By comparison, Dodgers "#2 starter" Kazmir gave up 7 walks in 6 2/3 tonight. Against the worst hitting team in the majors. He's #2 alright. Despite being tops in the NL West 3 years running, the organization is wasting the career of their best pitcher since Koufax.

I realize how early it is in his career, but 'Thor' is having elite-level results - if he stays healthy...wow!


Of course, I'm not sure if he has even had his first Tommy John - which has seemingly become almost a right of passage.


Back in my playing days, a really good curveball was termed a 'Double-Yellow Hammer'.

.

well duh syndergaard is very good, been impressed with him since he ptiched against la in the playoffs last year. he has the electric fb, but it's rare to see command and control on his secondary stuff this early. he should have multiple cy youngs and no hitters in his future...and should be a perennial CY favorite starting next year.

Agree the Dodgers are wasting CK's prime, though not at all for lack of spending. With the ascension of the Cubs, it's unclear that LAD has any window left for a championship while Kershaw can still bring it.

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Before we deify Kershaw let's recall he is 2-6 4.59 in the post season. Blame the Dodgers for a lousy organization, but he shares some of the blame for their lack of post-season success in his career so far.

Add a 2-hit shutout to the mix!

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There should be no doubt who the best is in baseball. Kershaw's May:

5-0, 0.64 ERA. 42 IP. 3 CG. 3 SHO. 0 HR. 55 K, 2 BB. 20 H. 0.523 WHIP. 11.8 K 9/IP. 0.4 BB/9 IP. 25.5 K:BB ratio.

That's disgusting. When was the last time a pitcher had three shutouts in one month?

Sadly I feel like the last time a pitcher had 3 CG in a month was 1979!

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Bill- next thing we know, you'll be calling things you like 'sick'


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Bill- I'm not sure when the last time a pitcher had 3 shutouts in a single month...but, it got me remembering Hershiser's late run in 1988:


His September record:

5 straight complete game shutouts

followed by 10 shutout innings in his last start to break yet another
Dodger's (Drysdale) Major League record with 59 consecutive scoreless innings.


But, he didn't stop there:

On 10/4, in the opening playoff game, he held the Mets scoreless for 8 1/3 innings...

bringing his incredible string to 67 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings!!

BIG WOW!!!


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2 walks in a month is freakish.

urias is being called up and starting tomorrow against the mets...and his card jumps to syndergaard's level, just pure madness! he's not half the pitcher thor is right now, and i don't think he'll ever reach that level.

Looks like Syndergaard was another good investment. I picked his rookie card up three years ago for $25.

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/5...yndergaard.png

I really should re-scan it without the one touch. It's a really nice card.

It's only a good investment if you remember (I frequently do not) to sell high!

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Per ESPN:

No pitcher in modern MLB history has fewer walks at time of his 100th K of a season than Kershaw (via @EliasSports)

My God. 2 outs in the 7th inning, Kershaw gives up a single, and Roberts, the idiot Dodgers manager, brings in some relief pitcher I've never heard of. Kershaw has given up 4 hits, 10 Ks, 0 BB, and is only up 2-1 when pulled. The pitcher promptly gives up a triple, and Kershaw now gets a no decision.

How the Dodgers, with a $270 million payroll, and the best starting pitcher in at least a generation, are struggling to stay above .500 is beyond me.

Welcome to my pain. Absolutely absurd. Lucky to get the win.

Another 10 Ks no BB. Crappie bullpen.

Dave Roberts: What a Dumb Ass!



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blah roberts outsmarted himself there...he had three options and chose the worst one. kershaw was tiring and if you pull him you gotta put in jensen who is the 2nd best pitcher on the team by far...you don't replace kershaw with another lefty.

it's great for guys like arrieta who's always pitching with a 5-1, 4-0 lead where you can air out your stuff and don't have to be extra fine on every pitch...or if you start to tire your bullpen can actually back you up and leave some runners stranded instead of giving up xbh or grand slams in playoff games making your stats look worse.

