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Clayton Kershaw: Spahn (Award), Sane (Contract Extension), And Pray For Reign

When asked about his pending salary arbitration case, Clayton Kershaw referred all calls to Teddy KGB

Barry Gutierrez - AP

When asked about his pending salary arbitration case, Clayton Kershaw referred all calls to Teddy KGB

Clayton Kershaw was in Oklahoma City on Thursday to accept the 2011 Warren Spahn Award, an award named after the Hall of Famer who won 363 games, given annually to the top left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, based on rankings of wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Kershaw led the National League in all three categories last season.

Kershaw was asked about his pending salary arbitration hearing at the event, and told Yahoo! Sports, "I’m not worried about it at all. My court date was set. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully, it will be settled before then but you never know."

The Dodgers submitted a salary arbitration figure of $6.5 million for Kershaw in 2012, while the southpaw countered with a request for $10 million, which would set a new record for a pitcher in his first year of arbitration eligibility. I still think it is likely that the two sides settle before an arbitration hearing, which would be in early February, but if they don't come to an agreement it will be the first arbitration hearing for the Dodgers since 2007, with relief pitcher Joe Beimel.

But hey, since that Prince Fielder money didn't get spent maybe a long-term extension for the reigning Cy Young winner is in order.

*****

Kershaw will join Matt Kemp in Kansas City on Saturday night at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Legacy Awards in Kansas City. Kershaw is the 2011 recipient of the National League Bullet Joe Rogan Award for pitcher of the year, while Kemp will be presented with the Oscar Charleston Award as the NL MVP.

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Comments

I kept getting a weird error page with what looks like a simple ink drawing of an exasperated Jackie Chan.

sbnation dun memed ya good

And we’re back

This board was deader than Cher for a while.

generalissimo francisco franco is still dead

I think he’s got the record for still being dead.

Two links while we were away

Hiroki Kuroda talked to Dylan Hernandez about leaving the Dodgers.

Steve Sax turns 52 on Sunday

OK. Ned officially needs to go on Hoarders.

Also, while of course Dylan framed the article, I do think it is telling that Hiro wasn’t particularly excited about reuniting with Russell.

"It’s easier to be with a catcher who knows you," he said.

Did you want him to jump up and down and say Hallelujah?

/Bob Dylan

Sounds to me like Dylan provided the context of the question that led to that quote:

He will at least be familiar with a catcher, former Dodger Russell Martin.

"It’s easier to be with a catcher who knows you," he said.I didn’t come away from that with your interpretation.

BLOCKQUOTE FAIL

Sounds to me like Dylan provided the context of the question that led to that quote:

He will at least be familiar with a catcher, former Dodger Russell Martin.

“It’s easier to be with a catcher who knows you,” he said.
I didn’t come away from that with your interpretation.

Dodgers don’t come off too good in that Kuroda piece.

they never made him a formal offer

and he aparently could have gotten more then the 10 mil he got from the yanks. First part makes ned look like a goddamn buffoon.

Yep

Ned couldn’t figure out a way to make a formal contract offer to his #2 starter.

just remember

there are two sides to every story. Yes, I know it is Ned, but…

The guy who made it rain for Mark Ellis?

I didn’t say it was a good story. Not even an LA Story.

See also: My contention that Ned wanted to make it look like they tried to sign Prince.

such headlines

Prince going to the Paupers!

Penniless McCourt produces Princely sum

Possum playing paupers procure Prince

Clayton Kershaw has also formed a bond with Kuroda despite the language barrier, something Nimura appreciates.
“(Kershaw is) one of the few people that made the effort to understand Kuroda,” Nimura said. "We need more people like that, people who are willing to understand. …

Different article but man Kersh is a nice guy

I never fully appreciated Kuroda till last season.

He started the season our No. 4 started, and ended season as our No. 2.

When the Yankee fans chant his name, I’m gonna be so mad.

Can’t get mad if you’ve written off the season. Dive on in, the gin is ice cold!

