By: Mike Carter
I don’t usually have the gumption to comment on the opinions of others, but I wanted to take a few minutes and share some thoughts on our unhealthy view of athletes in this country.
We live in a day and age where information can be shared, and skewed, by anyone. If you do not believe me, turn on your TV and watch the multiple “news” outlets on cable TV. Worse yet, go online. Hit the Facebook or Twitter icons and a wealth of misinformation and opinions hit you at every turn. I am weary of it and quiet honestly, avoid it as much as I can to spend time participating in activities, like playing catch with my son outside or hanging at the local coffee chop with my daughter. This doesn’t make me better than anyone; rather, I just choose to not spend what valuable little free time I have being engaged in a war of words and thoughts with strangers on social media. I try to look at time differently.
Something really irked me this week, though. Many amateur pundits and armchair quarterbacks like me have taken to social media to criticize the playoff performance of Clayton Kershaw. He’s 9-11 with a 4.43 ERA in his playoff career. Overall, he is 169-74 with a 2.44 ERA in what could be a Hall of Fame career. If you prefer WAR, he’s at 68 over his twelve years in the big leagues. He had a 3.6 WAR this year when he was the third best starter on his team and went 16-5 with a 3.03 ERA. Another excellent year that feel under the radar of many. Yet the story will be about his lack of playoff success.
Kershaw has been susceptible to the long ball in the playoffs at a higher rate that the regular season. His stuff isn’t what it once was, and it doesn’t play well in a game today that relies on velocity and spin rates. Kershaw relies more on deception than power now. The fastball life is not there; in the elimination game against Washington the other night, he was topping out at 90-91 MPH. He didn’t seem to have the feel for his other pitches as well. I also think it’s a disservice to him to use him in relief. Many will disagree, but the preparation is different for starters and relievers. Ask them. Kershaw being Kershaw, he won’t complain and will take the ball. But Dave Roberts left his two best relievers in the bullpen, and turned to Kershaw instead, with disastrous results. I see his thought process about the lefty on lefty ramifications. But what you really need at the end of playoff games is the one thing that has the ultimate value for a team: strikeouts. No ball in play, no chance for a hit or a misplay. Kershaw doesn’t have the wipeout stuff anymore.
Let’s also give some credit: Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto are two of the ten best players in the National League right now, maybe in all of baseball. The pitch Rendon hit was a good pitch; the one to Soto, was a meatball, a slider right over the heart of the plate. But these are the best hitters on the hottest team right now. Give them some credit.
I think it’s unfair to pile on Kershaw with this stuff. No one feels worse than he does. Every single one of you reading this has imploded at some important point in your life. Maybe it was a big meeting and you blew the presentation. Maybe you played the wrong notes in a band performance. Maybe you struck out with the bases loaded in an important game. Maybe you gave up a critical home run too. I am suggesting we show a tremendous athlete the same grace others likely (and hopefully) showed you when you made a mistake. Granted, Kershaw’s gaffes are far more public than ours. But show some sympathy for the guy and leave him alone. Most years the Dodgers don’t make the playoffs without his greatness. Go look at his career numbers; to say he has excelled in the regular season against inferior opponents is asinine. I have loved watching this guy pitch and will continue to watch him. Kershaw’s skills have clearly diminished and it’s time to stop thinking he’s the best pitcher in baseball. He’s not even in the top 10 anymore. So, let’s stop this narrative that he is supposed to be above the fray. He got beat. We all get beat. He’s a human being. Let’s treat him as such.
While I am at it, I am also thinking about the fire that Daniel Hudson drew for choosing to be present at the birth of his daughter rather than be available in game 1 of the NLCS for the Washington Nationals. I read statements such as “he let his team down” and “his priorities are out of whack” and his “absence is inexcusable.” How about you tell his wife and family that? Inexcusable would be missing the birth of his child to sit in the bullpen and perhaps not even be used or needed. In today’s day and age with misinformation at every turn, Hudson made the right choice to be with his family at this special time. There will be other playoff games, but there will not be other births. Give me a break. As far as we can tell, you only get to do life once. Hudson has had an up-and-down career, mostly due to devastating arm injuries, and said afterwards that “baseball is what I do, it’s not who I am.”
Take a step back. I would bet many folks reading this were there for the birth of their children, unless you are older, in which case I know that didn’t always happen based on the times. Did you miss work for the birth of your child? Moreover, have you taken days off to be able to be home with your sick child? Or taken a vacation from work during a busy time to spend time with your family? If you have, good for you; family should come first. Hudson can’t take time off during the middle of his season. He took 48 hours to be with his family at the birth of his third daughter, as he is allowed to do under the CBA. He did the right thing. And if you don’t think he did, you are entitled to your opinion, but the fact that he is a major league baseball player in the playoffs shouldn’t change the situation at all. After all, it’s just a game.
Granted, the best game in the world. How many of you stayed up far too late to watch the Astros and Yankees Game Two last night? What an epic game. Playoff baseball is the best stiff out there, isn’t it? Sadly, it will all be over for another year by Halloween.
If you read my last blog, that sleeper pick of the Washington Nationals looks pretty good right now. We will see if it holds up!