Two facts as I know them:
Matt Kemp: Guaranteed $128 million after 2013, no matter what happens.
Tim Lincecum: Guaranteed $0 after 2013.
Clayton Kershaw has every reason to expect his next contract to be the richest in baseball history for a pitcher, at a figure that has risen with each passing year.
I can understand why he might not want there to be negotiations during the season. Kershaw is young, and in top physical condition. Baseball is his oyster.
But there is a figure I would imagine Kershaw could sign for today that would be beyond his dreams of even 12 months ago, a figure that would provide unimaginable amounts for his family and for his charitable endeavors. At some point, isn’t the security of locking in that figure worth grabbing?
Just wondering …
Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CLVII: Kershawt in the Hat
Dee Gordon, SS
Nick Punto, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
A.J. Ellis, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Elian Herrera, LF
Clayton Kershaw, P
Carl Crawford’s hamstring is acting up, reports from the beat writers say. Meanwhile, Justin Sellers was optioned, and Tim Federowicz was recalled.
Anonymous
11-6 in the bottom of the 2nd Twins at Boston. We could only dream of such run scoring
Anonymous
Actually, we COULD dream of getting 6, only to see the pitchers give up 11!
Jon Weisman
Ugh – it’s Allen Webster starting.
Anonymous
I am pleased Herrera is back. He does not provide all the answers, but I am pleased he is around.
KT
I’m being dense again but I don’t get what Lincecum has to do with this article…just the fact that he doesn’t have a contract after this year?
Jon Weisman
Yes, combined with the fact that at one point he was young and considered the best pitcher in baseball.
Anonymous
Jon hasn’t confused the 2 players and wrote Lincecum when he meant to write Kershaw? Has he…has he….. :)
Jon Weisman
Um, no :)
Anonymous
Lincecum certainly could have signed an 8-year deal for a gazillion dollars, but he chose to go with a short contract at higher annual dollars. My sense at the time was that Lincecum didn’t really care as much about the money as he did about the flexibility, so I don’t know that he regrets his choice.
P Minor
Are the Dodgers actively trying to negotiate a contract at the moment or are they taking Kershaw at his word and not discussing numbers until the end of the year?
Jon Weisman
The latter I believe, but I don’t know for sure.
Anonymous
Jon, thanks for linking the Kershaw piece and few posts ago . . . and congrats on the well-deserved kudos for DT!
Jon Weisman
Thanks!
Anonymous
How much of a savings do you think they would get if they signed him now vs. the offseason? On the one hand, they don’t have to bid against other teams, but on the other, it’s hard to imagine his value going any higher than what everyone expects him to sign for right now.
Anonymous
It seems crass to say this, but from a financial perspective it might be worth the few million in savings (I’m assuming the savings are small) to wait to make sure Kershaw makes it through the year fully healthy. Even a relatively minor elbow injury could have a big impact on his value, I would think
That said, as a fan I’d like the Dodgers to sign him ASAP.
KT
Here is something that might help:
http://t.co/Ykc6Uo7Iub
KT
Come on Clayton ground ball DP
KT
there we go…glad Ross is slow
KT
good play Gonzo
Anonymous
maybe this is our day after all
KT
thought I was the only one here
KT
scratching at the door but Kershaw is not letting them in
KT
Take a seat Cody!!
Anonymous
Ross is dog food.
KT
that was AJ’s fault but Kershaw should have been directing traffic
KT
Alright Dee make it a double now
KT
Punto!!
Dee SPEED!!!!
KT
GONZO!!
Anonymous
Agon!
KT
Come on AJ
Anonymous
AJ at least ran up the pitch count a little.
KT
Dre!
Come on Juan
KT
finally scratched against Miley and raised his pitch count to 59 after 5
KT
AGON out neck hurting…call up SVS
Anonymous
And down goes Gonzalez.
KT
NICE PLAY JUAN!!
Anonymous
One more, Clayton.
KT
He’s bending but not breaking…looking good
Anonymous
No. More. Errors.
Please.
KT
Time to turn two
Anonymous
Or not :(
Anonymous
There it is!
KT
a little late but we are still in this one
Anonymous
Go Matty!
KT
Way to get on Matt!
Come on Luis…you are due
Anonymous
They’re like vacuum cleaners out there.
