaaayyyyyyyyy out in left field, the Rangers are 5-10. I am sticking to my preseason prediction: Dodgers get Yu Darvish at the end of July… And never look back and roll through the play-offs and World Series. Vinnie is in the lead car at the parade, What the hell, it’s thursday, why not dream a little!

Sandy Koufax used to be my favorite Dodger. In the past 10 years, Clayton Kershaw has passed Koufax to become my favorite player, so when I say that he needs to make some changes, I say it as his biggest fan.

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It is clear to me that his intensity and determination have made him what he is, but I believe there are times when that intensity is a detriment – times when he just tries to power through, when he would be best served by being less intense, relaxing and “letting the game come to him.” Nothing derogatory, just constructive criticism.

I agree with the article at Dodgers Digest. Bellinger should not come up until he’s playing every day. He shouldn’t be part of a platoon. I’m not a guy who comes on here complaining about every platoon either. Bellinger should be on the field every day either in LF or 1B whether it be in OKC or LA.

The thing I noticed about Kike a few games ago is that he went the other way a couple of times. Last year, he was pulling off of everything and if he didn’t get a fastball middle-in off a lefty then he didn’t stand a chance.

Puig is having quality AB’s. He isn’t over matched and he isn’t chasing balls out of the strike zone. Toles hit a missle last night just right at the guy. I would hit Puig second or 6th against righties. I prefer Seager and Turner hitting 3-4. Batting Puig second would accomplish that. With Forsythe on the DL we will see a lot of different batting orders though.

Eibner looked like he crapped himself last night.

Clayton is the stopper and last night he stopped a 3 game losing streak, got the team back to .500 and sets them up for a key road trip after an off day. It was good to see Kenley get some work in with a clutch 4 out save. The next 9 games are huge and after coming home to face the Phillies for 3 get the Giants again for 3 more. I think they can win all 4 series and go something like 9 and 4 and take control of the division. All they need to do is hit consistently!

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With the lineup last night it was good that Kershaw was pitching, and Kike and Taylor came up big. It has to be great for their confidence as well. With Forsythe out awhile it’s time for team dad Utley to step up and I think he will.

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Any word on Gutierrez return? The RH hitter for the OF has been in flux, and it was good to see SVS go deep last night, he has been pressing. Eibner has continued his hot spring with a hot performance at OKC, maybe he steps up for the big club. Tough break for Segedin and Forsythe, two injured toes in one night? If you are a minor league player it is pretty obvious that you can be called up any time. I hope Dickson gets a shot at some point.

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Fields has pitched well but I think he will be up and down a lot this year like Avilan was last year. Liberatore could be too with Dayton going down.

Kershaw needs to do nothing.

He’s a generational talent.

Let’s appreciate what we have and not nit-pick.

I’ve got the same read on Clayton that Mark has – he relies a great deal on his routine as he prepares for each start. His teammates often discuss how they marvel at how intense and maniacal CK is about preparation. The other day, my son asked me why CK has not been as clutch in the playoffs. I speculated that this may have to do, in part, with the fact that playoff schedules are very different than the regular season and it throws off Kershaw’s normal game preparation routine. As I recall, when discussing that clutch save vs. the Nationals in Game 5, CK mentioned he was not concerned about coming in because it was already his normal day to throw in the bullpen. In other words, because he could think about it as an event that did not deviate too far from his routine, he drew confidence in being able to perform.

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I agree with Mark. I love the guy because he is so great and he works so hard. But if he can adapt on this front, he will shut down the few naysayers he has left.

Mark

I agree with most everything, that you said.

You are right about Kershaw, he needs to be able to adjust to

certain situations, that come up, and not let anything or anyone, mess with his game.

The fact that he was still holding on to this, after the game, tells me, he did let them, get him off his game.

He also needs to learn to know, when he doesn’t have it, anymore, too.

It was good to see Taylor match Kike, in his at bats, because it had to be hard, to be sent down, after the spring training he had, and knowing how Kike performed, in the season before.

It was also good to see Scott do what he does best, and it was good to see a little, offense.

But I am not going to get my hopes up, from this one game, for two reasons.

The first reason, is because this pitcher they faced last night, hasn’t been good most of the season, and other teams, have beat him up, even harder.

And the second reason, is that this is only one game.

About Puig, it seemed like after Puig had those good games, he started to get a little cocky, to soon.

He was acting like the big guy out in right, and he started standing out of the box, instead of taking off, after he hit two balls on the line, one to center in that game before, and to left center field, last night.

But they were not hit as hard, as he thought.

One didn’t even make it to the warning track, and the other hit, only got to the wall.

It seems like, when Roberts moves Puig farther up in the batting order, he almost always, tries to do to much.

I agree Puig does better hitting lower, in the line up.

But if Puig could step up, I would think about batting him second, not fourth, so Corey and Turner, could hit him in.

Because if Puig can get on base in front of them, he might get them, more fastballs, to hit.

I am glad they have a day off today, so Turner can have one more day, to heal, and to give Corey a day off, because I think he needs some rest, both mentally, and physically.

Because he really didn’t have much time, to build his endurance up, because he missed most of spring training, and he only had about one or two weeks, before the season began.

He is a a really good player, but he is also human.

Liberatore pitched to one guy, gave up a hit, and took the loss. I think the next pitcher gave up the hit that knocked in his run. Spitsbarth is 0-2017 at RC. I see him moving up soon.

Kershaw said that the ploy didn’t affect the first inning problems he had. I agree. He just probably shouldn’t talk about it publicly. All is fair. I think it is a smart ploy as long as the league lets them get away with it. I have noticed more pitchers pitching in the style of Kershaw, with the hesitation at the top of the windup. Anderson did it last night. Kershaw has been around long enough for people to be copying him, starting in youth ball. It might save the elbow/shoulder. Not sure about the back.

My amateur psychologist gut agrees with Mark’s amateur psychologist gut regarding Kershaw. Does he overthrow in the Playoffs due to desire to win and intensity he puts into those games?

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Oral mentioned in a recent game that Koufax was going to pitch extra innings in a game before he was Koufax and therefore didn’t throw as hard in that game to help him throw more innings. The result was he learned that 93 MPH made him a pitcher and not a thrower as he pitched close to a perfect game and after that game, he became Koufax. Okay, I embellished some from what Oral actually said.

Is that a goat or Hunter Pence?