On April 16, 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals led 2-1 against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers heading into the fifth inning, then broke the game open with a two-out, three-run home run.
Kershaw, who had been dodging baserunners the entire outing — 11 in 4 2/3 innings — and had reached the 111-pitch mark, was pulled from the game.
He hasn’t been knocked out of a game before the five-inning mark since.
In 85 starts since that day, Kershaw has thrown fewer than five innings only one time, and that was his 2012 Opening Day outing at San Diego, when he pitched three shutout innings before leaving because of the flu (“Kershaw Hurls. Dodgers to victory”).
In fact, the reigning National League Pitcher of the Month has thrown at least six innings in 75 of those 85 starts, including his past 18 in a row. He has gone at least seven innings in 16 of those past 18.
And during that 85-game run? A 2.23 ERA with 609 strikeouts in 605 innings.
Kershaw, as you might have heard by now, is within range of the lowest ERA for a season by a Dodger pitcher since Sandy Koufax, which would be the lowest in Los Angeles Dodger history. What might be lost in that discussion is that because of the different eras, Kershaw is on pace for the best adjusted ERA in Dodger history, dating back to 1901.
He is 25 years old. I hope you are appreciating what you are seeing.
| Rk | Player | Year | Age | Tm | IP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clayton Kershaw | 191 | 2013 | 25 | LAD | 168.1 | 1.87 |
| 2 | Sandy Koufax | 190 | 1966 | 30 | LAD | 323.0 | 1.73 |
| 3 | Dazzy Vance | 190 | 1928 | 37 | BRO | 280.1 | 2.09 |
| 4 | Dazzy Vance | 189 | 1930 | 39 | BRO | 258.2 | 2.61 |
| 5 | Sandy Koufax | 186 | 1964 | 28 | LAD | 223.0 | 1.74 |
| 6 | Dazzy Vance | 174 | 1924 | 33 | BRO | 308.1 | 2.16 |
| 7 | Rube Marquard | 171 | 1916 | 29 | BRO | 205.0 | 1.58 |
| 8 | Orel Hershiser | 171 | 1985 | 26 | LAD | 239.2 | 2.03 |
| 9 | Kevin Brown | 169 | 2003 | 38 | LAD | 211.0 | 2.39 |
| 10 | Kevin Brown | 167 | 2000 | 35 | LAD | 230.0 | 2.58 |
Dodgers at Cardinals, 5:15 p.m.
Kershaw CLXXIII: Kershawd Couple
Sam Sokol
OMG this has Rule 9(A) written all over it!
KT
Go BLUE!!!!
Anonymous
Yep, Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball – although listening to the guys at MLB Network (or it might have been ESPN) the other day, it was between Matt Harvey and some other guy who had pitched lights out for the night…
Also LAT’D from last post :
“Joe Kelly will start for the Cardinals and look to repeat his last outing, when he snapped a seven-game skid for St. Louis. Kelly has a 1.49 ERA since June 1, the lowest in the Majors among pitchers with a minimum of 40 innings pitched. Kelly takes a string of 14 2/3 scoreless innings into Tuesday…”
From this preview of tonight’s game : http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday…
underdog
Pretty remarkable. Another amazing run for this team that is basically being overlooked due to Roid Rage.
Also the “Kershaw Hurls…” was one of your better headlines, Jon. ;)
adamclyde
Only a few years ago, I lamented to one of my brothers about how long it’s been since we had a true likely HOFer to watch on the Dodgers. So it’s great to see it playing out now. And I feel especially lucky to have been at one of his early Spring Training games… the one where Vin Scully declared his curve ball “public enemy No. 1.”
Also, great to see that, by all accounts, Kershaw seems to be a genuinely nice guy on top of it all. What’s not to love?
Anonymous
Oh, I remember now – it was Marlins rookie Jose Fernandez who was being talked about along with Matt Harvey as the best pitcher in baseball.
Anonymous
Great post, Jon!
Totally agree that Dodger fans need to appreciate what Kershaw is doing because he is truly dominant. Very reminiscent of Pedro Martinez during his dominant years. Kershaw is just a cut above everyone else right now.
Also, the Dodgers need to do everything in their power to win big while they have Kershaw performing at this level. That’s why I love everything the new Dodger owners have done since taking over. From trading for Hanley and then trading for AGon, Crawford, Beckett and Punto to signing Puig, Ryu and Greinke.