The problem is Kershaw is not strong enough to complete games and the Dodgers have a lousy bullpen. That is a recipe for disaster.

3 complete game shut outs this year in 11 starts. Not strong enough :rolleyes:. His bullpen is garbage outside of Kenley. It has been garbage for years which goes right along with the glut of other garbage on the team. It's like watching Brewster's Millions where he spends all that money with nothing to show for it.

lol dewey, i like your realistic view of the team. i visit a couple dodgers fan sites and they are mostly so myopic and prone to homerism. when they lose there's always a next game, when the season is over there's always next year...puig sucks, well his defense is good and he has a better attitude. meanwhile the team has had the same problem the last 4-5 years and the giants has won 3ws.

...well at least 70% of its fanbase can't watch them on tv now for 3 years, that could actually be a blessing in disguise. i'm a big fan but it's been the same losing loop for awhile. i support what the front office is doing but i'm not sure when that will translate to on-field success. seems like they're just buying lottery tickets with these marginal signings mccarthy kazmir or international gamble hoping to hit big on of them.

Kershaw and Seager are the only source of legit excitement with this team. Considering the payroll that is pathetic. You then have the hope of youth in Joc and Trayce, the latter a pleasant surprise. Then you have great players in decline in Gonzalez and Utley. I hated the signing of Chase which shows what I know. Then there is Kenley who must be shaking his head in his last year with the Dodgers. The rest of the roster is mix of injury prone, overpaid, underperforming has beens, never wases, and mental midgets with no backbone. There has been zero mental toughness from the mound sans ace and closer. Sick of homers served up in moments of mental weakness and lack of execution. They need fewer hugs from Roberts and more boots in the arse. Too many starting batters hitting around .240. Years of bad contracts on the books, this ain't changing for years. The lack of grit and guts on this team is astounding. There's always the hope of the returning mediocre injury prone dross over the next two months. That's how I see it. That doesn't even include the big f u to the fans and the TV situation. But I have time warner. :)

Patently false. What the hell are you talking about?

Kershaw in May started six games. In three of those starts, he threw complete game shutouts. He pitched 49 2/3 innings out of a possible 54 innings. That's an average of 8 1/3 innings per start. In his eleven starts this season, he's thrown 86 2/3 innings (leading the National League). That's a hair under 8 innings per start (7.88 IP/start).

He leads the National League with those three complete games this year.
He led the National League with four complete games last year.
He led the National League with six complete games in 2014.

Here are the Major League leaders in complete games thrown, since 2011:

Clayton Kershaw, 23
James Shields, 17
Johnny Cueto, 14
Adam Wainwright, 13
R.A. Dickey, 12
Felix Hernandez, 12
David Price, 12
Justin Verlander, 12

And, since 2011, nobody in the Major Leagues....NOBODY....has thrown more innings than Kershaw:

IP since the start of the 2011 season:

Clayton Kershaw, 1,214 2/3 in 170 starts
James Shields, 1,199 in 177 starts
Felix Hernandez 1,170 in 172 starts
R.A. Dickey 1,163 in 177 starts (179 games)

In the last six years, nobody has thrown more innings, or more complete games, than Clayton Kershaw. Not strong enough to complete games? I'd say that Clayton Kershaw is, by a comfortable margin, the most reliable starter in the game as far as innings pitched per start.

I hate when people present statements as fact, and they have no clue what they're talking about.

Who dropped that piece of dynami...

BOOM!

Kershaw 5th???
 

