Clayton Kershaw, stop walking so many God damn batters

[realmofotalk]

I should be scared shitless that his career is following a similar path as Rick Ankiel's. Both were 21-year old lively armed southpaw curveball specialists. Both walked a shitload of batters (90) in their first full season. Both unraveled in Game 1 of the NLCS by hurling multiple wild pitches in 1 inning, Ankiel with 5 and Kershaw with 3. It would not shock me if Kershaw's Pecota projections are based on part of Ankiel's stats.

[realmofotalk]

Yahoo Sports Big League Stew's Winter Meetings tracker chat responds to something I posted:

6:49
[Comment From TrueBlue TrueBlue: ]
It bothers me that according to bbreference, Kershaw's closest modern ball era comparison at his age is Rick Ankiel.
Wednesday December 9, 2009 6:49 TrueBlue

6:49
'Duk:
At least you'll have a great outfield in 2015 then.

[realmofotalk]

You are right to be worried about Kershaw’s wildness. Even though Kershaw posted a 2.79 ERA in 171 innings last year, he walked 4.79 batters every nine innings, earning himself a 2.03 K/BB ratio and a 3.90 xFIP. While Kershaw may have improved his strikeout rate from his rookie year, his walks increased and his ground ball rate declined. The walk rate is not as bothersome as the ground ball rate, which dropped almost 10% down to 39.4%. A fluky 4.1% HR/FB% will rise, as will his ERA. His stuff is electric, namely his fastball. He has room to improve as a pitcher, but it is unlikely his numbers will be as good as they were last year.

Well, that's just f***ing great. A younger, white version of Jonathan Sanchez is our answer to Lincecum or Cain. Mother. ****er.

[missionhockey21]

The decline in his groundball tendencies is worrisome, but I wouldn't be too concerned about a one year not too drastic drop unless it carries over into next year. If that then happens, pitching instructors in the organization definitely need to call a meeting and figure out who messed up what.

[realmofotalk]

I don't know, maybe Kershaw is similar to Nolan Ryan to the effect of when he's not missing bats, he's usually walking batters, which would be easier to accept if his low hits allowed rate is indeed not a fluke.

[realmofotalk]

Clayton Kershaw has more in his toolkit now
Struggling to throw his curveball for strikes, the Dodgers’ ace-in-training turns to his slider and changeup, two relatively new additions to his repertoire, and handcuffs the Reds in his final Cactus League start.

By Dylan Hernandez
Reporting from Goodyear, Ariz. - Clayton Kershaw couldn't throw his curveball for strikes in the first couple of innings Sunday, something that would have spelled trouble at an earlier stage of his career.

But his fastball was working. So was his slider. And changeup.

According to a chart kept by pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Kershaw threw seven of eight changeups for strikes and recorded three outs with the pitch. Seven of his nine sliders were thrown for strikes.

Relying on the two relatively new weapons in his arsenal, Kershaw was able to bide time until his curveball started dropping into strike zone.

Good boy. I am proud of you.

[missionhockey21]

I wish I would have read this before my draft tonight. Passed up on Kershaw.

[realmofotalk]

I do keep him in mind for drafts, but he's pretty much ranked where he should be, behind the more proven commodities. There isn't a gross misevaluation like Rich Hill ahead of Tim Lincecum before the 2008 season.

[missionhockey21]

He went about one and a half rounds lower than normal in the draft I was in last night.