Clayton Kershaw – Page 14 – Dodger Thoughts

A’s at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Joc Pederson, CF
Alex Guerrero, 3B
Mike Bolsinger, P

By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw’s scheduled start tonight has been moved to Friday by the Dodgers, amid reports of a sore left hip or glute muscle.

Mike Bolsinger, who threw seven innings and allowed no earned runs seven days ago in Atlanta, will start in Kershaw’s place. Bolsinger has a 2.79 ERA this season — 1.59 in his past three starts.

Kershaw will bring his 29-inning scoreless inning streak up against the Angels on Friday.

Justin Turner, who is suffering from a leg infection, remains sidelined. Alex Guerrero is scheduled to make his first start at third base since May 19.

Joc Pederson is batting seventh, his lowest spot in the order since July 5. Pederson has a .239 on-base percentage and .271 slugging percentage in July, with one homer and four walks against 28 strikeouts.

“He’s working on different things,” Don Mattingly said after Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Oakland, according to Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. “It’s not like he’s just going up there, I know it looks like he’s swinging for the fences all the time. That’s not what he’s trying to do. … He’s trying to get inside the ball a little bit using his bottom hand. He’s frustrated.

“At some point Joc’s going to get that front side thing, and he’s going to be a monster. He’s going to be tough to get out.”

Zack Greinke zeroing in

By Jon Weisman

On July 26, 2015

In Pregame

Dodgers at Mets, 10:10 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Andre Ethier, LF
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P
Notes: The Dodgers have activated Greinke and recalled Yimi Garcia, taking the roster spots of Chih-hui Tsao and Josh Ravin, who have been optioned to Oklahoma City.

By Jon Weisman

Closer and steeper. Zack Greinke can move within tantalizing range of Orel Hershiser’s all-time consecutive scoreless inning record today, if he can withstand the pressurized attention that comes with the approach.

Actually, I’m just imagining that last part. We’ll all be tense, but Greinke will probably be the most relaxed person out there today. (That includes the rest of the Dodgers, who will be facing the National League pitcher with the lowest ERA besides Greinke’s: Jacob deGrom.)

Greinke enters today’s game with his streak at 43 2/3 innings (see the inning-by-inning breakdown here). Recapping some of the highlights:

Greinke has retired 59 of the past 64 batters he has faced.
No runner has reached third base against Greinke since the first inning June 23 — a streak of 35 2/3 innings.
No runner has reached second base against Greinke since the third inning July 4 — a streak of 20 innings.

Here are the targets left for Greinke:

43 2/3 Rube Waddell (1905)
44 Ed Reulbach (1908)
45 Sal Maglie (1950)
45 Doc White (1904)
45 Cy Young (1904)
45 1/3 Carl Hubbell (1933)
47 Bob Gibson (1968)
53 Jack Coombs (1910)
55 2/3 Walter Johnson (1913)
58 Don Drysdale (1968)
59 Orel Hershiser (1988)

Here are some links to check out before today’s game:

Joe Posnanski tells a classic Greinke story at his website.
A deep analytical dive on Greinke and Clayton Kershaw from Scott Spratt of Baseball Info Solutions.
Orel Hershiser’s take, via Mark Saxon at ESPN Los Angeles: “In my whole career, I never threw the ball better than Zack Greinke. Never,” Hershiser said. “I never threw with his velocity, I never threw with his change of speeds, I never was able to execute as many pitches as he can on any given night to both sides of the plate. On any given night in my career, I haven’t ever thrown the ball better than Clayton Kershaw. These guys are just better.”
Hershiser also spoke to Bill Plunkett of the Register. “Yeah, it’s kind of interesting that it’s come full circle, that there’s a possibility I’ll be sitting in the same chair that he (Drysdale) was sitting in during my streak,” Hershiser said. “Things have changed. It’s a completely different culture when it comes to media. It’s a different generation we’re living in.
We’re 111 days into the regular season. Only Bob Gibson in 1968 had a lower ERA at a similar point than Greinke’s 1.30, notes David Pinto of Baseball Musings.
Greinke is bucking conventional wisdom by reducing the difference in speed between his fastball and changeup, writes Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs.
Yasmani Grandal’s impact on Greinke’s streak is studied by Mike Petriello at MLB.com.

