Koufax-like Clayton Kershaw growing into ace Dodgers crave
The comparisons start simply enough: The kid is left-handed. And when Clayton Kershaw snaps off his curveball while wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, his fate is sealed.
Kershaw is 22 and living with comparisons to Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.
“I’d rather just go and pitch,” says Kershaw, who concedes that he is both humbled and embarrassed by the references to the Dodgers legend from the 1950s and ’60s.
He will just go and pitch tonight at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park in the Dodgers’ second game of the season.
That he’s starting Game 2 is the source of different questions around the Dodgers, but not totally disconnected from the Koufax comparisons.
Kershaw has a similar response.
“I’m not worried about when I pitch,” he says. “I just want to get ready and do the best I can.”
Click here to read the full article – By Paul White of USA Today
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Dodgers lineup expected to stay the same for NLCS
Whomever the opponent in the National League Championship Series, the Dodgers are not expected to make changes in the lineup.
It isn’t broken, so manager Joe Torre doesn’t figure to fix it, which means Ronnie Belliard will be the second baseman over Orlando Hudson, Matt Kemp hits in the No. 2 hole and Manny Ramirez continues to bat cleanup.
What really is making the lineup click more than anything right now is Rafael Furcal’s production at the top of the order. He not only had a .500 batting average (6 for 12) in the three-game National League Division Series, he had a .667 on-base percentage. He also is a threat on the basepaths with 12 steals.
Click here to read the full article – By Doug Padilla of Daily News
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Dodgers solve Carpenter, take Game 1
Chris Carpenter had always found the Dodgers to be easy prey.
Six times the St. Louis righthander had gone against the NL West Division champs, and he was 5-0 with a 2.20 earned run average. In his last 32 innings against the Boys in Blue, the Cy Young Award contender had held them to three runs.
And the way the Dodgers staggered into the playoffs, moving to the cusp of an epic collapse, it stood to reason that Carpenter would help himself to another healthy portion in last night’s first game of the NL division series at Dodger Stadium.
Click here to read the full article – By Ray Parrillo of philly.com
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Kershaw ripe for breakout, comparison
Sooner or later, Clayton Kershaw seems destined to be “The Guy” of the Dodgers’ starting rotation — and it’s looking more like sooner rather than later.
He was a 20-year-old rookie bit player in last year’s playoffs with two innings of relief, but he’ll be starting Game 2 of the National League Division Series against St. Louis on Thursday, the youngest Dodger given the ball in the postseason since Fernando Valenzuela. Randy Wolf earned the Game 1 nod based on consistency and experience, but it is Kershaw’s electric left arm that has the potential to dominate, even against a lineup as potent as the one the Cardinals possess.
Click here to read the full article – By Ken Gurnick of MLB.com
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Elbert pitching way into key role for LA
The Dodgers were already trailing by the final score in the eighth inning Tuesday night when Scott Elbert took the mound for the Dodgers, but it wasn’t a meaningless outing for the rookie left-hander.
“He’s auditioning,” said manager Joe Torre, who has been impressed enough by Elbert’s composure and stuff to suddenly use him in close games with an eye on October.
Indeed, with Hong-Chih Kuo’s elusive command only a couple months after seemingly overcoming control issues, Elbert could very well be this year’s James McDonald, sneaking onto the postseason pitching staff via an impressive September after having virtually no role during the previous five months.
Click here to read the full article – By Ken Gurnick of MLB.com
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Shrewd Colletti has LA eyeing October
Excluding strike-shortened seasons, the Dodgers haven’t finished first in back-to-back seasons since 1977-78 or reached the postseason three times in a four-year span since 1963-66.
Frank McCourt owns the Dodgers and Joe Torre manages them, but this is Ned Colletti’s club. He traded for Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez, he refused to trade away Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, and he signed Randy Wolf and Vicente Padilla.