Ownership has been very aggressive in upgrading the talent on the roster and it looks like that talent is really starting to gel now. Its just a shame Kemp injured his ankle because he looked like he may also have been coming around as well.
Bottom line is the Dodgers need to try and win now. When you have an ace like Kershaw, you need to get him to the postseason because as we’ve seen with Hershiser, sometimes they can really carry a team through the playoffs.
Anonymous
Dazzy Vance’s 1930 ERA was 2.36 BELOW the LEAGUE average. Right now, Kershaw is 2.16 below the league average.
In 2000, Pedro Martinez (1.74) was 3.17 below the AL average.
Anonymous
One thing that really jumps out at me in the chart above is Koufax throwing 323 innings in ’66.
Crazy.
Anonymous
Crazy by today’s standards I should add. Of course, in Cy Young’s day in was routine for pitchers to throw well over 300 innings a season. The all-time leader according to BR is Will White who threw 680 innings as a 24-yr old in 1879. More recently, Bob Feller threw 371.1 as a 27 yr-old in ’46, Gaylord Perry threw 342.2 (33 yr-old) in ’72 Wilbur Wood in ’71 and ’73 threw 334 and 359.1 respectively. Nolan Ryan (27 yr-old) threw 332.2 in ’74. And Phil Niekro did it 3 years running from ’77 through ’79 throwing 330.1, 334.1, 342 as a 38,39, and 40 yr-old.
So not all that crazy, I guess.
foul tip
Wonder if during the season Sandy knew ’66 was going to be his finale, and so thought he might as well throw all he could. From descriptions I’ve seen of what he had to go through just to pitch, I’d think probably so.
As a knuckleballer, even an aging one, Niekro had it considerably easier.
Anonymous
Wilbur Wood was also a knuckleballer.
Anonymous
323 innings wasn’t so many pitches in the 15-inch mound era. A high scoring game was one in which five runs were scored, and ERAs over 3 were considered mediocre. 1-2-3 innings were pretty common, so pitches per inning were much lower.
Marc
Any excuse to reference one of the more clever headlines in recent memory. ;) “Kershaw hurls. Dodgers to victory”
Anonymous
Ah, I remember it well…actually, I confuse it with his first game, which was a start against the Cards in 2008. He wasn’t knock out of that game, but I recall wishing that Torre would have pulled him after giving up a couple of base hits in the sixth and reaching the mid-90s in pitch count. Torre stuck with him and the Kid ended up letting in only one run and managed to take care of Troy Glaus, among others, to get out of it.
Anonymous
Hard to believe Hershiser’s ’88 season doesn’t make this list.
KT
I was at that “Hurl” game…had to ask Eli what was wrong with Clayton and had actually thought he hurt himself
Jon Weisman
Giants To Sign Ted Lilly http://po.st/pyJJau
Anonymous
The comment below the blurb by *letsgogiants* was good for a laugh : “So if the Giants fall out of it come September….”
Uh, OK so they haven’t fallen out of it yet?
Anonymous
Giants sign Lilly. Finally one goes the right direction.
foul tip
Maybe they want to copy Ned’s success signing former Giants…
Jon Weisman
“Congratulations are in order for two sets of parents close to the Dodger family! Dodger pitcher Josh Beckett
and his wife, Holly, welcomed a baby girl on Friday named Sage Sutton.
Daddy’s little girl weighed in at 7 lbs., 6 oz. and is the Beckett’s
second child. In addition, Los Angeles Times’ Dodger beat writer Dylan
Hernandez and his wife, Lauyin, also welcomed their second child, a baby
boy, born Sunday named Landon. “
Jon Weisman
MLB 2013 Best Tools – BaseballAmerica.com: http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/mlb-2013-best-tools/#.UgFVzmrXq_c.twitter
Anonymous
Best NL outfield arm: Carlos Gonzalez voted by ML managers
he is really good but he’s still a LF
Anonymous
A Rockies fan friend of mine has pointed out that LF is more spacious than RF at Coors, so the equation’s a little different there.
Anonymous
I can see that but LF doesn’t throw to first very often
Anonymous
I think his point was that LF isn’t the place to hide your weakest outfielder at Coors.