Clayton Kershaw flirts with Perfection, Perfection still won’t commit to a relationship, but Scorelessness remains true

By Jon Weisman

On July 23, 2015

In Postgame

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

That was very real, and nearly spectacular.

You know it had to be, considering that the consolation prize was a 3-0 shutout for Clayton Kershaw, extending this year’s scoreless streak to 29 consecutive innings.

Numerous people joked before tonight’s game that the no-hit watch for Kershaw tonight should begin in the top of the first, considering the offensively challenged Mets lineup he was facing. But pretty soon, it wasn’t any joke at all.

For six spellbinding innings, using only 62 pitches, Kershaw owned New York, setting down the first 18 batters in a row, and the possibility that he would merely retire each remaining Mets batter one more time — for his second year in a row with a no-hitter, this time with a perfect cherry on top — seemed entirely realistic.

In the top of the seventh, the imminent magic moment was popped, when Curtis Granderson lined an 0-2 pitch to right field for the Mets’ first baserunner.

One out later, Wilmer Flores hit a bloop to right for a second hit, and not only was the perfect game gone, but suddenly in jeopardy were Kershaw’s shutout streak and his slim 1-0 lead — provided by Jimmy Rollins’ third-inning, 420-foot homer off Bartolo Colon to right center.

With the pressure on, Kershaw stepped up to strike out John Mayberry Jr. and retire Eric Campbell on a slow grounder to short.

In the eighth, Lucas Duda defied a shift with a leadoff single to right field for the third hit off Kershaw, but was picked off moments later. Then, a bases-loaded walk by pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo and Yasiel Puig’s sacrifice fly tripled the Dodgers’ lead in the ninth inning and widened Kershaw’s tightrope.

Retiring the side in order in the ninth, Kershaw finished with 11 strikeouts on 104 pitches (79 for strikes). He went to ball 3 twice in the game.

For the first six innings, two plays threatened to disrupt Kershaw’s perfect game. With one out in the bottom of the third inning, Kershaw had his only full count, to Mets catcher Anthony Recker (.279 on-base percentage). Kershaw’s pitch hit the lower border of the strike zone for the whiff.

In the bottom off the fifth, Campbell struck out swinging, but the ball bounced away from Dodger catcher Yasmani Grandal, and it was immediately clear this would be a tough play at first. Grandal raced to retrieve the ball and fire it on one hop to Adrian Gonzalez, who dug it out to record the out by an eyelash.

Days after Zack Greinke had a streak of 28 batters in a row retired, Kershaw retired 25 in a row before Granderson’s hit.

In addition to the scoreless inning streak, we’re left with the following numbers for Kershaw:

Kershaw is the first MLB pitcher with three straight games of at least 10 strikeouts and no runs or walks allowed.
In 11 starts since May 23, Kershaw has a 1.21 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
In his past 16 July starts, Kershaw has a 0.89 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and 9.5 K/9.
Kershaw has combined with Greinke to pitch 56 innings this month. They have allowed one run, for a 0.16 ERA.

Clayton Kershaw: 0.96 ERA in past 15 July starts

By Jon Weisman

On July 23, 2015

In Pregame

Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Kershaw CCXXIX: Kershawnt-Man
Joc Pederson, CF
Justin Turner, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Kiké Hernandez, 2B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

When the weather gets hot, so does Clayton Kershaw.

The big lefty not only brings a 20-inning scoreless streak into tonight’s game against the Mets, but also an awesome recent history of July dominance.

Kershaw has made 15 consecutive quality starts in the month of July, dating back to his last July outing of 2012, and they’ve hardly been cheap. It’s been a day short of three years since Kershaw didn’t go seven innings in a July start, and he has allowed three runs in only two of the 15 games.

He has pitched shutout ball in seven of his past 15 July starts, and overall has an ERA of 0.96 in 122 innings across that set of games. (In his past 10 July starts, his ERA is 0.68 in 82 innings.)

