DODGERS The Mighty KERSHAW Thread

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by irish, Jun 29, 2014.

  1. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    Kershaw overpowering in June
    By ESPN Stats & Information | ESPN.com -- 4 hours ago

    Los Angeles Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw just completed one of the most impressive calendar months in major league history. Kershaw allowed zero runs and struck out 13 in seven innings as the Dodgers blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0.

    Kershaw went 6-0 with an 0.82 ERA and 61 strikeouts in June. He’s the only pitcher in major league history to be unbeaten with that many wins, that many strikeouts and an ERA that low in a single calendar month.

    Only three other pitchers have gone 6-0 with a sub-1.00 ERA and 50 or more strikeouts in a month: Hideo Nomo in June 1995, Randy Johnson in April 2000 and Justin Verlander in June 2011.

    Kershaw's 61 strikeouts in June were the most by any Dodgers pitcher in any month since Sandy Koufax had 62 in June 1966.

    Kershaw’s month included a no-hitter and ended with a streak of 28 scoreless innings. He now has 107 strikeouts and only 11 walks this season. His ERA is 1.11 with seven runs allowed in eight starts since getting pounded for seven runs by the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 17.

    How he dominated
    Kershaw owned the month largely because of a super sharp slider. He had 34 strikeouts with his slider and 14 more with his curveball. His 48 breaking ball strikeouts were 18 more than the next pitcher, Yu Darvish.

    When he wasn’t striking hitters out, he was getting them to hit the ball on the ground. Kershaw’s 65 percent ground ball rate was the highest in the majors this month.

    __
     
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  2. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    DODGERS REPORT
    Kershaw's latest streak defies description
    By Andy Kamenetzky | ESPN Los Angeles -- 6 hours ago

    [​IMG]

    LOS ANGELES -- It feels absolutely logical to state that at some point before the 2014 season ends, Los Angeles Dodgers starter and reigning Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw will give up another run. After all, it's not yet July. This is big league baseball. Even the greatest pitchers surrender runs. That's the world we live in, and therefore, it makes total sense to picture an opponent crossing the dish under Kershaw's watch.

    Then again, consider how Sunday’s 6-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals extended Kershaw’s streak of scoreless innings to 28, the longest by any Dodgers pitcher since Orel Hershiser (59.0) in 1988. Or how he just put the finishing touches on a 6-0/61 strikeout/0.82 ERA June that has offered no signs of slowing. Staring down these numbers, it doesn't feel entirely illogical to assume he'll put up goose eggs from now through September, even though that makes absolutely no sense.

    Quite frankly, Kershaw is pitching so far out of his mind right now that nothing about him makes any sense.

    It makes no sense, for example, that when asked about Kershaw's latest date with brilliance, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly's reaction was to shrug rather than gush. That is, until you hear the explanation.

    "The hard thing with Clayton is that we've been seeing this for a while now," Mattingly said. "And every year it seems similar. Obviously, there are stretches where he's really, really over-the-top good. But every year, there's been numerous games where it feels like he's gone out and done this. It's hard to feel like this is just so much different than the others, because it's not really. It seems the same. I wanna appreciate how good he is. I don't wanna downplay it. But it seems very similar to the last few years."

    Scarily, Mattingly is right.

    Check out Kershaw's stats, and the way he's running through batters is remarkably unremarkable judged against the rest of his career. Save his rookie season, he has yet to post an ERA above 3.00, had fewer than 185 strikeouts or and more than 10 losses.

    This June, which has generated video-game stats and enough wind from strikeouts to power a small city, is merely a microcosm of who Kershaw is.

    That's simply the truth, even if it doesn't make sense.

    "It's impressive, man," gushed outfielder Matt Kemp, who has been Kershaw's teammate since the left-hander entered the league. "He's adding pitches every year. He's getting better and better every year. He's the best pitcher in the league. He's one of the best pitchers I've ever seen. I enjoy playing behind him."

    Like Kemp, Andre Ethier has witnessed Kershaw's entire career, which grows more special by the outing, from a front-row seat. Asked to summarize the experience, and the outfielder admits he hasn't truly made sense of it.

    "It's one of those things, I think later on, when I'm done playing, a few years down the road, I'll look at it and probably say, 'I can't believe I got a chance to play with that guy and be his teammate,'" Ethier said. "[To] see a guy of that caliber up close and personal. I appreciate it, but I think as a player you're concerned with everything, yourself, and other things going on that you don't have a chance to actually sit back and really take advantage and enjoy having been on the same team and getting to watch him."

