Tag Archives: Clayton Kershaw

May 17

Game 40, 2016

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Angels at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-W

Clayton Kershaw (5-1, 1.74 ERA) makes the 251st start of his career (he also has two relief appearances; I didn’t remember that) on a roll. He’s struck out more than ten batters and walked no more than one in each of his last five games. His K/BB ratio is a ridiculous 19.25 for the season. He’ll face Jered Weaver (3-2, 6.10 ERA), whose last start climbed the heights and sank to the depths in just four innings. He got the first 11 hitters in order and then put 9 of the next 10 on base, giving up 8 runs on 9 hits and losing the game.

Lineup:

Hmm. Whoever plays first base also hits cleanup? Trace Thompson has a hot hand, so it’s good to see him in the lineup again tonight.

May 12

Game 35, 2016

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Mets at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Save us, Clayton! That’s what the Dodgers are saying to their superhero Mr. Kershaw, (4-1, 2.04 ERA) as they ask him to salvage a split in the series with the Mets. He’ll face Bartolo Colon, whose 3-1, 2.82 ERA record was overshadowed this week by the first home run of his career the other night.

Things to think about:

David Wright, Curtis Granderson, and Lucas Duda lead the current Mets in plate appearances against Kershaw. In 124 combined plate appearances, they’re hitting .142/.224/.150 against him. Wright holds the sole extra-base hit of the group, a double.

Lineup:

May 07

Game 30, 2016

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Dodgers at Jays, 10:10AM PT, TV: SPNLA

Kershaw (3-1, 1.96 ERA) goes against R.A. Dickey (1-3, 5.73 ERA). This will be the Dodgers’ lefty’s first outing against the Blue Jays in his 9-year career. He still has the Orioles, Red Sox and Twins to go (barring expansion). Dickey was the guy who won the Cy Young Award the one time Clayton didn’t between 2011-2014. He’s not had a good start to this season, but the Jays are hopeful he’s turned it around.

Lineup:

May 01

Game 26, 2016

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Padres at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

Lefthander Drew Pomeranz (2-2, 2.86 ERA) v. lefthander Clayton Kershaw (2-1, 2.43 ERA). Both pitchers are strikeout artists: Kershaw’s strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio is 9.73, while Pomeranz’s is 12.68. The Padre pitcher has only made it into the sixth inning in two of his four starts this year, while Kershaw’s been his usual self, getting into or past the seventh inning in all five of his starts.

Lineup when available.

A vote of confidence for a slumping Puig? Maybe, but the way he’s hitting this looks like a black hole to lead off the game. As thousands have said before, though, you only lead off once in the entire game.

Apr 26

Game 21, 2016

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Marlins at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F

Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 1.50 ERA) is matched against Tom Koehler (1-2, 4.80 ERA). Koehler’s pitched 15 innings this season, walking seven and striking out 12. Kershaw’s gone 30 innings, walking three and striking out 30.

Lineup when available.

Obviously Crawford has been reinstated from the DL. They optioned Zach Lee to OK City to make room for him.

Apr 21

Game 16, 2016

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Dodgers at Braves, 9:10AM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSO, MLBN (out of network only).

Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 1.64 ERA) and the Dodgers make their last appearance at Turner Field versus right-hander Matt Wisler (0-1, 4.61 ERA). Kershaw hasn’t pitched much against the Braves in his career; he’s 2-0 in six career starts against them with a 1.79 ERA. He and the Dodgers would to exit with a win, both to take this series 2-1 and to improve the franchise record at Turner, where they’re 30-41 going into this morning’s game.

The game starts at 6:10AM my time, so someone else please find the lineup and post it in the comments. I ain’t getting up at 5:30 just to do it.

Apr 15

Game 11, 2016

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Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, NBC Bay Area, MLBN Free Game (out of area only)

Kersh v. MadBum for the ninth time. The Dodgers’ lefty is 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA this season, and Bumgarner is 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA. ‘Nuff said.

Giants catcher Buster Posey has stepped into the batter’s box against Kershaw more times than any player in the Major Leagues, but he has struggled with a .228/.256/.329 line in 75 plate appearances. That’s his worst OPS against any pitcher with a minimum of 25 plate appearances.

The Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez has fared even worse against Bumgarner. The first baseman’s .151/.191/.200 in 47 plate appearances adds up to his worst OPS against any of the 49 pitchers he’s faced 25 times or more in his career.

It’s Jackie Robinson Day around the majors, so every player will be wearing uniform number 42. Jackie’s wife Rachel and daughter Sharon will be at Dodger Stadium for the game, and I hope you saw the Ken Burns documentary about Jackie earlier this week on PBS. As far as I’m concerned, Rachel was the star. There’s one oddity about this celebration, though; there are fewer African-American players in baseball now than there were 10 or 15 years ago, and this season there are only fourteen black pitchers in all of baseball. Where are the Bob Gibsons and Dave Stewarts and Vida Blues and Doc Goodens and Fergie Jenkins and Mudcat Grants? Gone to the NBA?

Lineup:

Even this early in the season it’s becoming very apparent that Dave Roberts is not averse to platooning or playing the matchup game. There are very few if any lefties in his lineup against the left-handed Bumgarner.

Apr 09

Game 6, 2016

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Dodgers at Giants, 1:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, CSN-BA

The two aces go at one another for the first time this year: Kershaw (1-0, 0.00 ERA) against Bumgarner (1-0, 5.40 ERA). Kershaw is 9-3 with a 1.16 ERA in 14 starts at the Giants’ home park, while Bumgarner is 13-7 overall against the Dodgers with a 2.45 ERA in 22 appearances.

The Dodgers got 9 hits in Friday night’s game but only converted them into two runs. Had they gotten more young Stripling might have gotten a win for his efforts rather than a no-decision. They are still hitting well: Puig, Utley, Gonzalez, Seager, Ellis and Turner all singled and Pederson got a double. For the second night in a row the bullpen gave up the go-ahead or winning runs.

Lineup when available.


Hmm. Several unfamiliar faces in the lineup against MadBum. I wonder what the reasoning is.

Apr 04

Game 1, 2016

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Opening Day! Let’s have a little Danny Kaye to start the season off.

Dodgers at Padres, 4:05PM PT, SPNLA, FSSD

It’ll be Clayton Kershaw making his sixth straight Opening Day start for the Dodgers; Don Sutton holds the record of seven. This will be Tyson Ross’s first Opening Day start for any team. Overall it’s the 10th time the Dodgers and Padres have opened against one another.

Oct 13

ALDS Games Five, NLDS Games Four, 2015

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NLDS Early game: St. Louis at Chicago, 1:30PM PT, TV: TBS

Down two games to one, the Cardinals ask Game One starter John Lackey to keep them alive on three days rest. He was brilliant in Game One, going 7 1/3 innings, giving up two hits and no runs, walking one and striking out five. He’ll face Jason Hammel, who’ll be making his postseason debut. Hammel went 11 innings against the Cardinals during the regular season and gave up seven runs. He made four starts in September and averaged 4 1/3 innings in each one.

NLDS Late game: Dodgers at Mets, 5:00PM PT, TV: TBS

The Dodgers’ season rests once again on the shoulders of Clayton Kershaw, who will pitch on three days rest after throwing 112 pitches in a Game One loss on October 9. This will be the third postseason in a row in which he’s started a game on short rest. His opponent will be lefty Steven Matz, making his first start of the postseason. The rookie was 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in 6 regular-season starts.