Anonymous
Adrian Beltre voted best defensive 3rd baseman and James Loney voted 2nd best defensive 1st baseman.
foul tip
“Here are 17 reasons why Yasiel Puig is baseball’s most must-watch rookie”
http://wapc.mlb.com/cutfour/2013/08/06/55776146/seventeen-awesome-yasiel-puig-gifs
Anonymous
Nice
Anonymous
1912 Washington Senators, I read today, won 16 road games in a row. This was on a 24 game road trip which they started 1-7 then won the last 16. They then came home from a Saturday game in Cleveland for a 1 game homestand on Tuesday with the Philadelphia Athletics only to be in Philadelphia on Wednesday to start a 6 game in 4 days series.Then 30 out of 31 games at home.
Jon Weisman
RT @mccoveychron: Giants don’t sign Ted Lilly to minor-league deal. Cats, dogs, living together. Mass hysteria. sbn.to/13EeyIG
Jon Weisman
Examining the Dodgers Road Win Streak | FanGraphs Baseball http://shar.es/y7g27
Anonymous
fun article, perhaps the first time I’ve seen fungible used in a baseball piece.
first comment says this is a post only a Dodger fan could enjoy
KT
Dodgers lineup:
Crawford LF
Ellis 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Puig RF
Ethier CF
Ellis C
Uribe 3B
Punto SS
Kershaw P
Anonymous
M.Ellis batting second again against a RHP when his OBP against such is better than only Fedex, Gordon, and Hairston.
2013 BB: M.Ellis 16, Puig 15
Anonymous
And he hit into a first inning DP.
Anonymous
The road winning streak of 15 has given the Dodgers the best road record in MLB at 31-24, a percentage of .564. The Pirates and Rays share second at 29-24 (.547). The Dodgers also have the best record in the National League in one-run games at 17-11 (.607). The Braves are next at 17-12 (.586). Finally, and tremendously insignificant, the Dodgers have the best record in MLB in games played on turf at 3-0, thanks to the sweep in Toronto.
David Farinella
Oh, no, do we not get a Ker-Bam-Bam-You’re-Out headline tonight?
Jeffrey Thomas III
It’s right there at the bottom, “Kershaw CLXXIII: Kershawd Couple”
David Farinella
Ah! I see it now.
David Farinella
Peeps, any word about Hanley?
Anonymous
Last I heard – maybe be back after the series with the Redbirds.
KT
well, there it is.
http://i.imgur.com/WwO17rY.png
David Farinella
KT, you are en fuego on the old social media. I should find you on the Twitter machine.
KT
I’m there KMT59
Anonymous
Good to see the shorts that Magic Johnson wore in the 1987 Finals are still being put to good use.
KT
CC!
Anonymous
Crawford leads off the game with a single and MEllis follows by grounding into a DP. Same scenario as last night. I hope the end result is the same, too.
KT
me too
Anonymous
In the future, a hit and run or straight steal with no outs might be a good idea there to take advantage of Crawford’s speed.
Anonymous
Mattingly knows the hit-and-run is far too risky.
Anonymous
Do I see a tongue-in-cheek in that comment?
KT
Let’s go Dre
David Farinella
Nice catch, John Jay. [golf claps]
Anonymous
Warning track power.
KT
DP!!
David Farinella
Is Punto playing with a big glove?
KT
didn’t notice…I’ll check
KT
It’s bigger than MEllis’s
Anonymous
Pitches through two innings: Kershaw 21, Kelly 30. My sense is if we can put two runs on the board, we would be in good shape. Also, if needed, Jansen would be available. I know, I know. I am getting way ahead of myself.
David Farinella
What happens in September?
J/K
Anonymous
LOL.
KT
Juanito!
KT
Nicky!
David Farinella
Big hitter up!
KT
Come on Clayton…I know you don’t like bunting
Linkmeister
Oh, c’mon. Take the bunt off with two strikes, fer cryin’ out loud.
David Farinella
that was a mighty big “Dang It” out of Clayton there.
KT
think he did it on his own..don’t quote me
Anonymous
So the Kid is human . . . and even more upset since that would’ve been a sac fly.
Anonymous
Looked like he was pulled off the bag on that throw from Freeze.
Anonymous
Nope – just saw a better replay – good call
KT
I slowed the cards feed on my own and knew he was out
Anonymous
Starting with the at bat in which he was thrown out of the game on Friday after arguing the third strike, MEllis is now 0-for-11.