    Even the man of the hour offers no help in making sense of this run. Ask him to explain this groove, and he's as little help as the next guy.

    "I don't know," Kershaw said. "Yeah, I don't know."

    Sure, Kershaw might have played coy to prevent giving up the ghost to future opponents.

    Or because he'd much rather heap praise on his fellow starters than himself.

    Or because, like many athletes, he simply didn't feel like answering a reporter's question.

    Or maybe even Kershaw struggles to wrap his head around how unthinkably good he's pitching right now, or how unthinkably good of a pitcher he has become.

    Hard as it is to remember these days, the guy is actually human.

    __
     
  3. LASports96

    LASports96 DSP Legend

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    He's getting better, crazy
     
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  4. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    amazing isn't it?
     
  5. lastatman

    lastatman DSP Legend Staff Member Moderator

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    As remarkable as Kershaw's 28 inning scoreless streak is, it's still only half of Drysdale's and less than half of Orel's. Really puts those two runs into perspective.

    But what Kersh is doing with the K's, the wins, and the pure dominance as described in these two articles is truly a once-in-a-lifetime thing that we as fans get the privilege of witnessing.
     
  6. IBleedBlue15

    IBleedBlue15 DSP Stud

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    I think there will be a point in his career where he has command of all 3 of his pitches almost every night. If he ever gets there, that'd be insane.
     
  7. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    just don't hit the ball to hanley
     
  8. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    [​IMG]
     
  9. IBleedBlue15

    IBleedBlue15 DSP Stud

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    Yo tell Felix to toss over his nickname to the real King.
     
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  10. MZA

    MZA MODERATOR Staff Member

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    Lord Kershaw, first of his name
     
  11. KOUFAX0000

    KOUFAX0000 DSP Legend Damned

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    Unfortunately, most fans aren't witnessing it thanks to Time Warner.
     
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  12. Praetan

    Praetan Well-Known Member

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    I don't understand why people are blaming TWC. The Dodgers are the ones that demanded such a high price. Why isn't it their fault? Your cable/satellite provider is the one who doesn't care what you want and refuses to acquire the channel. Why isn't it their fault? I started the season with DirecTV. After the first couple months, when they didn't get the channel, even though I had specifically requested them to along with probably hundreds of thousands of other requests, I switched to TWC. Do I love and adore TWC? No. Do I love and adore the Dodgers? Yes. Make the change or bitch at your provider.

    If you had the best product out there...scratch that...if you had the ONLY product out there, would you sell it for cheap because your competitors thought you were being unfair? You bunch of commies.:snap out of it:
     
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  13. carolinabluedodger

    carolinabluedodger DSP Legend

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    I agree with all of that EXCEPT that the Dodgers 'demanded' the high price. I'm pretty sure it was open to the highest bidder.:argue:
     
  14. KOUFAX0000

    KOUFAX0000 DSP Legend Damned

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    If the streak gets to Orel territory, he would mostly likely break it in Castro Francisco. Provided our idiot manager set it up right. (Second game vs St. Louis, Opener in Pack Sand Park).

    The late Mel Allen would say "how about that?"
     
  15. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    No one is a commie in this situation. The Dodgers sold the rights to the highest bidder. The highest bidder is setting the price where they want. The buyers are choosing to not pay the price. And we, the consumer, are bitching about it. Free economy in its purist form.



    Maybe Karl Marx had it right....
     
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  16. rube

    rube DSP Legend Staff Member Administrator

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    kershaw got the power beard
     
  17. rube

    rube DSP Legend Staff Member Administrator

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    team capitalism
    get time warner
    or figure out an alternative
     
  18. BlueMouse

    BlueMouse 2020 World Champions

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    I was trying to think of a way for Kershaw to be a more perfect player. Home grown. Great character. Best player at his position. Got married, got better. Signed a huge contract, got better (unheard of). Reminds us of the greatest player in our franchise's history. Puts his teammates first, and sticks up for them.

    If we could create the ideal player from scratch, I literally can't think of a way to make Kershaw ant more perfect.
     
  19. Bluezoo

    Bluezoo Among the Pantheon

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    I think you mean Groucho, don't you? I have always been a Marxist/Lennonist
    I always thought they meant Groucho and John...there were other guys, were there?
     
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  20. rube

    rube DSP Legend Staff Member Administrator

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    I think paul and ringo were capitalists, and the other guy a hari krishna.
    although im a fan of the other guy
     

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