Here’s the score by innings against Kershaw in those 15 games combined:

221 113 201 — 13

With 14 and 13 strikeouts in his past two games, Kershaw has a chance to become the first National League pitcher ever to strike out at least 13 in three games in a row. Pedro Martinez did this twice for the Boston Red Sox in 1999 (May 1-7-12, September 4-10-15).

Kershaw is the first Dodger to strike out at least 13 this two times in a row since Chan Ho Park in 2000, and he is the first MLB player to do this with no walks since Dwight Gooden in 1984. He is already the only pitcher in more than 100 years to strike out at least 13 in a game twice in a row with no walks or runs allowed.

Tonight’s opponent, the Mets, is the last team to score on Kershaw — on Wilmer Flores’ RBI single in the fourth inning July 3, following a John Mayberry double and a wild pitch. That is the only RBI against either Kershaw or Zack Greinke this month.

Clayton Kershaw, All-Star jokester

By Jon Weisman

On July 21, 2015

In Humor, Other teams

Clayton and Cali Ann Kershaw (John Grieshop/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Here’s an anecdote that’s an antidote to any Tuesday morning Dodger blues. It’s from Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford — yes, that’s right — at the Brandon and Brandon blog (via MLB.com/blogs):

… Besides being an honor, the All-Star Game was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. When you play against guys, you form an impression of what they’re like. Then you get to spend a little time together and you sometimes see another side. For instance, Adrian Gonzalez. I could never get a read on him because he never really talks to you at first base, unlike some other first basemen. But I talked to him a bit in Cincinnati and he seemed like a really good guy. He was loose and having a great time in the dugout.

So was Kershaw. When the first-base umpire called a foul ball against us, Kershaw yelled in a high-pitched voice, “C’mon, Jerry! That was fair!’’ Then he turned to Dee Gordon next to him and in his own voice said — real loud — “Yeah, Dee! You tell him!’’ He was really funny, which is not what I think of him when I’m standing in the batter’s box. …

— Jon Weisman

Greinke, Kershaw share NL Player of the Week honors

By Jon Weisman

On July 20, 2015

In Awards

By Jon Weisman

The newest National League Player of the Week Award only covers the three days of regular-season play after the All-Star Break (July 17-19), and it was hard to be more dominant during those 72 hours than Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw were.

Kershaw: eight innings, no runs, three hits, no walks, 14 strikeouts (0 for 4 at the plate)
Greinke: eight innings, no runs, three hits, one walk, 11 strikeouts (1 for 3 at the plate)

Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw have faced 168 batters in July. Wilmer Flores of the Mets has the only RBI.

— Jon Weisman (@jonweisman) July 19, 2015

How hot? So hot …

By Jon Weisman

On July 19, 2015

In In case you missed it, Pregame

Dodgers at Nationals, 10:35 a.m.
Joc Pederson, CF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, LF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Yasiel Puig, RF
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

Hopefully, Zack Greinke’s Florida roots will come in handy today, because this is gonna be a steamy one.

Greinke has thrown 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and retired 36 of his past 37 batters, but those numbers will be challenged not only by Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals, but also by the triple digit heat index in Washington D.C. during today’s game.

Facing fellow All-Star righty Max Scherzer in today’s primo pitching matchup, Greinke would need six scoreless innings to move pass Clayton Kershaw for third place on the Los Angeles Dodgers all-time streak list, behind (as if I need to tell you) Orel Hershiser and Don Drysdale.

Here are some other pregame notes:

Carl Crawford will rejoin the Dodgers in Atlanta on Monday, with his activation from the disabled list imminent. Don Mattingly told reporters today that figuring out how to create a roster spot for Crawford is not an easy decision. Counting Alex Guerrero and Kiké Hernandez, Crawford’s return would give Los Angeles a surplus of seven outfielders, pending the next roster move. Alberto Callaspo could be vulnerable, though he is the team’s only infielder off the bench that can bat from the left side.
How did Clayton Kershaw strike out Harper three times Saturday? According to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles, in conversation with Don Mattingly after the game, “Kershaw attacked Harper’s weaknesses by elevating hard fastballs just enough to get him to swing and getting into counts in which he could use either breaking ball to devastating effect.”
Brandon Beachy’s second start after his second Tommy John surgery will take place Monday at his first MLB home, Atlanta — but Beachy is trying not to think about that, he told J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News.

