Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded)
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As many of you know, I have recently taken to these forums to rip Clayton Kershaw's post season performances.
When given the opportunity to crumble, he usually does.
He pitched great in game 1, but let's be honest Game 1's are seldom memorable and do little to reverse a career of post season meltdowns.
But a Game 5, in a series tied at 2, coming off an epic loss the night before, is the situation that post season legacies are made.
If Kershaw pitches well (5 IP, 2 ER) and the Dodgers win, it will go a long way towards washing away his past failures.
But if he implodes, he will cement his place as the worst post season pitcher ever.So tomorrow is arguably the biggest start of Kershaw's career.
Pitch a gem and a sure fire Hall of Famer, will wash away the one lasting stain on his legendary career.
Blow it and he will be a Hall of Famer that crumbled when it matters most.Personally, I would like Kershaw to pitch a gem similar to Game 1.
Either way we are in store for some historic level baseball drama. -
I don’t think even a gem tomorrow will save him from a semi tarnished legacy. It will be used as a one shinning star moment type of thing meaning it’s a outlier. He is kinda like the Payton manning of baseball, great regular seasons but can’t get it done in the post season. Plus it didn’t help that he was being outshined in his own division by another lefty’s greatness in the postseason by what Madbum did. I remember there was a lot of talk about who you would rather have between the two, a great regular season guy that comes of short in key games or a good regular season guy that’s legendary in the postseason. I just think his “bad” is to much to overcome at this point unless he is dominant the next couple years in the playoffs if he lasts that long. Kinda sucks for him because he is one of the best pitchers of his generation
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@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
If Kershaw pitches well (5 IP, 2 ER) and the Dodgers win, it will go a long way towards washing away his past failures.
I disagree. People will still say something next time he gives up 3 or 4 runs in 5-7 innings. Which isnt horrible, especially with that lineup behind you. Cuz they always do. He has had plenty of decent to good performances in the PS. But they dont get acknowledged. He also has had a ton of opportunities. Opportunities most dont have to fail or succeed.
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At this point Kershaw has probably subscribed to the “if your name isn’t said you’re doing your job” mentality in the postseason. He doesn’t need to throw gems, he just needs to not be the headline if they lose a game.
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Good game by Kershaw.
5 2/3 IP, 2 ER. He was given a lead, got in trouble, surrendered some runs, but got out of it.
In the past Kershaw would have imploded in the 4th inning. I think it was runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs.He got hit, worked out of it and did not relinquish the lead.
It wasn't enough to change the narrative, but if the Dodgers hold on, Kershaw will have a nice ring on his finger to flip off his detractors.
Good job Kershaw. -
@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
Good game by Kershaw.
5 2/3 IP, 2 ER. He was given a lead, got in trouble, surrendered some runs, but got out of it.
In the past Kershaw would have imploded in the 4th inning. I think it was runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs.He got hit, worked out of it and did not relinquish the lead.
It wasn't enough to change the narrative, but if the Dodgers hold on, Kershaw will have a nice ring on his finger to flip off his detractors.
Good job Kershaw.Doesnt help the narrative? Please explain...2-2 series in the WS and pitches a solid 5.2 innings giving up 2 runs.
Tough crowd man, tough crowd
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@mrcityofwin said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
Good game by Kershaw.
5 2/3 IP, 2 ER. He was given a lead, got in trouble, surrendered some runs, but got out of it.
In the past Kershaw would have imploded in the 4th inning. I think it was runners on 1st and 3rd, no outs.He got hit, worked out of it and did not relinquish the lead.
It wasn't enough to change the narrative, but if the Dodgers hold on, Kershaw will have a nice ring on his finger to flip off his detractors.
Good job Kershaw.Doesnt help the narrative? Please explain...2-2 series in the WS and pitches a solid 5.2 innings giving up 2 runs.
Tough crowd man, tough crowd
To change the playoff choker narrative he needed to pitch a gem.
He pitched well enough to win. One game does not erase a career of multiple post season meltdowns.And if the Dodgers pen blows the game, no one will remember his outing.
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@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
One game does not erase a career of multiple post season meltdowns.
He has pitched WAY more than one good PS game.
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@ChuckCLC said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
One game does not erase a career of multiple post season meltdowns.
He has pitched WAY more than one good PS game.
Yes he has, but he has just as many or more bad ones.
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@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ChuckCLC said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
One game does not erase a career of multiple post season meltdowns.
He has pitched WAY more than one good PS game.
Yes he has, but he has just as many or more bad ones.
Cuz he pitches in the PS way more than anyone else. Of course it is gonna happen. He literally pitches in EVERY PS lol. 8 straight and 2 before that. Not too many pitchers have that kind of track record to compare against. If his overpaid lineup would have earned their money in most those other starts his pitching would have been forgotten.
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@ChuckCLC said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ChuckCLC said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
@ItsaCanesthing said in Game 5 is the moment Kershaw has hoped for (or dreaded):
One game does not erase a career of multiple post season meltdowns.
He has pitched WAY more than one good PS game.
Yes he has, but he has just as many or more bad ones.
Cuz he pitches in the PS way more than anyone else. Of course it is gonna happen. He literally pitches in EVERY PS lol. 8 straight and 2 before that. Not too many pitchers have that kind of track record to compare against. If his overpaid lineup would have earned their money in most those other starts his pitching would have been forgotten.
It's more than just more games due to team success.
Entering this post season, Kershaw's post season ERA is 2 runs higher than his regular season ERA. That is the largest differential amongst pitchers in the post season with at least 50 IP.
His lineup has failed him at times, so have his managers. But he still has a plus 4 ERA.
Kershaw is sure fire Hall of Famer, but if he wants to be considered a top 10 of all time pitcher, his playoff performances have to looked at closely. -
he needs a shutout or no hitter in game 7 of the WS to permamently get the sports writers off his back. anything less and it just will be
" he finally came through" or some such. even a nohitter tonight would only temporarily stop the "choke" stories, the sportswriters love blasting him for it too much. -
I could not be happier for Kershaw. Not having stuff tonight, and being able to grind a win the way he did, getting out of those couple of middle innings, was amazing. Tonight's win was even more impressive than game 1, where his stuff was on point and basically un-hittable.
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