Kershaw and the Dodgers come up JUST short once again. Another year where they seemed to have it all… but couldn’t close the deal. Once again, a big portion of the blame is being shifted towards Clayton Kershaw. Although there were other villains during this World Series for the Dodgers, Kershaw seems to be under the spotlight once again because we expected more from someone of his talent. The best pitcher in baseball yet shows vulnerability just after September 30th. Despite disappointing yet again during Game 5, my admiration and respect for Kershaw continues to increase.
The big name athletes are expected to ball out in the big stage. In every sport. LeBron needs to perform during the finals, Messi and Cristiano need a goal in finals to prove they contributed apparently, Tom Brady shows up in the Super Bowl. With that same logic, it should Kershaw coming up big for his team in many possible way during the month of October. And yet….
Clayton Kershaw has now allowed 8 home runs in potential elimination games.
That is the most of any pitcher in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/N8hwYrFnFm
— ESPN (@espn) October 29, 2018
What surprises me and has caught my attention is his determination and drive to keep trying to be “that guy”. Many would’ve curled up and given up after so many disappointing postseasons. Some would hide away in the shadows until directly called upon. It’s the easy way out. An athlete that’s struggling to perform in the biggest stages will eventually have enough and will mentally give up. Not Kershaw.
Whenever the Dodgers are in a difficult series where every game is crucial, we often see Kershaw offering to pitch whenever it’s needed. No matter how many rest days and no matter how his last outing went. He’s there and ready to go. Sometimes coming in as a reliever for an inning or two. Sometimes starting on short days rest and giving a few innings. The interesting thing is that it doesn’t always work. He doesn’t always come up as the hero. In fact, more times than not, he chokes. Bad.
Clayton Kershaw:
– 5.49 career World Series ERA
– 5.45 career ERA facing elimination
Also Clayton Kershaw:
– 1.16 ERA in last 5 home postseason outings
– 2.39 ERA in starts following 5-run outingWhat does all that mean? Nothing. Great pitcher in a big game tonight.
— John Fisher (@JohnnyPhisher) October 29, 2018
That determination to keep asking for the ball and insisting on pitching on short days rest speaks volumes. It speaks to me that he’s the star of the team and he understands that he needs to step up whether or not he fails. As his teammate, that would fire me up. Knowing that the guy (who can obviously pitch) can come out, have a bad game yet continue to overcome that mentally is impressive. That spirit of perseverance is spread out in the dugout. I personally believe that the true leaders aren’t the ones that always come up when needed. I believe that the true leaders continue to come out with their heads up high no matter how many times they’ve failed.
I’m big fan of players who are mental warriors and fight for every second they can under the spotlight. A trait that has gotten me to admire athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kobe and now Clayton Kershaw. All athletes that at one point or another, I hated. But because I’ve taken the time to study them mentally, I’ve learned to appreciate their craft. Of course I want to see them lose every chance possible, but I still enjoy studying them.
Go Sox…