Dodger Thoughts

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

Kershaw takes over MLB ERA lead in 2-0 victory


Throwing a career-high 132 pitches, the magnificent Clayton Kershaw came within one strike of a shutout before settling for a 2-0 victory Tuesday over Washington.

Kershaw entered the ninth inning with 114 pitches under his belt (about 60 of those coming in the first three innings, then about 50 over the next five). He gave up two warning-track fly outs, then endured a 10-pitch battle with Adam La Roche that ended with a single to center.

The 25-year-old lefty, who crossed the 1,000-inning mark in his career, struck out 11 and allowed five hits and a walk. With the bases loaded and two out in the top of the first, Kershaw struck out the next batter … and the next five.

Brandon League, as you might have guessed amid his ongoing struggles, was not given the opportunity to close. Kenley Jansen and Paco Rodriguez warmed up in the bullpen behind Kershaw in the ninth, and it was Jansen who struck out Tyler Moore to end the game.

Kershaw lowered his ERA to 1.40, taking over the major-league lead. In his past four starts, he has allowed two earned runs in 30 2/3 innings for a 0.59 ERA with 32 strikeouts against 16 baserunners.

He also scored the Dodgers first run, starting the bottom of the third by getting hit by a pitch. One out later, Matt Kemp singled, and one out and a wild pitch later, Andre Ethier singled them both home.

Kershaw’s previous career high in pitches in a single game was 125, on July 26, 2011. He threw a 108-pitch complete game in his next start, allowed four runs in the one after that, and then had a 0.96 ERA the rest of the 2011 season.

One more thing to scare the rest of the baseball world: Kershaw currently has a 1.40 ERA, and every full season of his career, he has been a better second-half pitcher.

2009: 3.16 first half, 2.27 second half
2010: 2.96 first half, 2.84 second half
2011: 3.03 first half, 1.31 second half
2012: 2.91 first half, 2.10 second half

Previous

Yankees thrive while Dodgers dive

Next

Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days

148 Comments

  1. Christopher Staaf

    I wonder what Clayton said to Mattingly to let him stay in the game lol

    I will say this: Brandon League should not close games and I was glad to see Jansen out there. He’s still the best option we got.

  2. Anonymous

    Boy, if Greinke really is good to go, this season could still have a bit of candy left in it for the Dodgers.

    • Anonymous

      I agree, but we need more than 4 hits per game

  3. Anonymous

    Just got home from the game. What a magnificent performance by Kershaw. Wow!

  4. KT

    I just got home 1/2 hour ago and it’s 0100….The game, bobble head and the company was well worth the drive!!

  5. Mattingly said Kershaw will get an extra day of rest, rather than pitch five days from now in Atlanta, to take advantage of an off-day in the schedule Thursday. http://www.dailynews.com/rss/ci_23245755?source=rss

    • I wish he could pitch in Atlanta, but OTOH glad he’s being taken care of and the future’s more important. Our pitching makes me a bit nervous in that series but I think they’ll be in those games.

    • Anonymous

      Nice for him that he was able to walk away on his own terms. Love the part about the triple. He didn’t have enough talent to be a major league starter, but I always enjoyed his enthusiasm for the game. He was a joy to watch in every way that Andruw Jones was not.

      • Anonymous

        Liked his enthusiasm as well. Nice that he could walk away though, as I recall some of his teammates had to be carried away after encounters with him. I will never forget the game when he started in place of Kemp against Oswalt and the ‘Stros. He fanned like 4 times. The rest is a bit fuzzy…I think he was one the way to fanning for the fifth time and something weird happened. Anyone else remember?

        • Anonymous

          As I look back at the game, it appears that a balk was called on what would have been the third strike and the fifth strikeout, and he subsequently flew out.

      • Anonymous

        Except when crashing into Furcal.

  6. Anonymous

    Keys to winning:
    1) Kershaw gives up 0 runs.
    2) Kershaw scores 1 run.
    3) League does not pitch in key situations.

  7. Anonymous

    Josh Beckett for Zack Greinke is a good trade. If Ned can trade Dee Gordon for Hanley Ramirez, he won’t look like such a bad GM. Juan Uribe for Mike Schmidt would be an even neater trick.

    • Anonymous

      Would you prefer Ramirez at short with a mixed bag at third, or Ramirez at third with Gordon at shrort? While he may be the Anti-Ozzie, Gordon seems to bring an element to the offense that is needed.

