Clayton Kershaw

Leave a comment Posted on Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodger Devotee

One of the benefits of being retired is to immerse oneself into hobbies.  One of mine is following the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I’ve been a Dodger fan all my life.  In fact, the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles when I was born in 1958. One of the first memories I had was watching Don Drysdale pitch at Dodger Stadium in 1969, his last year of his career.

Back then, only road games from San Francisco and San Diego were televised so I’d listen to Vin Scully on the radio and keep score of the games. 

I followed the Dodgers as they won world championships in the 1960’s, 1980’s and now the 2020’s.

For the past few years, I’ve settled into a routine, immersing myself with all things Dodgers. On game day in the morning, I’ll read the sports articles in the Los Angeles Times including ones written by beat reporter Jack Harris, columnists Bill Plaschke, Dylan Hernandez and Bill Shaikin and editor Houston Mitchell. On The Athletic website, I’ll read any Dodger-related coverage.

At noon, I’ll turn on 570 KLAC, the Dodger radio station, and listen to Roggin and Rodney dissect the previous game and pontificate on that day’s game.

A couple of hours before game time, I’ll go to YouTube to find pressers with manager Dave Roberts.

I’ll turn on the Dodger TV station an hour before the game to watch John Hartung, Jerry Hairston and Nomar Garciaparra analyze what’s to come, then return to the postgame show with interviews from the players.

Then I go to the radio for Dodger Talk with David Vassegh where he takes calls from fans.

Finally, I watch the DodgerHeads podcast where a few hosts dissect the game for 90 minutes.

When the Dodgers are in the playoffs, as they have been for 13 consecutive years, I’ll turn on KLAC at 6:00 a.m. to hear host Tim Cates and former Dodger Steve Sax for the next three hours.

After each Dodger playoff game, Jack Harris and his fellow columnists upload a 15-minute video discussing that night’s action.

This year, the Dodgers are trying to become the first team in 25 years to repeat as champions, and the first Dodger team to ever win back-to-back World Series.

As of this publishing, the Dodgers have gone 7-1, winning both games in the Wild Card round against the Reds, three of four games in the Division round against the Phillies and the first two games in the Championship Series against the Brewers. 

They are six victories from reaching their goal.

Earlier this week, pitcher Black Snell pitched eight superb innings of shutout ball, allowing only one hit and no walks, striking out 10.  The next night Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched a complete game.  After giving up a homerun on the very first pitch, he allowed just two more hits and one walk, striking out seven.

That was the first playoff complete game in eight years, 21 years since a Dodger pitcher had one by Jose Lima in 2004.  The L.A. Dodgers have had 23 postseason complete games, with Sandy Koufax pitched three alone in the 1965 World Series.

Both of my sons who are in their 20’s were amazed to witness something they had never seen before in their lifetime:  a complete playoff game by a Dodger pitcher.  One son told me, “Dad, it’s so weird to see a pitcher end a game and still be there shaking the catcher’s hand!”

Last year, the Dodgers’ bullpen catapulted them to a championship having only two good starters.  This year, the script has flipped.   Their bullpen is in shambles while their starting rotation has four ace-level pitchers.

Here’s how Times columnist Bill Shaikin describes it.

“In 16 games last October, the Dodgers had more bullpen games (four) than quality starts (two), and the starters posted a 5.25 earned-run average.  In eight games this October, the Dodgers have seven quality starts, and not coincidentally they are 7-1. The starters have posted a 1.54 ERA, the lowest of any team in National League history to play at least eight postseason games.

“The Dodgers have deployed four silencers. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Ohtani.”

What a storybook ending it would be if future Hall of Fame pitcher Clayton Kershaw, the face of the Dodgers for the past 18 years, was put into the final inning of the last game of the World Series so he could experience the joy of hugging his catcher, last man standing on the mound.

I tell you one thing:  This team is on a mission.  Dodger fans can’t wait to see what they do next.

Leave a comment Posted on Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, Sandy Koufax

Clayton Kershaw, the Greatest Dodger Pitcher

Most baseball experts view Dodger legendary pitcher Sandy Koufax’s six-year run of outstanding dominance (1961-1966) as the best of any to ever play the game.  Unfortunately, Koufax had to retire at age 30 due to arm problems which limited his career numbers.

It could be argued that Clayton Kershaw is the greatest Dodger pitcher when it comes to longevity.

In his 18th season at age 37, Kershaw got his 3,000th strikeout on Wednesday to place him in an elite group of 20 pitchers who have reached that milestone.  No other Dodger is on that list.  It came on his 100th pitch of the night, the final out of the sixth inning.  That allowed a more extended time to celebrate Kershaw and his remarkable achievement with the fans and his family.  How magical was that!