From ESPN.Com - Interesting:

*** My apologies for the sloppy cut and paste job.


2016 NL Cy Young Predictor as of June 3

RK PLAYER TEAM CYP G GS IP ER K SV SHO W-L ERA VB
1 Jake Arrieta CHC 101.9 11 11 75.0 13 75 0 1 9-0 1.56 12
2 Stephen Strasburg WSH 92.4 11 11 73.2 22 90 0 0 9-0 2.69 12
3 Johnny Cueto SF 90.4 11 11 81.2 21 72 0 2 8-1 2.31 12
4 Madison Bumgarner SF 85.3 12 12 80.0 17 94 0 0 7-2 1.91 12
5 Clayton Kershaw LAD 84.9 11 11 86.2 15 105 0 3 7-1 1.56 0
6 Jeff Samardzija SF 71.7 11 11 76.0 24 66 0 0 7-3 2.84 12
7 Jose Fernandez MIA 70.6 11 11 67.2 19 96 0 0 8-2 2.53 0
8 Jon Lester CHC 69.0 11 11 70.2 18 69 0 0 6-3 2.29 12
9 Jason Hammel CHC 68.3 10 10 56.0 13 50 0 0 6-1 2.09 12
10 Jeanmar Gomez PHI 60.7 26 0 28.0 9 20 17 0 2-1 2.89 0


Glossary
• CYP: In The Neyer/James Guide To Pitchers -- co-authored by Bill James and ESPN.com's Rob Neyer presents a method, based on past results, to predict Cy Young balloting. This page provides an in-season snapshot of the Cy Young "race," as figured by the following formula: Cy Young Points (CYP) = ((5*IP/9)-ER) + (SO/12) + (SV*2.5) + Shutouts + ((W*6)-(L*2)) + VB (see below).
• VB: Victory Bonus is a 12-point bonus awarded for leading your team to the division championship

5 or so guys off to amazing starts.

Not a single pitcher on that list is outperforming Kershaw, and it's not even close. They're all having good seasons, but Kershaw is clearly the best.

Cueto leads the league in HR/9 IP, has a 169 ERA + and a 2.43 FIP.
Strasburg has a 155 ERA +, and a 2.60 WHIP. Leads in zero metrics.
Bumgarner has a 205 ERA +, and a 2.77 FIP. Leads in zero metrics.
Arrieta I've already gone over. He leads in wins, ERA + and hits/ 9 IP. He has a 257 ERA + and a 2.73 FIP.
Kershaw has a 244 ERA + and a 1.51 FIP. He leads the league in ERA (tied with Arrieta), shutouts, strikeouts, FIP, WHIP, BB/9 IP and SO:BB ratio.

I would put zero credence in anything the ESPN baseball writers have to say. They're hacks. David Schoenfield just released his All Star team, and he has Andrew McCutchen as a starter in the NL outfield while McCutchen is hitting .251 with a below .800 OPS. He sucks this year. In fact, he's the third best outfielder on his team.

Looking at that formula, the very fact that they consider wins and losses by a pitcher tells me everything I need to know.

The formula is crap.

And "a 12 point bonus is given for leading your team to the division championship."

Really? LOL

The four pitchers ahead of Kershaw are on teams that lead their division. They have that 12 pt bonus because ESPN has somehow predicted that they will win their divisions, even though there are 110 + games left to be played in the season. That's the difference in the point total right now. Kershaw's Dodgers don't lead the division (Bumgarner's Giants do), so no bonus for him.

"Hey, Clayton, sorry that you had an historic season in the annals of baseball, but no Cy Young for you because you played on a crap team that blew five of your wins, and didn't win the division."

Then there's this little gem:

"based on past results"

30 years ago, hell, 10 years ago, it was wins and losses, ERA and strikeouts. We know how to better evaluate a pitcher's performance today. Through the use of modern metrics, statisticians have demonstrated a much better understanding of how a pitcher does their job, and what they can control. Wins and losses? Really?


This "predictor" is one of the most ill conceived things I've ever seen. I don't fault you for posting it, Raymond, but it's typical of the half-assed job ESPN does. They don't understand the sport at all.

...plus, they didn't include Syndergaard on the list at all !

He dominated again tonight.




Bill- what do you think the proposed change (higher) to the strike zone will do to Kershaw? - If, indeed, it is enforced. I hope it doesn't make the game like pinball again.

IMHO, there is a need for balance between hitting and pitching and the game suffers greatly when that balance is radically changed.


