Currently, the player who has worn the uniform for the longest time for the LA Dodgers is left-hander Clayton Kershaw (35).
The reporter has been watching since his St. Louis Cardinals debut on May 25, 2008. At the time, he was broadcasting the Dodgers on a Korean radio broadcast, and I watched him at Dodger Stadium every time he pitched. He is the same age as his son, who is a baseball player, so the closeness was added.
Kershaw, who was drafted with the 7th overall pick in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, entered the big leagues earlier than expected at the age of 20. It was because of the club’s policy at the time. The Dodgers avoided participating in the U.S. team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The same goes for the NBA, but clubs do not want their players to be selected for the national team. from fear of injury.
Even after Kershaw was selected for the 2022 WBC national team, he did not join Team USA because insurance issues due to injuries were not resolved at the last minute. Kershaw’s Baseball Career The U.S. National Team Misfired.
The Beijing national team in 2008 was centered around minor league players. The player selected as an amateur is San Diego State Stephen Strasburg (34), who was later named first overall by the Washington Nationals. If he was in the minor leagues, he would be called up to the national team, so he rushed up to the big leagues.
The Dodgers thoroughly managed and protected Kershaw while promoting him to the big leagues. Ned Colletti’s then-GM advised manager Joe Torrey to never throw more than 100 pitches. In fact, coach Tori was better at protecting players. The pitcher replaced sinker bowler Derek Law, who was about to win a complete shutout, and the player expressed his dissatisfaction. Law pitched until the age of 40.
In fact, even in 2008, there were many cases where the number of pitches exceeded 100. These days, 100 has almost become the limit of pitching. Kershaw started 22 games in his 2008 debut. He passed 100 pitches a total of four times. His highest number of pitches was 108. From the following year, he had no pitch limit.
In 2011, 4 years after his debut, he won the Cy Young Award for the first time in his life. He achieved three crowns as a pitcher, including most wins (21), earned run average (2.28), and strikeouts (248). In 2013 and 2014, he won the award for the third time in his career. The way he went was very similar to Sandy Koufax, who is known as the ‘Golden Left Arm’ of the Dodgers.
It was like the second coming of Koufax. The two are the same, such as 1 MVP and 3 Cy Young Awards. However, the difference is that in the postseason, Koufax showed off his peak skills and Kershaw was sluggish. However, Kershaw also solved his grievance by winning the 2020 World Series.
On the 19th, against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium, he stepped on the 200th career win with 3 hits and 9 strikeouts in 7 innings. It is a milestone record that has put a clear stamp on his entry into the Hall of Fame. He has numerous decorations, including MVP, Cy Young Award 3 times, ERA 5 times, wins 3 times, strikeout king 3 times, All-Star 9 times, and no-hit no-run.
His final milestone was 3000 strikeouts. It is currently 2833, so it is possible this year as long as there are no injuries. His pitching has dropped, but he still strikes out more than innings.
Kershaw’s pre-game routine is famous. LG trainer Kim Yong-il, who observed him for a season with the Dodgers, described Kershaw’s routine as “It’s like a warrior preparing for a battle. He prepares so solemnly and reverently that it is difficult for anyone next to him to speak.” Former Dodgers teammates say he’s a perfectionist.
Kershaw is a very mature and great personality, not only as a player but also as a person. In his early twenties, Afri, along with his wife, Ellen, whom he had married early, went on a mission in Zambia and also created an orphanage. Every year in July, a fund-raising ping-pong tournament is held at Dodger Stadium hosted by the Kershaws. Many celebrities also participate.
In the United States, athletes sometimes marry high school or college classmates. These are the epitome of good players. He earned a lot of money as a professional player, but he has the innocence of not turning his eyes to the wrong places. His wife, Ellen, who has four children, is a high school classmate.
Personally,메이저사이트 I’m lucky in that I’m still covering the scene where the player I covered at the debut is becoming a legend. MLB Network host Alana Ritzo finished an interview with Kershaw after winning 200 games and commented, “The achievements made on the ground are great, but the human Kershaw is not lacking as a member of the Hall of Fame.”
Another great player the Dodgers produced is Kershaw.