      • That’s been my preference, if Gordon showed us he’d improved on defense and at the plate, and he seems to have shown both for sure so far–have HanRam at 3rd, Gordon at SS. Use supersub Punto to fill in for either of them, and have Uribe backup as well. Especially when Ellis is back. Then you have a good offensive infield, and two very capable backups. When MEllis is back, Cruz should be punt(o)ed.

        • Anonymous

          You have my vote. I really wanted to see Cruz bust out, but instead he just busted.

        • Anonymous

          Absolutely, I also endorse this message.

    • The problem is he’s not just using Greinke to replace Beckett, he’s more officially replacing emergency starter Magill. It’s all very confusing, Capuano replaced Greinke, then Fife replaced Billingsley, then Lilly did, then Magill filled in for Capuano, then… oh, I give up.

      But… yes, it’ll be great to have our #2 starter back. :)

  8. Just imagine if he had any run support, but, well, why carp about that right now. Just enjoying what a gem we have and feel like the runs will come. I remember a stretch where Matt Cain got similar or even worse run support and then the Giants finally started scoring for him.

    Anyway, what a wonderful and nearly-heroic performance last night. Glad to see Kenley close it out for him.

  9. This seems an interesting piece that I can only read the first part of since I don’t have a BP sub (but Mike Petriello recommended it):
    https://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=20579
    Out of Left Field
    Did the Dodgers Make Suckers of the Red Sox?
    by Matthew Kory

    nice to see someone take that perspective for once, and take on the Boston PR push.

    • Anonymous

      First part is definitely interesting. I can’t see the rest either, but subsequent points may state things like Sands has move on to the Pittsburg organization where he is hitting only .154 in AAA. De La Rosa has an ERA of over 4 in AAA with a K:BB ratio of only 2.5:1 and talk is of him perhaps being considered at closer. Webster may end up being the real prize, but was hit hard in his second ML start.
      My take is that both teams will end up with benefit, though the Dodgers may be hard to see if Crawford and Gonzalez continue to separate themselves this far from the rest of the team’s hitters.

      • Totally agree. I still think Webster is a prize and will be good for Boston. But that could basically be it for all those players. And they obviously saved a ton of money. But the meme that the Dodgers got fleeced is so ludicrous I find it frustrating that people keep pushing it, so was glad to see some push back. The Dodgers really wanted to have a power hitting 1st baseman for years, and maybe AGon’s best power is behind him but he’s still a great add (despite Loney’s hot start in the AL East, which is misleading imho) and Crawford looks like a great addition. Heck, Punto’s been great, too. Beckett was the hope against hope part of that trade, and was good in LA late last year but hasn’t been so far this, but could still contribute. And the Dodgers could afford to take this on. I agree with you that ultimately it still could be good for both teams and we should leave it at that. People always want to make it into “winners” and “losers”, and meanwhile the Boston media basically buys whatever POV the Red Sox PR machine pushes, so that’s how we got here. But rational minds know better.

      • Anonymous

        other views on the trade and on Rubby:

        http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/27280/the-trade-an-early-reckoning?src=mobile

        http://www.bosoxbanter.com/2013/05/rubby-de-la-rosa-could-be-the-red-sox-late-inning-answer/
        btw K/BB of 2.5 is not as bad as dale’s only suggests and ML closer is not Siberia

        • Anonymous

          Agreed, but certainly not the high hopes held for him at the time of this deal. And he’s not yet closing at the major league level. Never said he won’t pan out, but I think we all thought he’d at least in the Boston rotation this year.

          • Anonymous

            I certainly did; but, Boston never had such a plan they decided to bring him on very slowly coming back from TJ surgery. He has been pitching very well as both links I put up say; more details in the 2nd one. Hope you read them.
            I think I have a rational mind (reference to underdog below) and I think the Dodgers gave too much for what they got. I very rationally hope I’m very wrong.

          • Anonymous

            Time will certainly tell and I have no doubt you could be right. Much like the Casey Blake deal though, there is immediacy vs.long term benefit. No one can argue the value of Carlos Santana, but Blake (with Manny) was a big and necessary part of the Dodgers making the NLCS that year.

