Kershaw Likely to be Overlooked by Matheny to Start All Star Game
Next week Major League Baseball takes a rest for the All-Star Game. It is likely that Mike Matheny the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals and the National League All-Stars will pick Adam Wainwright his Cardinals ace to start for the NL in the summer classic.
However, this season the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw should have that honor as to pretend any pitcher has the right over him is ridiculous.
While the Dodgers organization will not be as irritated this season that Wainwright starts as they were last season when Matt Harvey started over Kershaw, they still understand where things stand.
Los Angeles and the rest of the league do not have a doubt they have baseball’s best pitcher.
The Dodgers respect the talent Wainwright has and know he can be one of the toughest pitchers to face in baseball. However, they know that over the past three seasons no pitcher has done what Kershaw has.
While the southpaw’s 41 consecutive innings scoreless streak ended on Thursday with a home run in the sixth inning by San Diego’s Chase Headley, the Dodgers and Kershaw still were victorious 2-1.
Kershaw tossed a complete game giving up just three hits while striking out 11 Padres. His streak came to an end, his mastery over batters continued.
Kershaw therefore completed is pre-All-Star Game season with a run of 8-0 and an ERA of 0.74 over his last eight starts.
He is the ERA leader in the leagu
e as well as the leader of WHIP and the strikeout-to-walk ratio at 9.58, with the next closest being at 5.83.
Matheny will be covered by naming Wainwright to start the All-Star Game. The St. Louis right-hander has started four more games than Kershaw, as the southpaw missed a month for the Dodgers, with a muscle strain.
Wainwright also has the same number of wins at 11 as does Kershaw and an ERA of 1.79 which is only 0.01 higher than the Dodgers ace.
When asked his opinion, Kershaw said that whatever the Cardinals manager decides was fine with him. Kershaw said he was pleased to be selected and going with three other teammates.
The honor of starting the All-Star game is huge, as it will go on the players resume. At just 26, Kershaw already has won two Cy Young awards and thrown a no-hitter so an All-Star game start would be another feather in his hat.
Don Mattingly the Los Angeles Dodgers manager was asked who he would pick if he were the St. Louis manager.
Mattingly responded by saying if he were Mike he would likely start his own pitcher as well.
Baseball has its traditions and unwritten rules that are at times broken by players and managers. However, it is likely that Matheny will not cross that line and will start his talented right-hander Wainwright in Tuesday’s classic.
The honor of starting an All-Star Game might not be bestowed upon Kershaw this season, but the accolades of being the best pitcher in baseball will be showered upon him if he continues to pitch in the second half of the season as he did the first half.