Didn’t you give up on this season two years ago?

Yup – before a single game was played in 2010.

Love the headline, Eric. Nice work.

In case anyone was wondering, the Dodgers photo day is Friday, March 2.

True or false: Ronald Belisario will be present for photo day on March 2.

maybe

I knew it was coming

First and foremost, let me praise prescience?

What was that old SNL skit, perhaps a commercial…a psychic was selling a book called “I Knew You Were Going To Buy This Book”

Only Psychic SNL thing I remember is when Christopher Walken predicted really trivial things.

I loved it. It was better than Cats. I’m going to see it again and again.

Trick question.

He will be getting his picture taken, It will just be as an inmate at some work progam in Venezuela.

whew

for a second there I was getting updated comments but coulnd’t comment. Refresh fixed that though.

Happy birthday Tripon

Nobody’s admitting how helpless they felt while TBLA had the hood up.

You would think I would have more productive

but this is the least productive I’ve felt all weeek

It coincided perfectly with when I happened to take my lunch today.

Typical big-shot blogger reaction ;)

I kicked ass

it was good timing

I ate a bunch

of Korean BBQ pork belly for lunch.

that sounds better than my lunch

but I had a dread morning and now it is gone

I had string cheese.

you bragging or complaining?

Stating a fact?

I didn’t really have lunch. I’m kind of hungry.

I am scared of my wife when I let her get too hungry

Hungry women are amazonian in their fury

I had vegetables.

But it is Friday and you know what that means: Chinese food!

We Kavulas are creatures of habit.

There was talk of possibly sushi or Gyu, but I dunno.

I have had lunch with you on Fridays

and not once had we had Chinese food.

Plus, I defy you tell me where there is decent Chinese food by your place of work.

I need Chinese food by my house

my favorite was Chef Mings, but he moved to Beverly Hills

Chinese food for dinner. I should have been more specific. I apologize.

We get it from China Grill in the Manhattan Village. It is completely inauthentic I’m sure but they use good ingredients and it’s tasty.

BH defied you, defied!

that is awesome

More like deified, amirite?

That’s the story of my life. All defy, no deify.

I can see you tugging at your collar while you say that

well

at least we agree there is not much to choose from in the Chinese food land where the 10 and the 405 meet

Going to be in KC tomorrow night?
Dodger All-Star center fielder Matt Kemp and National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will be honored tomorrow night at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s Legacy Awards ceremony in Kansas City. Kemp will be on hand to receive the Oscar Charleston Award as the National League’s Most Valuable Player, while Kershaw will be recognized as the National League recipient of the Bullet Rogan "Pitcher of the Year" Award.

Kershaw might have award fatigue this spring.

I added this to the story above.

and yet

no MVP.

if they sign kershaw long term

we should have a party.

the most aw shucks party imaginable

Twister party fails to get dirty. /theonion

Revisiting Bob Timmermann's blog has me convinced of one thing

Henry Clay sure didn’t like a lot of people.

Would it surprise you that

Henry Clay is somewhat of a hero to old pal, Greg Brock

Because Clay had to replace the massively popular Joseph Bradley Varnum as Speaker of the House and fans just never warmed to him? Or because he rocked a bitchen ’stache?

He would have a highly-rated call-in radio show if he were alive today.

that tag cracks me up

But wasn’t he the great compromiser? If he hated all those people, dude was a true pro.

The secret to his success

Question

Did Hunter Pence ($10.4m) get more in his arbitration settlement than he would’ve on the open market? It’s hard for me imagine what kind of contract he could get next offseason. After Jason Werth, nothing’s shocking.

he would have gotten that easily
he has averaged close to 4 war

more then etheir

I know some like to cite stats like

WAR but I am sure someone will sign Ethier and say he is such a great clutch hitter.

sure

but they are close enough that if etheir is going to get paid bourne will too

talking about Pence, not Bourn.