  10. Anonymous

    Is it possible that this idiot could sink any lower? If this was humor, it missed the mark. http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-simers-20130515,0,881956.column

    • TJ Simers is on a mission to prove that just because Dodgers saved his life doesn’t mean he has to change his asinine ways.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, he’s becoming T.J. Slimer.

    • Anonymous

      He was lower when he was cozying up to Jeff Kent against “the kids.”

    • Ugh. I feel bad for giving that guy a page click. If we all keep reading his articles the LA Times will think he’s worth keeping around.

    • Anonymous

      I enjoyed the dig at Lyons.

      • Anonymous

        I likes the 3 weeks line he tossed at Davey Johnson.

    • Anonymous

      This is pretty sad stuff. How can the LAT run something like this?

  11. KT

    Well yesterday I arrived at the game wearing my Kershaw jersey with the intent to change into my Kemp jersey after the 4th as Bob in Vegas suggested.

    After the top of the third and 55 pitches later I knew kersh was going to need offensive help. The woman who gave me the free ticket said to me “Kershaw probably wouldn’t be long for the game if he keeps this up” and I replied “He could have a couple of 8 pitch innings and be right in it”. So I put my Matt Kemp jersey over the Kershaw one. The offense (Kershaw, Kemp and Dre) came alive and gave us 2. The Kemp jersey calmed the Kershaw jersey and Clayton pitched a 9 then an 8 pitch inning in the 4th and 5th.

    Coincidence…I think not. The magic of the autographed jerseys ^_^

  12. Anonymous

    Kershaw is the best. I can’t believe we have him.

  13. foul tip

    Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the unfortunate question, “what did you think of Kingman’s performance?” and 4 other Lasorda memorable rants====

    http://mlb.si.com/2013/05/14/tommy-lasorda-dodgers-dave-kingman-rant/?sct=uk_bf2_a4

    ——————————–

    Also, there seems to be a rumor the Dodgers may sign Jonathan Sanchez. Has all the stars aligned….former Giant, pretty much washed up, probably pointless if not completely useless, yada, yada….

    • Anonymous

      Not just washed up, but was never very good in the first instance.

      • Anonymous

        Rotation fodder for the Isotopes, I suspect.

        • Anonymous

          As long as that is all. I once thought this guy had something, but it seems to have left.

  14. Anonymous

    Beckett was put on the DL to make room for Greinke.

  15. If you guys don’t read Deadspin, they’ve had some great posts on Bryce Harper’s collision. After the initial worry of seeing him going down, it was clear that he made a bad play. But Buster Olney and Tim Brown among others keep repeating Harper’s own line about how he just plays hard…

    http://deadspin.com/bryce-harper-wasnt-playing-hard-last-night-he-was-pla-505699626

    and

    http://deadspin.com/again-bryce-harpers-misplay-was-a-blooper-not-an-act-506636917

  16. Kinda miss Loney

    • Anonymous

      Loney must be in the ether.

    • foul tip

      Why? The current team hasn’t disappointed you enough offensively?

  17. Anonymous

    Loney. Keep it going. I miss you.

    • Anonymous

      Miss him as well, but not like he didn’t get a chance here. Would guess that it will be hard for him to sustain a bapib of .408.

  18. I realize we can easily imagine the same thing happening to our runs-challenged Dodgers but…
    can I still laugh at Giants for getting 1 run in 7 full innings vs 62 year old Ramon Ortiz in a hitters park?

    • KT

      so true Lol

    • Anonymous

      Of course. He’s done more for the Dodgers tonight than he ever did in an LA uniform.

  19. Anonymous

    Link, Link? (I have gotten lazy).

  20. Anonymous

    Good first inning by ZG. Anybody here? lol

  21. Hey, I got my “Deuces are Wild” t-shirt in the mail today!

  22. KT

    Nice hit Matty…like that you are going to RF

  23. Anonymous

    Gonzo comes through! .800

  24. KT

    Let’s go Gonzo
    Gonzo!!

  25. Anonymous

    Really liked Zach’s first inning.

  26. KT

    Nice pitch for the K

  27. Anonymous

    Like Vin checks for WP with a runner on third, I checked and Greinke has not hit any Nat in tonight’s lineup.

  28. KT

    alright another efficient inning

  29. Anonymous

    Does Greinke have a pitch count tonight?

  30. KT

    Dre is stroking the ball lately

    • KT

      He’s hitting the lefties great now…time to get the righties fixed

  31. Anonymous

    Santangelo telling story of Harper meeting Vin, who Bryce had grown up listening to.