Behold 14-K Clayton Kershaw at the top of his game

By Jon Weisman

On July 18, 2015

In Postgame

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

In a glorious performance that was the humidity-soaked version of last year’s crisp and cool no-hitter, Clayton Kershaw phenomenalized the Washington Nationals this afternoon, striking out 14 batters without a walk in eight shutout innings of a 4-2 Dodger victory.

Making his 228th start in his seventh Major League season, Kershaw marched with the mercenary drumbeat of two strikeouts every inning for the first seven innings, and was a serious threat to the franchise record of 18 strikeouts in a game (held by Sandy Koufax and Ramon Martinez) until a perfect eighth inning that featured three groundouts.

With a pitch count (101) approximating the heat index, Kershaw then called it a day, backed by a lead that was the product of an Adrian Gonzalez double and 12 singles. Kershaw’s 14 strikeouts, one shy of the career-high 15 he had in the no-hitter, included three of leading National League Most Valuable Player candidate Bryce Harper each time they squared off. (Harper later hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Kenley Jansen, who otherwise struck out the side himself.)

Each Dodger outfielder had exactly one putout behind Kershaw today (14 strikeouts, seven groundouts, three flyouts). According to Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A., Kershaw is the first Dodgers pitcher with at least 13 strikeouts in consecutive games since Chan Ho Park from Sept. 24-29 2000, and the first with back-to-back starts of double-digit strikeouts and no walks since Dazzy Vance, Sept. 11-16, 1930.

It remains astonishing but true: Since May 26, with a 1.36 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings, Kershaw is outperforming his 2014 NL Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award numbers.

Here are Kershaw’s totals for July: three starts, 24 innings, 16 hits, two walks, 34 strikeouts, 0.42 ERA.

On July 3, the MLB leader in fielding-independent pitching and strikeouts walked New York Met outfielders Curtis Granderson and John Mayberry Jr. in the top of the first inning. Since then, he has struck out 34 batters without walking anyone.

His strikeout rate for the season is the highest since a couple of guys named Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez were at the top of their game.

best K% ever, starters, 100+ innings

1. 1999 Pedro
2. 2001 RJ
3. 2001 Pedro
4. 2000 Pedro
5. 2000 RJ
6. 1997 RJ
7. 1995 RJ
8. 2015 Kershaw

— Jeff Sullivan (@based_ball) July 18, 2015

Paired with Zack Greinke’s 35 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, Kershaw now has 20 consecutive scoreless innings of his own, putting him just about halfway to his 2014 streak of 41 consecutive shutout frames. (Greinke faces Washington ace Max Scherzer on Sunday.)

I’ve given up on the idea that the “What’s wrong with Kershaw?” questions will ever stop, because they will come every time he doesn’t do this. It’s maddening.

Suspended game returns memories of Chicago 1982

By Jon Weisman

On July 18, 2015

In History, Midgame

By Jon Weisman

In every issue of Dodger Insider magazine, we run a boxscore of the month, and the one for August happens to tie in with what’s happening in Washington right now.

Dodgers 2, Cubs 1
August 17-18, 1982

It began innocuously enough one afternoon in Chicago. Ex-Dodger Bill Buckner drove in a run for the Cubs with a groundout in the bottom of the first. Dodger catcher Mike Scioscia tied the game in the top of the second with an RBI single. But no more runs would cross the plate that day, all the way into the top of the 18th, when darkness at the lightless Wrigley Field forced the game to be suspended until after the next sunrise.