KT
Good inning Clayton!
KT
31 pitches through 3…nice Clayton
Anonymous
Ugh – that was crying out for a run and hit on that 3-0 count to Ethier there.
Anonymous
Mattingly eschews that notion, as well as the hit and run.
Anonymous
You are unaware of the Mattingly Risk Assessment Equation.
Anonymous
Time for two!
Anonymous
Get the K or double play!
KT
you got both
KT
DP!!
Anonymous
That was a beaut
Jeffrey Thomas III
Great play, but seriously can somebody tell Collins to calm down?
Anonymous
Lyons?
Jeffrey Thomas III
Lyons says a lot of dumb things, but Collins freaks out during great plays or routine fly outs.
Anonymous
he doesn’t ever seem calm to me though
Anonymous
Yeah – Collins is a dork – at least Lyons is a funny dork.
KT
Nice K
KT
46 pitches for Kersh
KT
https://twitter.com/BenBadler/status/364919209572048896
KT
AJ!
Anonymous
DP bonanza in this game
Anonymous
Five by the two teams combined out of a maximum of nine possibilities.
KT
Good eye Nicky!
Anonymous
This game could come in under 2 hrs at this rate.
KT
Chad Moriyama @ChadMoriyama52s
[GIF] Clayton Kershaw with Neo reactions http://www.mlbgifs.com/2013/08/clayton-kershaw-with-neo-
Anonymous
Buckle down, Kid. (Not that he needs any prompting to do so.)
KT
DP Time
Anonymous
From your keyboard . . .
Anonymous
This is un-Kid-like . . . plus his failure to bunt.
Anonymous
(M)any more runs vs. will loom HUGE in this game.
Anonymous
Was the infield playing back or in on Kelly’s at bat?
Anonymous
scoring play is up on gameday
KT
back
Anonymous
Thanks for the information.
Anonymous
But it’s incorrect; watch the tape on gameday
KT
where was Mellis when he fielded the ball? right at second base…he was not even with the bag at the beginning of the play…he had to come in the field the ball
Anonymous
I thought the same at first but the tape shows the pitch if you watch the whole thing
KT
you can’t even see where they are positioned from the replay on gameday
Anonymous
yes you can look at Punto
Jeffrey Thomas III
Alright now enough of the double plays let’s knock some guys in.
Anonymous
The Kid finishes 5 and avoids the fate of this post . . . but far from a victory vs. Kelly.
Anonymous
Expecting Kershaw to be perfect or near-perfect every time is asking the impossible. Including tonight, we have scored two runs in the last 21 innings that he has been the pitcher of record.
Anonymous
Something I’m sure he’s very much aware of.
Anonymous
CC!
KT
CC!!
Anonymous
This inning calls for a big homer by Puig.
Anonymous
I’ll take a small homer by him . . . or any other Dodger. (Or single ribbies!)
Jeffrey Thomas III
The (almost) DP proof lead off hit!
Anonymous
C’mon, Adrian — gotta get this run!
KT
Let’s go Gonzo
Anonymous
Agon — again!
KT
Gonzo!!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Let’s go Yasiel!
KT
Puig!
Anonymous
wonders never cease . . . man in motion!
Anonymous
Taking out Kelly? Thank you!!!!!!!
Linkmeister
A-Gon, station-to-station.
Anonymous
As long as the train’s still out there!
Anonymous
But it’s gotta be frustrating for Puig to be behind him on the path!
Anonymous
Keep it off the ground, Dre — like in the stands!
Anonymous
Andre!!
KT
Dre!
Anonymous
At least a sac fly!!!!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ok Adrian is at third now… let’s get him in.
KT
anybody else would have scored already
Anonymous
But no other Dodger has an RBI in this game . . . so we takes what we get with Agon.
Jeffrey Thomas III
True. But I can’t help but think Puig behind Adrian isn’t the greatest. I like him in the 2 spot but I know without Hanley we need somebody to hit clean up.
Anonymous
I agree with what Lyons said. Did you hear it?
KT
nope…don’t get KCAL
Anonymous
had to wait until it got through infield, apparently Monday said the same as Bob says above
Anonymous
Should Gonzalez have been waved in on Ethier’s single, or was the ball hit too hard, or is Gonzalez carrying two pianos on his back tonight?
KT
no
Anonymous
Thanks.