But Pence would have gotten more than that for next year, and for the next two or three years too

close enough
and I'm still right
(they both have averaged about 4 war ovver the last few)

Ned would have offered just under that.

It’s like he’s playing limbo: find out what the bar is, and go juuuuuust under it.

Michael Cuddyer hit .277/.341/.431 with 34 home runs and 151 RBI in his last 2 years, and signed for 3 years, $31.5 million.
Hunter Pence has hit .298/.348/.481 with 47 home runs and 188 RBI in his last 2 years

Since Cuddyer hit a big year in 2009 though…
Cuddyer 2009-11: .276/.341/.465, 117 OPS+, 66 HR, 245 RBI
Pence 2009-2011: .293/.347/.478, 122 OPS+, 72 HR, 260 RBI

And Pence is four years younger than Cuddyer.

Good answer. Thanks.

Also Pence is just shy (16 days) of having five full seasons, so he is partially inflated due to his Super Two status. He and Ethier are fairly similar offensively

Pence 2007-2011 (4.156 svc time): 734 G, 3099 PA, 157 2B, 114 HR, 388 R, 412 RBI, .292/.343/.485, 120 OPS+
Ethier 2006-2010 (4.153 svc time): 719 G, 2812 PA, 165 2B, 98 HR, 353 runs, 388 RBI, .291/.363/.491, 124 OPS+

old friend alert

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports that Brad Penny is drawing interest from teams in Japan.

Jerry Crasnick is no friend of mine

oh, you meant Penny

sorry

I look forward to seeing which kind of random japanese celebrities he hooks up with in defiance of all common sense.. unless he’s married.

when did that ever stop anyone

I honestly don’t know if you’re referring to common sense or marriage.

Or both.

kit

carson

Speaking of Kit Carson, which reminds me of other Kits…

I worked once with a Chris Marlowe. Christine, I suppose, but she went by Chris. I couldn’t believe it. I called her Kit.

kit is a cute name for a dame

How about a car?

Speaking of Godzirra…

20 minutes on hold with the IRS

yaaaay!

1st mistake: Calling the IRS. Your life is now over.

I get one thing wrong on my california tax info and the last 2 hours of my life have turned to hell

It won’t even let me fix the problem online!!!

If your return was already accepted - you have to wait for your refund

Answers – perhap

My Federal went through

I apparently put the wrong 2010 AGI on my california return, so I got the correct amount from the IRS, now HR Block is trying to help me find where to put the correct amount, because they tell me they cannot edit it, and it looks like all the numerical information is gone and I cannot edit that anymore.

You did print out

that Federal form didn’t you.

And you mean

2011 Adjusted income

2010 AGI

That’s the problem for some reason.

I just read your link

I don’t think it accepted it because it says rejected for state.

Well

you can definitely have a federal form filed while waiting to file the state form

That's good, I'm glad one won't hold up the other

So it looks like there’s not much HR Block help people can do right now, just gotta see if it goes through the 2nd time or not. It’s definitely my fault because I put in the wrong number, I just wish this was stupid people proof and could be edited after rejection! lol

California

Franchise Tax Board has their own form that you can submit online.

In Soviet Russia, IRS audits Y— wait.

Even when I get the correct number to put on my tax forms

it won’t let me edit my REJECTED tax forms. Hats off, HR Block online.

TurboTax FTW!

the Houston Turbo Taxers

Who was the last Dodger to win in arbitration, anyway? Was it more recent than Mike Scioscia in 1985?

Kim Ng FTMFW

I am pulling the ripcord

wiped out

Ownership FINALISTS
Bill Shaikin
#Dodgers ownership finalists include Magic’s group, Caruso/Torre, Steven Cohen. Not sure who else.

We should want Magic’s group here, amirite?

So basically he doesn’t know who if anyone has been eliminated?

I have really appreciated all of Shaikin’s reporting throughout this process, but this tweet is telling us nothing.