It’s nice to know that Koufax has been Kershaw’s inspiration whenever Sandy visited spring training camps.  Kershaw was the one Dodger player to speak at the dedication ceremony of Koufax’s statue.  How nice a coincidence that both pitchers are lefties and have last names that start with ‘K’ which is shorthand for strikeout.

Kershaw won the Cy Young award three times in 2011, 2013, 2014, that last year also winning the MVP award.  Only 20 other pitchers in the history of the game have earned that honor.

Look at how Kershaw compares to others in the 3,000-strikeout club:

  • He is one of four left-handed pitchers on that list; Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton and CC Sabathia are the others.
  • He is one of three pitchers who stayed with the same team for their entire careers; Walter Johnson (Washington Senators) and Bob Gibson (St. Louis Cardinals) are the others.
  • He ranks fourth with the most strikeouts per nine innings.
  • He ranks second behind Walter Johnson (2.17) with the lowest career ERA of 2.52.
  • He ranks first with the highest winning percentage of .697 (216-94), meaning 70 percent of his decisions were victories.

What makes these achievements even more remarkable is the type of player and person Kershaw is:   

  • He’s a modest man who puts his team ahead of his individual feats.  To prove how true that is, last year when he was injured and hardly pitched, he was ecstatic about the Dodgers winning the World Series even though he admitted he had nothing to do with it. 
  • He leads by example.  His teammates marvel at his strict discipline in his preparation, adhering tightly to a timed routine that never varies which explains his consistency.
  • He is a competitor who pitches even better when there is traffic on the bases.
  • He is a decent person who never swears on the mound, a man of faith, who along with his wife Ellen has raised over $23 million assisting at-risk children and their families around the world with their Kershaw’s Challenge organization.

In his press conference after the game, he mentioned one pitcher in his time with whom he modeled himself after:  CC Sabathia.   Kershaw mentioned how Sabathia would often pitch on short rest and put his team on his shoulders during the playoffs.  Sounds like Kershaw and his competitive approach to the game.  No matter how many tough times he’s had in the playoffs, he’s the first one willing to push his body to its limits to help out his team.

I had a hard time deciding whether to attend Wednesday’s game. The big draw was the high chance that Kershaw would reach 3,000 strikeouts—he only needed three more. When you go to a game, there’s no guarantee your team will win or that you’ll witness something extraordinary like a no-hitter. But this felt like a near certainty. However, ticket prices had skyrocketed. In the end, my rational side won over my emotions, and I chose to watch the game on TV. That was a mistake.

That’s why when Kershaw is elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame five years after he retires, I will travel to Cooperstown to see that happen.   It’s the least I could do to pay my respects to a man who has given me so many wonderful moments as a Dodger fan.

Leave a comment Posted on Andy McCullough, Bill Plaschke, Bob Miller, Chris Erskine, Clayton Kershaw, Fred Claire, Pat Morrison, Paul Haddad, Perfect Eloquence, Ron Rapoport, Sammy Roth, Stories Books and Cafe, The Last of His Kind, Tom Hoffarth, Vin Scully, Vroman's Bookstore

My Blue Heaven

When was the last time you were at a book event?  You know, where the author talks about his new book, takes questions from the audience, then signs your copy, personalizing it for you?

It has been a while since I was last at one, but this month I’ve been to two; coincidentally both books are related to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

One book event was held at Vroman’s in Pasadena, an institution among independent bookstores since 1894; it is up for sale which makes its numerous loyal customers very nervous.

Perfect Eloquence:  An Appreciation of Vin Scully, edited by Tom Hoffarth, is a compendium of Vin Scully stories about the legendary Dodger announcer who passed away in 2022.

The physical book cover is printed in Dodger blue with an illustration of a microphone.

The top floor of the bookstore was overflowing with people.  This is the effect Vin Scully has on people two years after he passed away at age 94.

In addition to editor Hoffarth, seven other contributors were also in attendance:  journalists Chris Erskine, Paul Haddad, Pat Morrison, Ron Rapoport, Sammy Roth, and two very special guests, Hall of Fame announcer for the Los Angeles Kings Bob Miller and former Los Angeles Dodger executive Fred Claire.

Each one spoke about the piece they wrote for the book.  Each remembrance shared one thing in common:  that Vin Scully was the most generous man they every knew.  Notice that the focus is on the man, not the voice, which is how Vin Scully himself would have preferred to be remembered. 

Paul Haddad reminisced about the one time he met Vin Scully a couple of hours before a ballgame.  When he was escorted to the Press Box by a Dodger official, he saw Vin speaking into a microphone.  Haddad asked the official, “Is he recording commercials?”  The man responded, “No, he’s practicing.”  This story underscored how prepared Vin Scully was no matter how long he did the job, and he did the Dodger announcing job for 67 years.