Anonymous
Mo said there was a chance it might’ve been caught, so Agon had to hold up.
Anonymous
Puig would have scored, AGon no way.
Linkmeister
Choate was injured?
KT
no…maybe craig…just a pitching change
Anonymous
He’s a LOOGY
Anonymous
Dang it!
Anonymous
Waste not . . .
Jeffrey Thomas III
Really should have at least one more run that inning. Total bummer.
Linkmeister
Fudge!
Anonymous
Egads.
KT
Got to come back and get this one…everyone ahead of us has already won
Anonymous
Having Gonzalez bat ahead of Puig is like putting a milk truck in front of an Indy 500 car. I think Puig should bat behind a cheetah.
Linkmeister
Rabbit, Vin calls ’em. ;)
Jeffrey Thomas III
I just made a similar comment below, but I understand with Hanley out they gotta find somebody to hit behind him. Not sure Donnie would go Puig 3 and Adrian 4.
Anonymous
I had missed your comment. I would be surprised if Gonzalez is batting immediately ahead of Puig tomorrow. Just a hunch.
Anonymous
I would have bat Puig 2nd, Ethier 4th against the RH starting P against whom Ethier had good #’s; M. Ellis 7th
Jeffrey Thomas III
Sounds good to me but you know Donnie and managers in general not wanting back to back lefties.
Anonymous
good point
KT
inning over
KT
Juanito!!
Linkmeister
Did Punto bunt into that out?
Anonymous
Mattingly’s fault, though.
Anonymous
Explain, please
Anonymous
For ordering the bunt.
Anonymous
Bunt is fine there
Anonymous
Statistically even a successful bunt reduces your chances of scoring that inning.
Anonymous
not with Punto up
Anonymous
I disagree.
Anonymous
He is hitting 212 on the season against RHP that after a strong start when he hit 400 in April and 267 in May both overall, He was hitting 133 since July 6 before tonight.
KT
worse bunt ever…right in front of the plate with a nice hop for the catcher to field
Anonymous
Unless we pull this out, Kershaw is going to be very unhappy post-game.
Anonymous
Including at himself — from the mound, fine, but his lack of moving over the runner with a bunt probably cost a run.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Where is pinch runner Dee Gordon? Could help in this game it seems.
KT
Good eye CC!
Anonymous
I think that the last two innings have been the most frustrating back-to-back innings we’ve had since before this glorious run of games began.
Anonymous
Reverted to early-season hitting, i.e. ineffective.
Anonymous
dodgers.com
“shortstop Dee Gordon, who was told he was returning to the big leagues before Ramirez had hurt his shoulder”
Anonymous
I wonder what that means.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I guess they knew they’d be sending Fife down and calling up a position player and they must have been thinking of Dee.
KT
inning over
Anonymous
Reverted to early-season League as well . . .
Jeffrey Thomas III
I know League has been better lately, but I still question using him in a tight game. That’s why.
Anonymous
We pulled this game out of our mid-May library.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Well the streak was fun while it lasted…
Anonymous
League’s ERA moves above 5. Make that above 5.5.
Anonymous
Appears streak ends . . . Kershaw gets another loss . . . League loses any confidence . . . and the offense’s lack of effectiveness catches up to them. Let’s hope they can shrug it off tomorrow.
Linkmeister
Bah.
Anonymous
If we lose tonight, our only two losses in our last 11 games will be the games Kershaw started. In those two games Kershaw allowed two runs in 14 innings, lowering his ERA. Irony abounds.
Anonymous
Dodgers are 13-10 in Kershaw starts at this moment; now 13-11
Anonymous
Wow. So we are 49-39 in games in which he does not start. As I just said, irony abounds.
Anonymous
I posted that because Lyons said 12-12
Anonymous
I will take your review over Lyons’ any time.
Anonymous
Kershaw is the best 10-7 pitcher in baseball.
Anonymous
In 1979 the Angels let Nolan Ryan leave as a free agent. Ryan was 16-14 that season. Buzzie Bavasi, the GM, was asked how he was going to replace Ryan-he said with 2 8-7 pitchers
Anonymous
One of Buzzie’s big mistakes, but he didn’t make that many of them. One of my favorite Bavasi trades was acquiring Wally Moon for Gino Cimoli after the 1958 season.
Jon Weisman
NPUT