Why Dodger Fans Love: Clayton Kershaw
The Los Angeles Dodgers have a great core of players, and a talented roster. That’s why Dodgers Nation has decided to run a ‘Why We Love’ series, featuring some of your favorite Dodgers players. Our third installment focuses on possibly the most popular current Dodgers player. Today’s installment brings to light the GOAT, Clayton Kershaw.
Clayton Kershaw. Here it is. Here’s the one I get tingles just writing about. Clayton Kershaw’s story is one of epic proportions. It almost qualifies as a Greek epic. Whether you look at him as Odysseus, Achilles, or even Sisyphus–you can’t overstate how meaningful his legend is. You can’t overstate his impact. You definitely can’t overstate his skill. His work ethic and desire though, transcends everything else.
I was really excited to write this, but truth be told his story is a combination of such immense dominance and success, but also frustration and tragedy, that the sheer magnitude of it has been a bit daunting. That may sound overdramatic, but I suspect if you’re as big a fan of Kershaw as I am, you may understand.
I could share an anecdote of his work-ethic, but you’ve probably read it before. I could show you photos of how good of a cheerleader he is for his teammates when he isn’t pitching, but you’ve seen it before. Non Dodger fans like to call him a diva for his demeanor, but that belies why he gets so frustrated on the mound. He may do a pirouette after giving up a seeing eye single, or give up a home run, or even get the strike zone pinched by an umpire. It is because he demands perfection. He’s not a diva, he demands perfection.
After the game seven loss last year he gave us the most heartbreaking quote: “Maybe one of these days I won’t fail, we won’t fail and we’ll win one of these things.”
“Maybe one of these days I won’t fail”
He puts his own failures first. Baseball is a team game. He had just pitched fantastic relief innings on short rest in desperation. The offense failed to score more than one in that game 7, and yet he put the failure on himself first. That’s a future Hall of Famer and Dodger great, shouldering more responsibility than one man ever should. When people ask why I love Clayton Kershaw, there’s no better answer than that.
Why We Love Clayton Kershaw
Here are some Dodger Nation Staff telling you why WE love King Kershaw.
Clint Evans @DiamondHoggers : “Kershaw is one of the few pitchers who; when I watch the start I feel like it is appointment viewing. I know I am likely watching a living Hall of Famer, and I consider that to be rare and sacred. Like, I get to tell my son that I saw Clayton Kershaw pitch live three times! He is that kind of talent – as my father who talks about Koufax. Most of all I love the competitiveness. The guy hates to lose, and I see it even in his at-bats. A fight exists in Kershaw that is like some rare gene or trait, unique to him.”
Why YOU Love Clayton Kershaw
The list of things not to love about Clayton is astronomically shorter, tbh. Not only is he the ? but he's just so genuinely pure. Family first, @KershsChallenge, Public Enemy #1, ping pong headbands, work ethic, superstitions, his own worst critic, man of the people, and.. pic.twitter.com/nYjYVrbzaR
— Lindsay Adams (@LAtweets22) July 28, 2018
I love his meticulous work ethic, everything is counted for and he works so damn hard and every pitch and at-bat matters to him on a personal level
— Narek Mug ?? (@narekmug) July 28, 2018
Signed my ball in Arizona after the National Anthem. Gave me a look and told me to toss him the ball about 6 rows up from dugout. What a guy
— Rylee Peterson (@RyleePeterson5) July 28, 2018
The many conversations that my dad and I have had about how he got to watch Koufax and now we get to watch Kershaw and just talking/comparing the two, those father-son baseball conversations like that are priceless
— Patrick Luhta (@Pluhta) July 28, 2018
He is one of the greatest the game has ever seen and he knows it, but still he is humble about it and doesn't take it for granted. He works hard to be better not for his own sake, but to help this team win, there's no selfishness in him.
— Adriana Pereyra (@adripereyra) July 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/NUDodgers/status/1023074170534600704
Because just when you think he's done he proves you wrong
— Michael Mendoza (@MikeMendoza29) July 28, 2018
Final Thoughts
So many of the answers from you guys touch on what makes him a legendary figure. I touched on him being a legendary Greek figure at the top, and I do truly view him as Odysseus. Clayton Kershaw wants to get home to a World Series parade. Odysseus made it, and so will Clayton Kershaw.
Chronicling Walker Buehler’s 14th Career Start
Last night’s brilliant effort by the best Dodger pitcher since Koufax went to waste because we have a stupid manager who didn’t let Kershaw finish the game, which he has earned the right to do. If the Dodgers do not extend Kershaw’s contract before the end of this season, they will lose many lifelong fans.