The stories shared by Fred Claire were the most significant ones for he had a 50-year friendship with Vin.  He knew him better than anyone.

Fred Claire said that Vin had a perfect life in that he grasped the meaning of how to live one’s life:  being gracious to others.  He mentioned one time at Dodger Stadium a young reporter armed with a tape recorder came to interview Vin Scully before a ballgame.  The interview lasted 45 minutes.  Afterwards, Claire looked at the reporter who had tears in his eyes.  It turned out the tape recorder wasn’t working.  So Claire explained the situation to Vin, who said, “Tell the young man we’ll do the interview again.”

Claire spoke about how Vin and Jackie Robinson were very similar in their temperament.  At one of the last baseball events Jackie attended, when his vision was so diminished that lights had to be turned off whenever he was inside, a fan from the stands threw a baseball towards Robinson for him to sign, unaware about his poor eyesight.  Not seeing the ball, it bounced off his shoulder and hit his head.  People around him were yelling at security to throw the man out, but Jackie asked for the ball, signed it, and told people, “Return this to the gentleman.”

As Robinson famously said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”  In Jackie’s and Vin’s case, they were very important people indeed.

The second event took place at Stories Books and Cafe in Echo Park.  Andy McCullough, a senior writer at the Athletic, wrote The Last of His Kind:  Clayton Kershaw & The Burden of Greatness about future Hall of Famer pitcher Clayton Kershaw.  Andy was a beat writer for the Los Angeles Times covering the Dodgers which is how he knew Kershaw.  His former Times colleague, famed columnist Bill Plaschke, was the moderator.

What made the event extra special for me was that both McCullough and Plaschke visited my journalism classes.  When I did the high school newspaper, I would reach out to professional journalists to inspire my young students. 

When I mentioned this to both men that night, they did recall those outings.  Plaschke even remembered the name of a couple of my students who have remained in touch with him over the years.  I told him that I retired from teaching in 2020; he went up to me, shook my hand and said, “Bless you for what did.”

I happened to be the first person in line to have McCullough sign a book.  He didn’t have a pen, but I did and gave it to him.  After opening the book to locate a place to sign, he paused, puzzled and said, “I’ve never done this before, what do I write?”  That day was the release of the book so this was his very first signing event.

My initial thought was to tell him that I had two books published and had signings, but instead told him blandly, “Write ‘thanks for your interest’.”

If you’re a Dodger fan, you will have “interest” in having these two insightful new books published in the same month.  They will put you in Blue Heaven.

Editor Tom Hoffarth, contributors Sammy Roth, Paul Haddad, Ron Rapoport, Fred Claire, Chris Erskine, Bob Miller, Pat Morrison at Vroman’s Bookstore.

Author Andy McCullough and Moderator/Columnist Bill Plaschke at Stories Bookstore.

Leave a comment Posted on Dodgers

It’s No Longer Time for Dodger Baseball

And so, another Dodger season is over.

After winning 106 regular season games tying a franchise record, a wild-card game, the five-game division series against the Giants, as well as two games against the winning Atlanta Braves who will go on to play in the World Series, the 2021 Dodgers are in the books.

As a fan, it is always a weird, empty feeling knowing that your favorite sports team in the world is no longer going to be on the radio or TV playing.  You hold on to every last moment including the final time you will hear Charlie Steiner and Rick Monday on KLAC or Orel Hershiser and Nomar Garciaparra on Spectrum.   The announcers and analysts rarely say “see you next year,” their voices and faces disappear  off the air into a commercial.

For the Dodgers, the current roster will undergo changes due to players becoming free agents, among them:  Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Chris Taylor, Corey Seager, and Max Scherzer.

My guess is that Kershaw will return.  I can’t imagine that he and the Dodger organization don’t come up with an agreeable plan to allow the all-time great leftie to end his career in Dodger blue.

I’m afraid to say the it is doubtful any of the others will be back.  Not even the mighty Guggenheim Group who owns the club can give out big contracts to every player.

Looking back at this unprecedented 9-year run of Dodger playoff baseball, from 2013 to 2021, the only shame is that all those seasons, eight of them as first place division finishers, resulted in only one championship, and it had to be the crazy coronavirus shortened one so that critics can claim that it was because of the 60-game season that they won.  Those same critics should be reminded that the Houston Astros cheated their way to the 2017 banner which MLB should have revoked.

I don’t see the Dodgers fading away from the playoff picture quickly, but expect an eventual downturn with the Giants and Padres rising in quality for the foreseeable future.

One day Dodger fans will look back yearning for the days of Kershaw and Jansen and Seager and Scully.

For now, we wait 5 months for spring and baseball to return.