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Sunday, May 04, 2008

MLB: Kershaw compared with Chamberlain

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The day after Esteban Loaiza’s 2 1/3-inning outing, manager Joe Torre was asked about his fifth-starter situation in general and 20-year-old phenom Clayton Kershaw in particular.

Torre again drew the comparison to his managing last year of young Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain. New York’s “Joba Rules” required Torre to give Chamberlain as many days off between appearances as the number of innings he pitched.

The Dodgers have a “Kershaw Decree”—he is not to exceed 25 innings in any month while in the Minor Leagues. The strategy is to ration the left-hander’s outings so that he’s useful to the Major League club late in the season. In his only full professional season last year, Kershaw threw only 122 innings.

...Kershaw was signed out of high school, whereas Chamberlain had one year of college. “We don’t want to get teased and find out in September [that Kershaw’s] not pitching anymore,” said Torre.

Repoz Posted: May 04, 2008 at 06:01 PM | 23 comment(s)
Related News: General, LA Dodgers, Prospect Reports

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1. rLr Has A Structured Settlement, Needs Cash Now Posted: May 04, 2008 at 06:23 PM (#2768760)

Chamberlain pitched two years at Nebraska after a year at Nebraska-Kearney.

2. JCPHIKABDB, or...NJASDJDH Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:20 PM (#2768897)

Let's talk Melky or Wang.

3. rLr Has A Structured Settlement, Needs Cash Now Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:24 PM (#2768904)

The only thing that worries me about Wang is the fingernail. And I can't say that worries me too deeply.

4. Ludwig the Indestructible Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:30 PM (#2768914)

The only thing that worries me about Wang is the fingernail. And I can't say that worries me too deeply.

He is just caressing?

5. Cowboy Popup Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:47 PM (#2768933)

Melky Cabrera, 2008 All-star.

Mo won't give up a run until June.

6. rLr Has A Structured Settlement, Needs Cash Now Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:49 PM (#2768937)

Melky Cabrera, 2008 All-star.

The way things are going, he might be one of only a couple Yankees who deserve it.

7. Cowboy Popup Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:53 PM (#2768942)

The way things are going, he might be one of only a couple Yankees who deserve it.

He's the only one I'm going to vote for.

8. rLr Has A Structured Settlement, Needs Cash Now Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:54 PM (#2768944)

He's the only one I'm going to vote for.

Wang and Rivera would be reasonable candidates, too. Jeter is going to get in with the game being played at Yankee Stadium, whether he deserves it or not.

9. Cowboy Popup Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:57 PM (#2768945)

Jeter is going to get in with the game being played at Yankee Stadium, whether he deserves it or not.

He's also hitting .313 right now, emptiest .313 I've ever seen. Mo is going. Wang should if he keeps this up (And now the K rate types can't scoff at the notion).

10. kevin Posted: May 04, 2008 at 09:57 PM (#2768946)

Melky Cabrera, 2008 All-star.

Jeez, I just checked his numbers. I didn't realize how well he is playing.

I'm not sure they are quite AS numbers though. And even if he does deserve it, he might get stiffed anyway because of the perception that he's way down on the team pecking order depth chart.

11. Biff, Red Sox Jinx Posted: May 04, 2008 at 10:11 PM (#2768959)

He's also hitting .313 right now, emptiest .313 I've ever seen.

You should have seen when Julio Lugo was hitting .320-.330 a couple weeks back.

12. Rough Carrigan Posted: May 04, 2008 at 10:48 PM (#2768985)

What, does he have a defeatist attitude? Did he give up Czechoslovakia?

13. Nasty Nate Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:08 PM (#2768998)

boo

14. Lastings' gigantic wooden cross (Orinoco) Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:34 PM (#2769007)

What, does he have a defeatist attitude? Did he give up Czechoslovakia?

Hey, if the dude didn't start rearmament, "the few" would be flying biplanes in 1940.

"An English Worthy", show some respect.

15. npurcell Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:46 PM (#2769014)

Isn't the "Kershaw Decree" kind of counterproductive. Sure, you are limiting the innings on his arm but how is he going to get the innings needed to develop as a pitcher and develop the stamina needed as a starting pitcher?

16. I Am He, All Man Czar (TempleUSox) Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:54 PM (#2769018)

You gradually build it up over a period of 2 or 3 years. Next year he can go 30/month and the year after 35.

17. akrasian Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:54 PM (#2769019)

Nick,
The idea is to have him gradually increase his innings per season, with a hope that some of those innings will come in the postseason.

Keep in mind also that the rule is for the minors - the Dodgers expect him in the majors later this season. He would probably have started the season in the majors, if the Dodgers weren't concerned about jumping his innings per season up so greatly (keeping in mind that he is still very young).

As it is, I expect him to have around 100 innings in the minors before getting promoted. After promotion, he might be in the bullpen - but there is some chance he'll be in the rotation. And if he's in the rotation, it will be far more difficult to limit him. And they definitely want him to have something left for October, if the team makes it that far.

18. jwb Posted: May 04, 2008 at 11:59 PM (#2769020)

Well, 25 IP/month in the minors plus a similar workload for a September callup (assuming a continued successful MiLB season) is 150 IP. That's a 28 IP gain over last season. A similar gain would have him at 180 IP for next season. What do you think is reasonable for a 20 year old?

Edit: Several comments posted while I was writing mine.

19. Russlan roots for the mediocre Mets Posted: May 05, 2008 at 02:01 AM (#2769050)

Rivera and Wagner are certainly having outstanding starts to the season, aren't they?

Cano is going to get hot eventually but I hope there won't be Yankee fans expecting a huge step forward in 2009 based on his numbers after April.

You know what's really cool about Tiger? Despite being a groundball pitcher, he allows a Shilling-esque number of unearned runs.

20. RB in NYC (Now with an Plane Tickets!) Posted: May 05, 2008 at 07:23 AM (#2769069)

Rivera and Wagner are certainly having outstanding starts to the season, aren't they?

And Papelbon. In fact...

Rivera: 13 IP, 0 Runs Allowed, 4 H, 12 K, 0 BB
Papelbon: 15.3 IP, 3 ER, 10 H, 21 K, 1 BB, 1 HR
Wagner: 13 IP, 0 ER (1 R), 3 H, 13 K, 2 BB

I honestly don't know who you pick. Papelbon has given up the only earned runs and the only homer, plus he has the most hits. But his K/9 is over 12, and he only has one walk. I guess there isn't really a wrong answer, at least so far.

21. Edmundo(Erstwhile Master of Diagramming Sentences) Posted: May 05, 2008 at 08:16 AM (#2769079)

Lidge is falling in right behind, only the walks not being stellar. 15 IP, 0 ER (2 R), 7 H, 13 K, 6 BB(1 IBB)

22. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: May 05, 2008 at 08:35 AM (#2769092)

"The Dodgers have a 'Kershaw Decree'"

"The Kershaw Decree" sounds like the title of a Robert Ludlum novel. It's probably on the shelf in the airport bookstore, right next to "The Broxton Accord" and "The Ardoin Vendetta".

23. Replacement-Level Primate Posted: May 05, 2008 at 05:36 PM (#2769659)

Joe Nathan: 13 IP, 1 ER, 10 H, 14 K, 3 BB, 1 HR.

How long before he starts getting mentioned in elite closer discussions?

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MLB: Kershaw compared with Chamberlain

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