Maybe

there is nothing to say except that

The earth

and Mars are still orbiting the sun, not sure about the other planets.

I sure about all the gas giants. If they didn’t, we’d notice. Or at least astronomers would and would tell us. Their gravitational effects on us are easily measurable, I think. And on this topic, Plaschke and Simers are still employed by the LA Times.

Kershaw is great and this is old news but

I think this is the story of the week

Damn that is great. Good for them.

Makes me think

I will never do anything that cool.

Rock solid reporting there…along the lines of “One ball itches…not really sure about the other one yet.”

Shaikin’s tweeting is actually pretty annoying. I’ve seen him post 10+ tweets in a row that are pretty much 140 letter chunks of his story, as opposed to writing the story and then sending one tweet to reference it.

Now he tweets

8 have advanced or And Then There Were Eight.

Yep, includes "all the heavy hitters"

I thought he signed with the Tigers?

So…eight is enough?

Who was cut

So who were the two that were cut?

I would assume groups that we haven't heard about yet.
Bill wrote in his article

“at least 8” Also some bidders could combine with each other.

1. No one confirmed there were only 10 bidders.
2. No one identified the “8” that Shaikin mentioned
3. The Monday deadline was a soft deadline and they can accept additional bidders after that point.

In other words, no one knows yet.

I’d suggest keeping all clothes on at this point and not getting too worked about anything.

I Guarantee one was

that Miccelio guy

Gaurantee?

“I’m Still Alive” – Pearl Jam

yeah that was... wat

Go Magic!

so then

These are the guys McCourt will choose from? They were approved by MLB.

That last sentence should be a question

No

these are the folks who will pay MLB $25K to get vetted and then from this group, MLB will be select the finalists for McCourt to begin negotiations.

I would expect this to take until sometime in late February if not later.

ok

Thanks BH

I guess Jack Del Rio is my team's new DC

Which is cool.

Damn good collegiate linebacker.

he sucks at having a team with not shitty offense

but defense, the guy knows defense. I would be excite about a JOhn Fox team with Jack Del Rio running the D.

Expect a slow night here

no games, no more Prince Fielder

Houston Slow Nights!

Return of the King is on TNT

goes with red wine!

Bought your TJ cheapie Italian red suggestions but haven’t tried them yet.’
Killed an Aussie Shiraz last night instead, which was good with my wife’s prime rib leftovers.

they are drinkable, in fact thinking of creeping down to the cellar for one more bottle

cellar = garage

mission accomplished – the more I pour the better the movie gets!

Check out

The Invisible Man on TCM tonight

Read the book…pretty damn good.

Frankenstein’s on too.

still gotta wonder

Who the owner will be. And I’ll wondering if the team signs Cespedes.

Oswalt about to sign with Cards for 5 million

Why Capang Why?

I don't think he would sign with us for 5

but I don’t see why we didn’t just throw him 8

hell we could probably have got him for less, but more then 5

unless he is like lee and doesn’t like the west coast

Didn’t Oswalt turn down a higher offer from Detroit because he didn’t want to go there?*

I’m sure he has a price, but if offers are reasonably close it sounds like he’s going to stay close to home.**

  • I can’t blame him for avoiding Detroit.
    • The man would rather live in Mississippi swamp than on the beach in SoCal. “Rational” people sometimes make strange decisions.
right

for all we know this is a berkman esque situation where he was more interested in picking the right team then a big salary

Ned looks even more stupid now

Somehow, it was possible.

Ned “Itchy Trigger Champagne Room False Start Jump The Gun Preemie” Colletti

Goddam that’s a good value.

Houston Cardinals. NL Central Champs.

The Steelers dominated

that ESPN could have played in any era thing

if cushing isn't on that list its a stupid list

Shaikin tweets:

Sources: Mark Cuban and Dennis Gilbert did not make it to second round of #Dodgers bidding.
Don’t know what Cuban’s bid was, but McCourt thinks #Dodgers could fetch $1.5 billion. Cuban said that was too high:
Gold/Disney, O’Malley, Kroenke also into second round. Gold and O’Malley have NOT merged.
not surprised about Cuban

I wonder if Gilbert just didn’t have the money

Gold/O’Malley SHOULD merge. Gold has the money, O’Malley has the name. That’s a dream team.