KT
That swing by Miley reminded me of Chicken Little…swung after the ball was in the glove
KT
Good job Elian but you just got Clayton knocked out of the game
KT
I don’t see this with 2 outs and a man on 1st…2nd maybe
Anonymous
May come back to bite us, for sure.
KT
Didn’t realize he was at 104 pitches
Anonymous
Uh oh. Maybe this is the night our bullpen shuts ’em down.
KT
let’s hope
KT
wow
Anonymous
Can either AJ Ellis or Federowicz play another position besides catcher?
Anonymous
KT questions whether AJ can actually catch.
KT
would be nice to see a power surge from Matty here but doubt it against the sidearmer
KT
NICE SHOE!!!!
KT
Let’s go Dre
Anonymous
Remember the summer of Andre’s walkoff hits?
KT
2009
Anonymous
Eons ago . . .
KT
Come on Carl…put it in the gap
Anonymous
Remember the psychic McCourt hired? . . . This team needs SOMEthing.
Anonymous
When the Kid gets two runs and can’t win . . . this streak could go on forever.
Shaky bullpen and non-clutch hitters are standard . . . today they added offensive defense.
KT
Getting reports of Adrian hurting his neck more…nothing official yet that I found but still looking…I remember asking if it was a good or bad thing for him to play hurt
Anonymous
Don’t remind me.
KT
J.P. Hoornstra @jphoornstra 3m
“Sounds like he aggravated that neck pretty good. I’m not sure it’s going to be good.” -Don Mattingly on Adrian Gonzalez
Anonymous
“Not sure it’s going to be good” — the new slogan for the year.
Anonymous
Donny Understatement.
Anonymous
Have to hand it to the Diamondbacks. They played lights out baseball, for all three games. Goldschmidt was unreal.
Anonymous
Well, it’s a shame, but these Dodgers just don’t have it. Sure, it’s early in the season and they can turn it around but I don’t see it happening, The injuries and the losses continue to pile up with no end in sight. Greinke, Hanley, Gonzo, Mark Ellis, etc. etc. – Kemp a shadow of his former self – Ethier with no power – hell, the whole team with no power – this team is a disaster. How long before even the Angels have a better record than this sad bunch??? What a shame.
KT
Gonzo said He’ll be ready friday
Anonymous
Well, so much for the “Jansen as Savior” theory.
Anonymous
:)
Anonymous
I saw the highlights of A’s/Indians game, and it got me to wondering…was that the worst umiring call in MLB history? An entire crew of umpires spent as long as they needed to, and still got it wrong. Can anyone think of a call that was worse (as in, more blatantly wrong and unforgivable)?
KT
How about this one:
http://tinyurl.com/c7hs4k7
Anonymous
Yeah, but that was a judgement call where the ump just overestimated Helton’s height.
KT
so was the HR call…They just underestimated the flight of the ball
Anonymous
In both cases by about three feet. I think that might be considered within the “margin of error”.
Anonymous
I would agree that call is worse than the initial incorrect call on the home run. What makes this one so bad is that they reviewed it, and still made the incorrect call.
Usually with blown calls you can at least understand why they missed it–bad positioning, speed of real-time plays, etc. Usually somebody will say, “I don’t think the replay is conclusive.” In this case, the only person I’ve seen who did not think the replay is conclusive is Angel Hernandez.
Anonymous
Does it surprise anyone that it was Angel Hernandez? That guy is one of the worst umpires out there.
More to the point, why doesn’t baseball insist on outfield walls that leave no doubt as to whether something is a home run or not. The Cubs figured out how to do this a century ago at Wrigley Field, with angled nets that catch any ball that leaves the park. Why can’t the rest of baseball do likewise?
Anonymous
We shouldn’t even know who Angel Hernandez is.
Not to be mean… but, I really have disdain for his unending quest for ‘face time.’
Jon Weisman
From the Dodgers:
RHP Zack Greinke is expected to make his first rehab start tomorrow for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in its 7:05 pm game at Lake Elsinore. LHP Scott Elbert is also expected to pitch an inning of relief in his first rehab appearance.
Anonymous
Great news on this official off day (most games have been “off days” this year).
I fractured my collarbone and wasn’t cleared for sports for a couple of months . . . but I also didn’t have the surgery . . . and they weren’t paying me to return to the field (quite the opposite, I’m sure!).
Jon Weisman
NPUT