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kershaw's fastball has a natural rise in its movement, part of the reason batters don't make solid contact against him. he'll be fine.

edit: i read a recent stat a couple days ago where kershaw has 4.1war-share (fangraph) for the year and 2.9 for may, while second place is a tie of syndergaard and jose quintana...with a 2.7war total for the SEASON. kershaw can just sit for and chill for the next month and he'd probably still be the most productive pitcher in baseball.

I think there will be a period of adjustment, and that could mean an increase in scoring. But the truly great pitchers have pinpoint control, and shouldn't be adversely affected by the change.

Syndergaard is having a great season. So is Jose Fernandez. I've been high on these two kids for quite a while. Syndergaard has reached a high level quicker than I thought he would. Fernandez, too. The only thing that's slowed Jose down has been injury. The guy's an absolute stud pitcher. As for Syndergaard, the Blue Jays have to be kicking themselves. How do you let a pitcher like that go??

If Matt Harvey turns it around (and his last start, seven innings of two hit shutout ball with 1 BB and 6 K against the White Sox is a real good sign), look out for this Mets team. Steven Matz has been on a roll (5-0, a 1.56 ERA his last six starts), de Grom has been real good (3-1, 2.62 ERA), and Zack Wheeler will be back sometime in July. That's a downright nasty five man rotation.

Kershaw is ridiculous. The command he's been showing thus far this season is pretty much unprecedented.

Another pitcher I expect to see a jump from soon is Gerrit Cole. His FIP and WHIP are up some from last year, but I have this sneaking feeling that by this time next year, he's going to be included in the discussion of best starters in the game.

Oh man, just saw Ali died.

jofer is absolutely a beast and great young pitcher, but between him and thor i'd probably give the nod to syndergaard. the cleaner bill of health, the less violent delivery, and the drama-free attitude.

gerrit cole is pretty awesome but i don't consider him to be in the same class as the other 2, his good stuff has never translated into Ks...maybe he pitches to contact(?) i don't know but if you have overpowering stuff you should have more strikeouts then he does. he also doesn't look to be in the best shape and athletic like the other 2. something's off with him, whether mentally or physically that's not allowing him to take that ELITE step where the whole team's attitude changes the day you take the mound.

Kershaw update from his last start: 100 2/3 innings pitched. 122 k. 6bb.

Surrounded by a bunch of gutless bats hovering just above (or below-Grandal :mad:) the Mendoza line.

He struck out 202 batters in 208 IP last year, and had 138 Ks in 138 IP in 2014. Just how many strike outs does he need? These guys striking out 10 + batters per 9 IP are the rare exception. Cole's strikeout rate is just fine.

Continues to lead league in innings pitched. Another win. 11k. 1bb. Though the bb should have been k #12. A clear bad call by ump. Even if it was borderline, and it wasn't, you'd think if anyone gets benefit of the doubt it would be Kershaw.

133k 7bb on the season. If that bogus walk would have been a k, Kershaw would have sole season record for 10k games with no walks which he currently shares with Big Unit and Schilling.

Kershaw is on a roll. His last ten starts:

9-0, 78 IP, 10 ER, 1.15 ERA, 101 K, 4 BB, 43 H, 3 HR, 0.603 WHIP, 11.7 K/9 IP, 0.5 BB/9 IP

He now leads the National League in wins, ERA, CG, SHO, IP, K, ERA +, FIP, WHIP, H/9 IP, BB/9 IP, and K:BB.

His ERA + coming into tonight was 243. I assume it went up slightly after tonight. 6 hits allowed in 7 innings, 1 run, 0 walks, 8 K.

The guy is just nuts. Too bad the Dodgers can't surround him with a better team.

Clayton Kershaw now has the highest ERA + of all-time (since 1901, minimum 1,700 innings pitched).

more fun stats: if you exclude all eight starts in 2016 in which Kershaw didn't issue a walk, his 59 remaining strikeouts and seven walks would still give him the best strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.43) in MLB.

that's almost as funny as when he wasn't chosen for the all-star game initially last year but was a replacement for scherzer getting hurt...the best pitcher would not have been at the showcase game for the league if it wasn't for max being hurt. dude practically had to beg to get in the game. in no other sport does the league ACTIVELY sabotage its own stars and legacies and pull bs like the mlb, no wonder the sport is declining in all the young demographics.

also i'm uncomfortable when this thread is bumped, feels like a jinx waiting to happen.