Gilbert

Believe that Gilbert was under capitalized, wondering if he would try and get involved with O’Malley group……I think Magic Johnson group with an infusion of some more Money could be the big winner at the end.

Dennis

Gilbert wants to run the team.

Magic's money people

Control $125 billion in assets

They will win

Best combo of money, management and celebrity. Awesome.

We are about to become the richest team in baseball. This is sick, guys!!!

how many eggs you going to count as chickens tonight?

How drunk are you Joe?

sober as a county judge

doing the watermelon crawl

And

Exactly how do they plan on using that on the Dodgers.

I am skeptical of anyone who controls assets that are not liquid,

yes

I’m just saying Magic’s group has money

Maybe

I mean Guggenheim Baseball Management company is part of a larger Guggenheim Partners that manages 150 billion dollar portfolio.

Stan Kroenke and his wife Ann Walton Kroenke are both billionaires.

are you saying

that you’d like them to show you the money?

I

Am saying having money tied up in financial assets is to me, the same as owning a parking lot.

In other words, you’d like to see piles of money with no ties to it? If so, we need a South American drug lord as an owner!

Jerry Maguire :(

Dwight Howard calling out his teammates

Counting down the clock until he’s a Laker

Howard and Love in 2015 is going to be awesome

how many eggs are you going to count as chickens tonight

Interesting if they do get Howard…I really think that Deron Williams would be a better fit if they don’t have to give up Bynum. Why trade the number two NBA center for the number one center? How much of an upgrade would that really be, considering Gasol would have to be a part of it too?

I think the Lakers should tear it all down and rebuild….

That would make me happy.

Oh, and hire Jim Todd, Dick Vitale, or Sidney Lowe to run it.

Deron Williams: 2012 NBA Leader in turnovers.

also

Interesting that two of the bidders I considered secondary and left out of my fanpost did not make the first round’s cut. Maybe my powers of prediction are better than I previously thought.

honestly

As long as it’s not Cohen, I’ll be happy.

so we will be seeing more of tootblan

in sanfran, i don’t mind at all

Trust me on this

Hank Stram “65 Toss Power Trap” is awesome

Loved it – Hank was always one of my favorite coaches – intelligent, phenomenal football mind, plus a great sense of humor!

Juan Pierre

joins the NL (Phillies). You can’t teach on base percentage speed, you can only hope to contain it.

At his age

He will show that speed, in fact, does slump

Fuck

Trapped in conference room listening to boring-ass lecturer on the American Frontier. I only do this for pay, son.

Continuing education?

No, it’s a professional development that pays $1000 if I go to three saturday sessions and a week at UC Davis. I’ve been maxed out on units at my districts for years.

Best I can say is good coffee, lots of food, and merciful 8:30-2:30 timeframe. I teach U.S. History (along with English), but I’m far more interested in European history, especially Russia :)

Ah comrade

I really like the 1840s to the Crimean War. Metternich was my dude.

You should at least get a free weekend at a time share in Mexico out of it.

/reg’d

So Cuban is out of the mix…..has this already been covered in the comments?

Yes

and speculated for months. Cuban has said forever that he wouldn’t pay an outrageous amount.

And

Shaikin confirmed Garvey/Hershiser group is out

Shaikin Down on Oral Sax

Garvey/Hershiser group… GTFO

No Orel Sax

Shaikin tweet:

Confirmed: Garvey/Hershiser group not selected to advance in Dodgers bidding.

Way funnier. You are on a roll.

I have a comeback but it’s too crude for mixed company.

You should yell it out in your conference room to try it out first.