When the teams reunited, the Dodgers’ scheduled starting pitcher for Tuesday, Jerry Reuss, took the mound in relief. By the time it was over, after the Dodgers pushed across a run in the top of the 21^st inning on Dusty Baker’s sacrifice fly, pitchers Fernando Valenzuela and Bob Welch had both played outfield. Reuss got the win – and then another when he pitched five innings that afternoon in a 7-4 Dodger victory that was over in 2:21.

I bring this up because I can’t help imagining Clayton Kershaw repeating the Reuss ruse of getting all his innings out of the way at first by starting the day in relief.

Revised starting rotation moves Bolsinger to Friday, Kershaw to Saturday

By Jon Weisman

On July 16, 2015

In Pitching

Mike Bolsinger has 69 strikeouts in 73 innings this year. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers have decided to give Clayton Kershaw an extra day of rest after the All-Star Game after all, meaning that Mike Bolsinger will take the hill on Friday at Washington, with Kershaw on Saturday and Zack Greinke still going Sunday.

Bolsinger went six innings on July 10, allowing two runs on five baserunners while striking out six, in his longest start since June 8. He will pitch Friday on six days’ rest.

Kershaw’s start on Saturday will be on three days’ rest after throwing 22 pitches at the All-Star Game, and nine days’ rest since his last regular season start. Greinke will be on four days’ rest after his 39 pitches at the All-Star Game.

Washington is scheduled to go with Jordan Zimmermann on Friday, Doug Fister on Saturday and Max Scherzer on Sunday.

In fifth All-Star Game, Kershaw shutout streak ends

By Jon Weisman

On July 14, 2015

In All-Star Game, Midgame

Clayton Kershaw reacts in the fifth inning tonight. (Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

Having gradually whittled down his 2015 detractors with a 1.53 ERA over his past nine starts, Clayton Kershaw was back on the defensive at tonight’s All-Star Game.

Kershaw came within a hair of a scoreless inning before giving up two runs, allowing the American League to take a 3-1 lead at the Midsummer Classic’s halfway point.

Kershaw, who had pitched shutout innings in each of his four previous All-Star Games, retiring 12 of 15 batters, began by surrendering a leadoff single to Alcides Escobar just under the glove of a drawn-in Todd Frazier.

Mike Trout then hit what looked like a double-play grounder to second baseman DJ LeMahieu near second base, but a slow turn allowed a fast Trout to reach first on a force play. Manny Machado flied out to Kershaw teammate Joc Pederson on the warning track for the second out.

After appearing to have Albert Pujols whiffed on a 2-2 pitch that was ruled just off, Kershaw smiled as he walked back to the rubber. But that was it for the fun.

Pujols walked, and then, left-handed Prince Fielder hit an 0-2 fastball that missed its spot for a tiebreaking RBI single the opposite way, scoring Trout ahead of Pederson’s throw home. Kershaw’s next pitch was hit sharply down the left-field line by Lorenzo Cain for an RBI double that gave the AL a 3-1 lead.

Kershaw ended his inning, and his night, by striking out Brett Gardner. He threw 22 pitches (15 for strikes) to his seven batters.

“It was fun until I started giving up runs,” Kershaw told reporters afterward.

The inning left Kershaw with a 3.60 career All-Star ERA, with five hits, two walks and three strikeouts in five innings.

Kershaws’ Ping Pong 4 Purpose set for July 30

By Jon Weisman

On July 14, 2015

In Community

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Jimmy Kimmel will host the third annual Ping Pong 4 Purpose fundraiser for Kershaw’s Challenge at Dodger Stadium on July 30.

Proceeds will benefit Kershaw’s Challenge, the nonprofit foundation founded by Clayton and Ellen Kershaw that works to transform at-risk communities and the lives of children in Los Angeles, Dallas, Zambia and starting this year, the Dominican Republic.

Among those scheduled to take part in the event, which features a single-elimination ping-pong tournament, include Orel Hershiser, Eric Stonestreet, George Lopez, Kevin Frazier, Jenna FIscher, Josh Henderson, Marcellus Wiley, Alan Thicke, Jaleel White, Tyler Toffoli and Lamorne Morris.

