New York Yankees
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K is for KershawMay 30th, 2008
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The Dodgers believe they have the next big time pitcher. The next Dwight Gooden, the next Roger Clemens, the next Sandy Koufax. His name is Clayton Kershaw. Even though he has pitched just six innings on the year, Dodgers fans are over the moon for this young pitching project. Since Kershaw is just 20 years old, the Dodgers plan on limiting him to about 170 innings on the season. However, that should be more than enough time to get a feel for what the young phenom can do.
Standing in at six feet three inches, the lanky left hander is the kind of pitcher front office personal dream about. Hailing from Texas, Dodgers faithful are hoping that he proves to be more Nolan Ryan than Roger Clemens. Joe Torre had wanted to bring Kershaw along slowly, but at the end of the day, the Dodgers pitching has not performed as well as hoped. Kershaw is one of the few southpaw’s that the Dodgers have.
This Friday will be a big test for Kershaw as he will be pitching under the bright lights of New York City when the Dodgers play the Mets. Wearing number 54, Kershaw is trying to bring life to a Dodger team that has been underachieving for most of the season. Joe Torre plans on using Kershaw the way he used Joba Chamberlain last season with the Yankees, which is to say he will be used sparingly.
Whatever Kershaw can bring to the table will be an improvement as not one member of the Dodgers rotation has a winning record. Kershaw will be the Dodgers fifth starter for the foreseeable future. Right now, Kershaw is in line to see a number of starts in the coming weeks, then management will evaluate where there young phenom is at. One thing is for sure, the Dodgers hope that Kershaw can be their best left hander since Sandy Koufax. But, they would be happy if Kershaw turns out as good as Orel Hershiser. Either way, if Kershaw is lucky he will end up like Brad Penny and get to date both Alyssa Milano and Eliza Dushku.
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Orioles Fly As Yankees SinkMay 22nd, 2008
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In the scorching heat of expectations the New York Yankees are wilting before summer has even begun. Meanwhile in the shade of simpler expectations, the Baltimore Orioles continue to shock the baseball world.
It is a study of contrasts: the Yankees with its in-your-face-what-did-you-screw-up-today media to the low-key media of Charm City.
In July of 2006, photographs of Alex Rodriguez tanning in Central Park while playing with his daughter surfaced. With four newspapers that have a circulation of over 600,000 competing for stories in New York City, a father spending time with his child before work makes headlines. Rather than a simple father-daughter moment, it became an opportunity for New York’s sportswriters to speculate about the lethargy of the team and its highest paid star.
Throughout this season, the Opening Day starter for the Orioles (take a minute to see if you can name that pitcher) has ridden his bicycle anonymously through the Baltimore streets on his way to Camden Yards. Neither the Baltimore Sun nor the Baltimore Examiner have paparazzi waiting to see if he will run a red light or pass on the right. Instead, they allow the city’s players to be themselves.