Together, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw pitched 455 1/3 innings for the Dodgers in 2015 with 501 strikeouts and a 1.90 ERA. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
Sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. today on MLB Network — I’m guessing as close to 3:59 p.m. as possible — the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce the winner of the 2015 National League Cy Young Award.
Clayton Kershaw co-hosted a clinic for youth from the Dream Center in July. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
Not surprisingly, Clayton Kershaw has once again made himself busy in the charity and community service arena since the offseason began.
Will the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner please turn around? Next week, you say? (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
To the surprise of no one I imagine, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and Jake Arrieta have been officially announced as the three finalists for the National League Cy Young Award, in what is one of the closest three-way award races in MLB history.
Zack Greinke wins NL Outstanding Pitcher Award after posting 1.66 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. #PlayersChoiceAwards15 pic.twitter.com/hgPB9F4QZX
— MLB (@MLB) November 10, 2015
By Jon Weisman
In a vote by his fellow big-league players, Zack Greinke won the 2015 MLB Players Choice Award as the National League’s most outstanding pitcher.
Greinke is also a leading contender for the NL Cy Young Award. Finalists for that honor will be announced Tuesday.
The Players Choice Awards are held by the MLB Players Association. Clayton Kershaw won the NL outstanding pitcher honor in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
By Jon Weisman
What historical milestone awaits Clayton Kershaw in 2016, other than hopefully his first World Series title?
If the lefty ace can strike out at least 254 batters by the end of the regular season October 2, he will become the youngest pitcher in National League history to reach 2,000 career strikeouts — by more than a year.
Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
By Jon Weisman
Let’s make sure we’re clear about this. Clayton Kershaw did not make his first great postseason start tonight. Not even close.
Just to remind you, there was the three-game stretch in the 2013 playoffs, when he pitched 19 innings, struck out 23 and allowed one earned run.
That’s in addition to the six quality innings he threw twice in the 2014 National League Division Series and once in the 2015 NLDS — yes, before seventh innings to forget.
But for those who haven’t seen past Kershaw’s postseason won-loss record, his seven innings in Tuesday’s 3-1 NLDS Game 4 victory are the much-awaited spectacles.
Mike Stobe/Getty Images
By Jon Weisman
It was nine innings of walking heart palpitations, but we’ve come through the other side.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming home to play Game 5 of the National League Division Series after defeating the New York Mets, 3-1.
By Jon Weisman
A scorching, sweating, exhausting night at Dodger Stadium tore open old wounds.
Back in Spring Training, with the scar of the previous October only beginning to heal, I asked A.J. Ellis to join Vin Scully, Rick Honeycutt and Orel Hershiser in a package of bylined stories about Clayton Kershaw for the April edition of Dodger Insider magazine. With a new October upon us, I thought this would be a good time to revisit Ellis’ remarkable insights about Kershaw and his relationship with the Dodger ace. Click the image above to enlarge.
— Jon Weisman
One of Clayton Kershaw’s MLB-leading 127 pickoff throws. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
By Jon Weisman
As if the guy didn’t have enough weapons …
Clayton Kershaw is baseball’s top pickoff artist, and it isn’t even close.
Kershaw picked off nine baserunners this year, three more than the two next-closest pitchers, teammate Brett Anderson and former teammate Joe Beimel, now with Seattle.
This isn’t a new skill. Kershaw led the National League in pickoffs for three consecutive seasons (2010-12) and has been in the top 10 every year since 2009.
“He’s always had that in the back of his pocket,” said Dodger coach and baserunning guru Davey Lopes. “He’s utilized it quite a bit — guys trying to stretch their leads, and he’s been picking them off.
In the past seven seasons, Kershaw has been credited with 55 pickoffs. Next on the list among big-league pitchers are Mark Buehrle (42) and James Shields (28).
No other MLB pitcher since 2009 has even half as many pickoffs as Kershaw.
Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Mets on Friday, the Dodgers have announced, followed by Zack Greinke in Game 2 on Saturday and Brett Anderson in Game 3 at New York on Monday.
Kershaw is scheduled to face Jacob deGrom, with Greinke going against Noah Syndergaard and Anderson against Matt Harvey.
Much is known about Kershaw and Greinke, but Anderson is not a newcomer to the playoffs either. He will be making his third postseason appearance and second postseason start. In Game 3 of the 2012 NLDS, Anderson pitched six shutout innings for Oakland against Detroit. In 2015, Anderson had a 3.07 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 15 road starts.
— Jon Weisman
By Jon Weisman
He’s done it. Clayton Kershaw has become the first pitcher since Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in 2002 to strike out at least 300 batters in a season. Kershaw fanned Melvin Upton, Jr. in the top of the third inning to reach the milestone.
It took Kershaw 37 pitches to get the six strikeouts he needed today. He has the most strikeouts by a Dodger pitcher since Sandy Koufax had 317 in 1966. Kershaw and Zack Greinke are the Dodgers’ first 300-200 strikeout duo since Koufax and Don Drysdale in 1965.
Public Enemy No. 300. #Kershaw300 pic.twitter.com/C9BVDnc2Z5
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 4, 2015
With the first out of the fourth inning, Kershaw also won the 2015 MLB innings pitched title.
Kershaw wrapped up his day once he reached his 60-pitch limit in the fourth inning, finishing with seven strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of two-hit, no-walk ball. He has 301 for the season, 1,746 for his career, and needs 254 next year to become the fourth pitcher in MLB history to strike out 2,000 batters before turning 29, after Sam McDowell, Walter Johnson and Bert Blyleven.
As a pitching staff, the 2015 Dodgers have the fourth-highest strikeout total in National League history. The Chicago Cubs broke the NL record earlier this week.
No, that's not @TommyLasorda, it's today's #Dodgers manager @JimmyRollins11. With some, er, padding. pic.twitter.com/2X1UvmTLuF
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) October 4, 2015
By Jon Weisman
Jimmy Rollins will be the guest manager for today’s regular-season finale, and Kenley Jansen will be the guest pitching coach, Don Mattingly told reporters today. The opportunity arose when the Dodgers clinched home-field advantage for the National League Division series, which will now begin Friday at Dodger Stadium (game times to be announced).
Clayton Kershaw is expected to throw roughly 50-60 pitches in his final start. Kershaw needs six strikeouts to become the first pitcher since 2002 with 300, and needs 3 1/3 innings to lead the Majors in innings (which he probably cares more about).
Kershaw lost one milestone Saturday, when Max Scherzer surpassed him with most strikeouts (17) ever in a no-hit, no-walk MLB game.
The Dodgers have not set their NLDS rotation yet, Don Mattingly told reporters today, and will wait until after this week’s workouts to finalize their NLDS roster — including the number of pitchers vs. position players that they will include. Rosters aren’t due until the morning of the first game.
Andrew Friedman gets a champagne bath after the NL West clinch Tuesday.
By Jon Weisman
This afternoon to reporters, Don Mattingly disclosed some of the Dodgers’ pitching plans for the final five games of the regular season.
Thursday starter Brett Anderson might have a scheduled shortened start, and the same goes for Clayton Kershaw on Monday. By all appearances the Dodgers’ National League Division Series Game 1 starter on October 9, Kershaw will be on four days’ rest when the playoffs begin, so the Dodgers don’t need to skip him entirely. But it’s not like he’s going to be going the distance or anything, even if it means the difference between getting 300 strikeouts for the year or not.
What happens when three old friends in crisis fall into an unexpected love triangle? In The Catch, Maya, Henry and Daniel embark upon an emotional journey that forces them to confront unresolved pain, present-day traumas and powerful desires, leading them to question the very meaning of love and fulfillment. The Catch tells a tale of ordinary people seeking the extraordinary – or, if that’s asking too much, some damn peace of mind.
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