  32. KT

    Good eye SVS

  33. Anonymous

    Wow! Zach!

  34. KT

    well that settles if he’s going to swing or not

    Greinke!!

  35. KT

    putting up the picket fence

  36. Anonymous

    and I thought he couldn’t bat!!

  37. KT

    Eric Stephen twitter post:

    pic.twitter.com/3mFmxYQOme

  38. KT

    Way to get on Nicky

  39. Anonymous

    No room for Mellis?

    • KT

      always room for Mellis…He’s better than shoe and cruz and uribe

      • Anonymous

        No Uribear love? :(

        • KT

          Oh I think he’s much better this year…just stating facts or opinions depending on how you look at it

  40. Anonymous

    Gonzalez is being very productive while playing hurt, but I wonder if we should just DL him and let him fully recover (if it’s even possible in a short time). It’s tough to watch him in pain.

  41. KT

    AJ! and Adrian station to station with a rest area in between

  42. Anonymous

    OK SVS, make a place for yourself on the team.

  43. KT

    so close

  44. Anonymous

    Dang!

  45. Anonymous

    Shucks, Detwiler was on the ropes.

  46. Van Slyke hit that ball as hard as any line drive I’ve seen by the Dodgers this season, but Zimmerman snags it.

    • KT

      I was going to give you a vote up for the SVS part then I thought about the Zimmerman part and was going to give you a vote down….so I ended up doing nothing

  47. KT

    detwiler now at 57 pitches

  48. Anonymous

    Suzuki has the only HBP from Greinke on the Nats roster.

  49. Anonymous

    #WINCOMMITTEE

    At least for us lol.

  50. Greinke is looking real good. It bums me out to think about how the last month could have been with him in the rotation.

  51. Anonymous

    Hats off to Greinke.

  52. KT

    81 pitches through 5…I sure hope he doesn’t have a 90 pitch count…we sure could use him another couple of innings

  53. Anonymous

    Smooth, Uribear.

  54. KT

    STANDING O

  55. Would like to see him finish the inning but completely understand the move. Couldn’t have asked for much more from him tonight. Welcome back Zack.

  56. KT

    Let’s go Scott

  57. Anonymous

    the ump seemed like he was shushing Paco.

  58. KT

    should have left him in Don

    • Anonymous

      Paco should have taken care of Span.

      • KT

        you and Don are pretty hard on Paco…Seems like Don has him on a short leash

  59. KT

    Ok 6 outs to go…Come on Kenley

  60. KT

    Let’s turn two here

  61. Anonymous

    Lets get the K, Kenley.

  62. KT

    didn’t set up well for that catch but the results were still good

  63. Anonymous

    Nice job.

  64. KT

    YESSS!!!

  65. Anonymous

    Phew! Still one more (big) hurdle to pass with League.

  66. Anonymous

    It appears that it will be League vs. the bottom of Washington’s order in the top of the 9th. We could certainly use at least one insurance run.

  67. KT

    Time for some insurance runs

  68. KT

    Come on Matty

  69. KT

    Nice Matty…come on Gonzo

  70. KT

    Good eye Gonzo…Come on Aj

  71. Anonymous

    Surely we are due to score a few

  72. KT

    Great job AJ…now drive them in Dre

  73. KT

    Make them pay Carl

  74. KT

    Lets go Tim…need another one

  75. Anonymous

    I am not going to watch this. Night all.

  76. KT

    Let’s go Brandon…shut them

  77. Anonymous

    Among non-pitchers, these were our choices on the bench to pinch hit for Jansen: Cruz (.087), Federowicz (.083–now .077) and Hernandez (.045). Granted, the latter two have had limited at bats, but still.

    • KT

      but fed was tearing up AAA before being called up..I know ALB

  78. KT

    Come on DP

  79. Please don’t let Harper beat us. Please don’t let Harper beat us. Please don’t let Harper beat us.

  80. KT

    2 down…Come on Brandon

  81. KT

    Ball Game…Good job by Zack tonight…we are getting there guys

  82. Anonymous

    Win!

  83. KT

    Night all

  84. Anonymous

    That insurance run in the bottom of the 8th made the top of the 9th much easier. Four wins in our last five games.

  85. Anonymous

    Nice! We looked like a ball club.

Comments are closed.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén