Clayton Kershaw Getting Pulled During a Perfect Game Bid is a Pathetic Look For Baseball
Photo Via: Craig Lassig — Associated PressOne of the best pitchers of all-time made his first start of the season today. He took a perfect game through 7 innings. He did not throw another pitch.
Before all of you start screaming after only reading the headline, I know Clayton Kershaw himself agreed with the decision.
“Blame it on the lockout. Blame it on me not picking up a baseball until January... My slider was horrible the last two innings. It didn’t have the bite. It was time.”
I am aware that his personal catcher, Austin Barnes, said it was the right move. I read about Dave Roberts’ explanation. None of that makes this good for baseball. It just makes it good for Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It has been a decade since MLB’s last perfect game, which was thrown by King Felix in 2012. While it is nice that perfect games have not jumped the shark like home runs, strikeouts, and no-hitters, MLB still needs to capitalize on every chance it gets to make history.
This means that although the long term health of the player is of the utmost importance, it is coming at the expense of the game and of the fans’ experience. I am sure people are fine with the logic of removing Kershaw, but the fact is yesterday would have been better with a future Hall of Famer vying for perfection in his first start of the season. It does not mean that decision was unwise. It makes sense. It was even correct. The fact that removing Kershaw at 80 pitches through 7 perfect innings was the correct decision is in and of itself a bad look.
This sport is thirsty for star players. Big time moments breed big time players. If the game keeps getting robbed of these opportunities, it will become inundated with role players.
Personally, I would have liked to see the lefty get a chance to complete the perfect game, then get a long period of rest before his next start. I know it may not work that way, but, man, would it be better if it did. Clayton Kershaw was dealing. He struck out 13 batters in the 7 frames. A moment in history to look back on — especially for the fans who were in attendance to say, “I was at that game!” — would have been excellent. Instead, he will get the ball in four days and hope to pick up where he left off… with a fresh arm.