Sorry about any possible jinx, but it's too much fun to walk about him. :)

A couple more numbers to show how brilliant he's been this year.

Since 1901, of all pitchers that have thrown at least 100 innings, Kershaw's 0.657 WHIP is the best single season mark in Major League History. And that will go down slightly, as Baseball Reference's database has not yet updated to reflect last night's games. He pitched 7 innings, gave up six hits, 0 walks. His WHIP last night was 0.857.

His 2016 FIP (again, before last night's update) is also historic. 1.64 right now, and that will drop, too. But as it stands, since 1901, that's the 17th best mark in baseball history by a starter, and the six guys directly ahead of him are within 0.002 of him. Oh, and of those pitchers, only one starter is from the modern era-Pedro Martinez. Pedro put up a 1.61 WHIP in 2001 (he pitched only 116 2/3 innings), and in 1999, he put up a spectacular 1.39 FIP in 213 1/3 innings. Every other guy on the list--Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, Addie Joss, Chief Bender, Rube Waddell, Ed Walsh and Red Ames--you know you're having an historic season.

141 K's and 7 walks. Unreal.

Bill- We are enjoying your analysis. However, I found an error and a typo - highlighted.

Hoping to see another Triple Crown this year. This guy is unbelievable.

Thanks, Raymond. Ugh, I need to stop doing statistics at 5 am. It went up slightly, obviously, to 0.670. Still the best by a wide margin.

And I agree, Packs, I'd love to see him get another Triple Crown.

I wonder what, principally, is to explain for the jump in his strikeout rate the last three years. Between 2011 and 2013, he won two Cy Youngs, and was runner up in the other season. His K/9 IP rate was 9.2. The last three years, that's jumped considerably; a full 2 Ks to 11.2. His walk rate in the first three year span was 2.2/9 IP, and even before this season's historic start, he was averaging 1.5 BB/9 IP between 2014 and '15. So, his walk rate had dropped by about 1/3.

Damn, double post. Sorry.

Kershaw
 

He has developed his slider, he had Harper stepping in the bucket every time he threw it the other night and righties have no shot at it when he is snapping it down and in just off the inside corner. It would be nice if he started going up and in come playoff time. He gets in trouble and continues to pound the strike zone instead of dusting hitters off the plate. He may be just too nice a guy to do this, but this is what made Pedro, Randy, Roger, so dominant come playoff time.

even more KERSHAW:
 

Currently, the 7th overall (and 6th pitcher) pick in the 2006 MLB draft is leading the majors in the following stats:

IP, SO, ShO, ERA, WHIP, QS, K/BB, P/IP, AGS & WAR

QS= quality starts
AGS= average game score

The six players picked before Kershaw were:

1. Royals- Luke Hochevar, RHP
2. Rockies- Greg Reynolds, RHP ( WHO? )
3. Devil Rays- Evan Longoria, 3B
4. Pirates- Brad Lincoln, RHP
5. Mariners- Brandon Morrow, RHP
6. Tigers- Andrew Miller, LHP

...and a few drafted after Kershaw:

10. Giants- Tim Lincecum, RHP
11. Diamondbacks- Max Scherzer, RHP

Bill- without being absolutely sure that any one thing is a 'principal reason' for the statistical enhancements you mentioned:


I would make a few educated guesses:


1.) His learning curve has improved the more he applies what he already knows works and what, if anything, does not


2.) His grasp of individual umpire's strike-zones has improved...as have their expectations of his deliveries.


3.) He is probably physically stronger


4.) That added strength allows him to 'finish up' designed 'out' pitches more efficiently


5.) He has learned to a more certain degree what he can expect from his defense and what he will have to do on his own;


...in short, hard as it is to believe, he just got better...and that trend won't go on forever...so let's enjoy it while we can!