“Our PingPong4Purpose event on the field at Dodger Stadium has become a fun tradition and we are excited to host it for the third year,” Kershaw said for today’s press release. “This event combines two things: our passion for making a difference through Kershaw’s Challenge and a favorite clubhouse activity. We’re looking forward to a great night for a great cause.”

Limited tickets and sponsorship packages still remain. Visit Kershaw’s Challenge for more information.

It’s official: Clayton Kershaw headed to fifth straight All-Star Game

By Jon Weisman

On July 12, 2015

In All-Star Game

Clayton Kershaw co-hosted a clinic for youth from the Dream Center on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Brewers at Dodgers, 1:10 p.m.
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Justin Turner, 3B
Joc Pederson, CF
Yasiel Puig, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Kiké Hernandez, LF
Brett Anderson, P

By Jon Weisman

Clayton Kershaw is back where he belongs.

With Washington right-hander Max Scherzer pitching today, the National League All-Star team has added Kershaw to its active roster for Tuesday’s game.

This is Kershaw’s fifth consecutive year on the All-Star Team, putting him in this company when it comes to consecutive years with All-Star appearances:

9 Pee Wee Reese (1946-54)
8 Roy Campanella (1949-56)
8 Steve Garvey (1974-81)
7 Gil Hodges (1949-55)
7 Duke Snider (1950-56)
6 Ron Cey (1974-79)
6 Sandy Koufax (1961-66)*
6 Jackie Robinson (1949-54)
6 Fernando Valenzuela (1981-86)
5 Don Drysdale (1961-65)*
5 Mike Piazza (1993-97)
5 Dixie Walker (1943-47)
*Note: There were two All-Star Games in 1961 and 1962.

Here’s Kershaw’s All-Star history:

2011: David Ortiz strikeout, Robinson Cano groundout, Alex Avila groundout
2012: Adrian Beltre groundout, David Ortiz single, Mike Napoli single, Curtis Granderson groundout, Asdrubal Cabrera walk, Ian Kinsler flyout
2013: J.J Hardy flyout, Mike Trout flyout, Dustin Pedroia flyout
2014: Adam Jones foul out, Josh Donaldson strikeout, Salvador Perez groundout

Total: Four innings, 0.00 ERA, 15 batters, two hits, one walk, two strikeouts.

Kershaw is joining Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal, Zack Greinke and Joc Pederson to form the Dodgers’ first All-Star quintet since 1995.

In case you missed it: Two openings in NL All-Star starting outfield

By Jon Weisman

On July 11, 2015

In All-Star Game, In case you missed it, Pitching

By Jon Weisman

Greetings. A few quick morning notes …

St. Louis has confirmed that Matt Holliday will join fellow National League All-Star electee Giancarlo Stanton on the sidelines for the All-Star Game, leaving two outfield spots open in the starting lineup alongside Bryce Harper that will go to two of these four: Andrew McCutchen, A.J. Pollock, Justin Upton, Joc Pederson.

Here’s how the candidates rank in wins above replacement among NL outfielders: Pollock third, McCutchen fourth, Pederson fifth, Upton 11th.

On Friday, Pederson singled, then later doubled in the game-winning run in the Dodgers’ 3-2 comeback victory over Milwaukee.
Though a starter for almost his entire career, Andre Ethier is moving up the Dodgers all-time pinch-hitting charts. His two-run, pinch-hit, game-tying single in the seventh inning Friday gave him 27 career pinch-hit RBI, good for 11th place and one away from a three-way tie with Rick Monday, Mitch Webster and Ken McMullen for eighth place.

Ethier also has the 10th-highest on-base percentage (.394) among pinch-hitters in Dodger history (minimum 50 plate appearances). Arky Vaughan is first at .461.
In his first appearance since having elective cosmetic eye surgery, Julio Urias retired six of seven batters Friday for Rookie League Arizona, allowing an infield single while striking out three. “He hovered around 93-94 mph, topped out at 97 and saw his off-speed stuff drop into the low-80s,” wrote William Boor for MLB.com. (Hector Olivera also played in the game and went 0 for 3.)
Dodger Double-A catcher and MLB Futures Game participant Kyle Farmer is the subject of a nice profile by Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Workloads for MLB starting pitchers are no longer declining, according to a subscription-only piece from Bill James that was excerpted by Rob Neyer at Fox Sports’ Just a Bit Outside:

… What is happening at this time is not relievers taking innings away from starting pitchers so much as it is relievers taking innings away from other relievers. The batters faced per game by relievers are declining, at this point, only because we switch more rapidly from one relief pitcher to another.