ERRONEOUS!!!! Nothing is too crude for TBLA :)

We laugh in the face of crudeness!

wow

it’s going down in the Whole Foods Parking lot.

This figures

My California return got rejected 2 days ago, they said I had my 2010 AGI (not sure why they needed that anyway) wrong, so it was rejected. I got the correct total and tried to get it fixed with HR Block online, I ended up sending in the return again, though I was unable to change anything.

I realized an hour later the number I got from the IRS was the same exact number I entered in originally. I checked my email today, the return was accepted this time, with the same exact info. Hooray technology!

That’s why I pay my tax man $500 with a smile.

Here’s hoping that whichever ownership does take over that our payroll adjusts to correlate to the size of our market.

Meaning

Yanks
Red Sox
Dodgers
Phillies

That would be dreamy

Here’s hoping that it becomes a reality

I’ll toast my unsweet tea to that!

okay, but you’re ruining a perfectly good stereotype. What’s next, unfried chicken? Regular milk biscuits?

We covered this a month or so ago…..

Fat Keith gets nothing good to eat or drink.

Although I did have some awesome Duck last night

I had this and it was awesome
Maple Cured Duck and Duck ……… 25
Maple cured Culiver Farms duck breast with smoked duck croquette, pan fried cabbage and black eye peas; finished with brandied orange reduction

Kobe is 13 field goals behind Kareem for the most in Lakers history, and three free throws behind Jerry West for the franchise lead.

A big night in Milwaukee for Kobe could see two Lakers franchise records fall tonight.

FWIW Kobe has made 13+ field goals in eight of his last 13 games.

Here’s to hoping he tears his ACL

:)

j/k I like Kobe

what NBA franchise is consider your hometown franchise?

I guess Memphis. Everyone here is a Laker fan or a mavericks fan

Everyone here is a Laker fan or a mavericks fan

Wait, what? I honestly can’t remember who here is a Mavericks fan. Phil and Mike lead the Clippers brigade, whose numbers are growing.

here as in Arkansas, you ninny

I am an idiot.

[slowly backs away]

you are no idiot, despite my calling you a fool : )

I thought you called him a Ninny

Where I come from when someone else calls you a Ninny, throwing hands ensues ;)

now now, no need for fisticuffs

LOL :) You’re on a roll today Josie….what did you have for breakfast?

Wheaties, the breakfast of champions

Attagirl…..do you pour a ton of sugar on your Wheaties?

My breakfast usually consists of a protein shake and a Rockstar energy drink (Breakfast of Champions)

I just throw in a bunch of raisins, nature’s sweatener

trying to find a protein powder i like

whatever i’m trying right now does not mix well with liquid. however it is kind of delightful.

omninutrition double chocolate

get on it

optimum I mean

great with almond milk

which means a foolish person, a derivation from the word innocent

Well done again, Josie. We count on you for this stuff!

The hometown of Keith’s heart roots for OKC

Thunder nah nah nah nah nah nah nah Thunder

as a child he had posters that read Oklahoma City, and featured a basketball on an empty court. And he hoped.

Anyone here have an opinion on Matt Flynn and or his ability to potentially become a Franchise QB

Best quarterback on Green Bay’s roster.

worked great for Kansas City and Matt Castle

As a phin fan I’ve been trying to figure out all offseason what we are doing at the QB position. Plans have been foiled once Matt Barkley returned to USC. Now it’s down to the scenarios of the following (in no particular order)

Trade up for RGIII
Acquire Flynn (most likely scenario)
Run with Matt Moore
Sign Peyton if he’s cleared

Given the cost (in dollars and draft picks) of getting Flynn, I’d run with Moore and maybe try to draft Weeden.

From USSMariner discussion of BA’s Top Ten list:

Was Trayvon Robinson ineligible? If that’s the case, where would he have been on the list if he were eligible? (Or alternatively, if he’s eligible, why was he left off it?)
143 AB. Not eligible. Would have probably been in the 7-11 range.

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