Since the general manager took over four years ago, the only team in the league with more wins is Philadelphia. Colletti inherited a club that finished 20 games below .500, and in four years, the Dodgers are 50 games above .500. Colletti’s best win-loss record of the four seasons will be this year — after trimming the payroll by $20 million.
Click here to read the full article – By Ken Gurnick of MLB.com
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Dodgers boast depth
When the Dodgers’ lead shrunk to two games over the Rockies, many fans panicked, because they don’t have confidence in their favorite baseball team’s ability to go to the playoffs and succeed. With the Dodgers now on top of the National League West by three games entering Monday’s action, I have confidence in my team, although its performance since the All-Star break concerns me.
Last week, the Dodgers suffered three blows that could derail their path to a playoff berth, but the foresight of general manager Ned Colletti has allowed the team the team able to beat the D-backs and the Giants. This new depth reaffirms my confidence in the Dodgers.
Last Friday, Casey Blake slightly strained his hamstring. During his career, Blake has had two long stints on the disabled list with hamstring injuries. Without the proper treatment and caution, Blake’s hamstring could have prevented him from playing for the rest of the season. Though he doesn’t catch the headlines, he plays a vital role in the Dodgers’ success. The Dodgers immediately took Blake out of the lineup. He sat out five games, receiving treatment. The Dodgers didn’t let him pinch-hit, because they were afraid that he would severely pull the hamstring and miss a significant amount of time. While Blake sat, Ronnie Belliard played. Though Belliard doesn’t have defensive skills equal to Blake’s, he gave the Dodgers satisfactory defense and contributed to the offense. Blake returned Friday and hit an important home run.
Click here to read the full article – By Sarah D. Morris of MLB.com
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Dynamic duo’s strides driving Dodgers
After they lost to Philadelphia in last year’s National League Championship Series, the Dodgers had to know that to make it to the Fall Classic and win a long-awaited ring, they’d need to come of age.
They’ve done it this year, and two huge reasons for it are the budding stars in their outfield.
Their names are Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, both are having career years for a first-place club that figures to be a major player in the postseason, and both are young, charismatic, very talented and still loaded with untapped potential.
They’re also very different.
Kemp, who turns 25 next week, is a rare specimen of raw power, speed and baseball talent, even though he was recruited by the University of Oklahoma to play basketball as a shooting guard and teammates, scouts, opposing players and fans liken him to a football player.
Click here to read the full article – By Doug Miller of MLB.com
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Manny sparks Dodgers against D-backs
Manny Ramirez didn’t mind talking about his third-inning ejection on Monday, but he cut off questioning about his second-inning home run. “I don’t want to talk about that,” he said. “I do that all the time.” What a comedian, that guy.
Conventional wisdom ranks Ramirez’s power outage since returning from a 50-game drug suspension as the prime suspect for the team’s recent offensive struggles. So the fact that Ramirez’s homer was followed in back-to-back fashion by James Loney, triggering a 7-2 win over the D-backs, further fueled the theory that as Manny goes, so go the Dodgers.
Click here to read the full article – By Ken Gurnick of MLB.com
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Dodgers get INF Ronnie Belliard from Nationals for P Garcia and player to be named
The NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers added to their infield depth on Sunday, getting Ronnie Belliard from the Washington Nationals for a minor leaguer and a player to be named. The Dodgers sent Class A pitcher Luis Garcia to the Nationals.
The 34-year-old Belliard batted .246 with five homers and 22 RBIs for Washington. He’ll join the Dodgers in Los Angeles before their game Monday against Arizona, making him eligible for postseason play.
“He gives us some offense,” manager Joe Torre said. “He can play around the infield, probably all positions but shortstop. It gives me the ability to spell these guys. He gives us a little more depth with experience coming off the bench.”
Belliard started at second base for St. Louis during its 2006 World Series championship, batting .240 with four RBIs during the playoffs. The Dodgers will have to make a roster move to open a spot for him on Monday.
Click here to read the full article – By JOE KAY of myphil17.com
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