Actually, the historical trend toward fewer innings for starting pitchers appears to be over. Major league starting pitchers pitched more innings (and more innings per start) in 2014 than they did in 1999—fifteen years earlier. There is no decline in innings pitched by starting pitchers occurring at this time; if anything, the numbers are increasing.

In the year 2003, major league relievers pitched more innings than they did in 2014. However, in 2003 they pitched those 14,720 innings in 12,958 relief appearances. In 2014 the innings were down to 14,622—but the games were up to 14,461.
Finally, this … speaks for itself.

Um, @Cindyluellis, are you watching this? @IntentionalTalk pic.twitter.com/ZFjLEET6mz

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) July 10, 2015

[mlbvideo id=”247737983″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

Good feedback on @IntentionalTalk cameo except from LAD Strength Coach @bdmac23 who met me back at my locker with a new nutritional plan.

— AJ Ellis (@AJEllis17) July 10, 2015

Clayton Kershaw falls short in Final Vote, but will he still go to All-Star Game?

By Jon Weisman

On July 10, 2015

In All-Star Game

By Jon Weisman

Despite a great effort from his supporters — which he acknowledged in a rare tweet — Clayton Kershaw finished third in the MLB All-Star Final Vote, with Carlos Martinez of St. Louis earning the bid to the All-Star Game.

Ending Twitter hibernation to thank everyone who voted for me! Very cool to see the turn out regardless of the results!

— Clayton Kershaw (@ClaytonKersh22) July 10, 2015

Count me among those unconvinced that Kershaw won’t be in Cincinnati for the Midsummer Classic next week. With the other pitcher in the Final Vote competition, Johnny Cueto, scheduled to start on Sunday, Kershaw is a clear first alternate should any of the existing 14 pitchers on the squad drop out. (Not that Kershaw should be in this limbo in the first place.)

For that matter, after some amount of doubt earlier this week, Washington righty Max Scherzer now is also scheduled to pitch Sunday, which could affect not only his potential selection as a starter over the Dodgers’ Zack Greinke, but his presence on the roster altogether.

In general, there’s usually a good bit of roster shuffling before the first pitch Tuesday. There’s an argument that Kershaw would benefit from the rest, but as far as I’m concerned, if he wants to go, then I want him to go. And he has been clear that he’d appreciate going.

#Dodgers Clayton Kershaw on Final Vote results: "You always want to go to All-Star Game so, yeah, there's a little disappointment there."

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) July 10, 2015

“You always want to go,” Kershaw told Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles this week. “You never know — it might not ever happen again. I said that last year, and, if I make it this year, I’ll say it again.”

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Tag: Clayton Kershaw (Page 14 of 36)

Kershaw start delayed until Friday — Bolsinger to start tonight

Zack Greinke zeroing in

Clayton Kershaw flirts with Perfection, Perfection still won’t commit to a relationship, but Scorelessness remains true

Clayton Kershaw: 0.96 ERA in past 15 July starts

Clayton Kershaw, All-Star jokester

Greinke, Kershaw share NL Player of the Week honors

How hot? So hot …

Behold 14-K Clayton Kershaw at the top of his game

Suspended game returns memories of Chicago 1982

Revised starting rotation moves Bolsinger to Friday, Kershaw to Saturday

In fifth All-Star Game, Kershaw shutout streak ends

Kershaws’ Ping Pong 4 Purpose set for July 30

It’s official: Clayton Kershaw headed to fifth straight All-Star Game

In case you missed it: Two openings in NL All-Star starting outfield

Clayton Kershaw falls short in Final Vote, but will he still go to All-Star Game?

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