8/20 KIK Kershaw to the Kurb Game Thread (4:10 P.M.)

[rockycola]

This will be a tough game for the Seattle Mariner youngsters on Thursday. Clayton Kershaw is one of the best lefthanders in the game. This is his 13th season in the bigs and he has never had a losing season, lifetime 171 - 75 W-L record, 2.44 career era.

Kikuchi better have his best game ever and keep the Dodgers at bay. Getaway game for L.A., hence the 4:10 P.M. afternoon start and I will be at work. Hope to post lineups on my lunch break.

LA Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw LHP

LA Lineup (tba)

1. Mookie Betts (R) RF
2. AJ Pollock (R) LF
3. Justin Turner (R) 3B
4. Cody Bellinger (L) CF
5. Chris Taylor (R) SS
6. Max Muncy (L) 1B
7. Enrique Hernandez (R) 2B
8. Austin Barnes (R) C
9. Matt Beaty (L) DH

Seattle Mariners
Yusei Kikuchi LHP

Seattle Lineup

1. Sam Haggerty (S) LF
2. Dylan Moore (R) SS
3. Kyle Lewis (R) DH
4. Kyle Seager (L) 3B
5. Austin Nola (R) 1B
6. Tim Lopes (R) RF
7. Shed Long Jr. (L) 2B
8. Braden Bishop (R) CF
9. Joseph Odom (R) C

[DavidGee24]

Our lineup seems to match up pretty evenly with theirs.

EDIT: or at least it did until you named the players.

[Double Mocha Man]

Rocky C... Pretty bold there. You might be messing with your winning percentage.

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

This will be a tough game for the Seattle Mariner youngsters on Thursday. Clayton Kershaw is one of the best lefthanders in the game. This is his 13th season in the bigs and he has never had a losing season, lifetime 171 - 75 W-L record, 2.44 career era.

Another disappointing draft for me... I was high on Kershaw, but the Mariners wanted someone who would fast track to the Majors.... The M's selected Brandon Morrow with the fifth pick in the draft... the Dodgers took the high ceiling high school pitcher, Clayton Kershaw two picks later.

Morrow debuted in 2007 coming out of the bullpen... In late 2008 the M's sent him to AAA to become a starter. In 2009 they sent him back to the bullpen. In late 2009 they sent him back to AAA to become a starter again. In late September Wakamatsu started Morrow against the Athletics where he pitched his best game for the Mariners... an eight inning one hitter. That winter they traded him to the Blue Jays for a relief pitcher, Brandon League and a minor league outfielder. They mishandled Morrow every step of the way, in my opinon.

Meanwhile, Kershaw debuted in 2008 and has started 13 seasons for the Dodgers with 8 all star appearances, 3 Cy Youngs, and one NL MVP. A huge opportunity missed.... a decent pitcher in Morrow mishandled... this is how losing franchises develop a losing culture...

[rockycola]

This will be a tough game for the Seattle Mariner youngsters on Thursday. Clayton Kershaw is one of the best lefthanders in the game. This is his 13th season in the bigs and he has never had a losing season, lifetime 171 - 75 W-L record, 2.44 career era.

Another disappointing draft for me... I was high on Kershaw, but the Mariners wanted someone who would fast track to the Majors.... The M's selected Brandon Morrow with the fifth pick in the draft... the Dodgers took the high ceiling high school pitcher, Clayton Kershaw two picks later.

Morrow debuted in 2007 coming out of the bullpen... In late 2008 the M's sent him to AAA to become a starter. In 2009 they sent him back to the bullpen. In late 2009 they sent him back to AAA to become a starter again. In late September Wakamatsu started Morrow against the Athletics where he pitched his best game for the Mariners... an eight inning one hitter. That winter they traded him to the Blue Jays for a relief pitcher, Brandon League and a minor league outfielder. They mishandled Morrow every step of the way, in my opinon.

Meanwhile, Kershaw debuted in 2008 and has started 13 seasons for the Dodgers with 8 all star appearances, 3 Cy Youngs, and one NL MVP. A huge opportunity missed.... a decent pitcher in Morrow mishandled... this is how losing franchises develop a losing culture...

Terry, what a depressing post. After reading that I just swallowed 3 boxes of rat poison.
All kidding aside I think Morrow could have been better if handled correctly but the M's jerked him around so much it arrested his development so, so, so severely. Doubtful he would have ever reached Kershaw's lofty height of excellence but Morrow could have been much more.

[D-train]

What's depressing is that you had to tell us that you were kidding about eating all that rat poison. AT's post was so depressing that many here might have thought you were serious!

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

What's depressing is that you had to tell us that you were kidding about eating all that rat poison. AT's post was so depressing that many here might have thought you were serious!

I'm just trying to continue to make the argument for the M's to become experts in high school prospects... You can't guarantee the performance of any prospects, but the real good high school prospects usually don't play in college...Kershaw, Bumgarner, Trout, Griffey, Arod, Harper, Hamilton, Yelich, and on and on

[Double Mocha Man]

No rat poison for me. Although many of my two friends swear that my favorite single-malt scotch, Laphroig, is just that, or worse. I look at the "big picture". I like the concept of high school athletes going on to and finishing college. It makes them more well-rounded and, generally, a better interview. And prepares them better for the curve balls life is going to throw them. Two exceptions: Shawn Kemp, not even sure he finished high school, but when I heard/saw his first interview... what a sharp guy... very intelligent, well-spoken. And Russell Wilson (don't kill me for this), a college graduate, is a terrible interview, full of cliches and platitudes.

[rockycola]

Unusual line-up, perhaps sacrificial lambs to the wolf that is Kershaw.
Switch-hitter Haggerty, fresh off getting his 1st mlb hit and stolen base yesterday gets to lead off.
No Crawford, no White.
Moore is the SS and Shed gets the 2B nod.
Nola at 1B, Odin/Odom catches.
Lewis is DH.
OF of Sam, Braden & Tim in LF, CF, RF respectively.
Only one Seager on the field today and that's Big Brother Kyle.
Maybe, just maybe the M's can catch the Dodgers leaning towards the exit doors for home and not focusing on their business.
Com'n M's, Kik Kershaw to the Kurb and win.

1. Sam Haggerty (S) LF
2. Dylan Moore (R) SS
3. Kyle Lewis (R) DH
4. Kyle Seager (L) 3B
5. Austin Nola (R) 1B
6. Tim Lopes (R) RF
7. Shed Long Jr. (L) 2B
8. Braden Bishop (R) CF
9. Joseph Odom (R) C

and the rat poison of a Dodger team just posted their flea-infested lineup:

1. Mookie Betts (R) RF
2. AJ Pollock (R) LF
3. Justin Turner (R) 3B
4. Cody Bellinger (L) CF
5. Chris Taylor (R) SS
6. Max Muncy (L) 1B
7. Enrique Hernandez (R) 2B
8. Austin Barnes (R) C
9. Matt Beaty (L) DH

Clayton Kershaw vs Yusei Kikuchi is really no contest unless Yusei develops super powers but we'll see.

[Petert]

This will be a tough game for the Seattle Mariner youngsters on Thursday. Clayton Kershaw is one of the best lefthanders in the game. This is his 13th season in the bigs and he has never had a losing season, lifetime 171 - 75 W-L record, 2.44 career era.

Another disappointing draft for me... I was high on Kershaw, but the Mariners wanted someone who would fast track to the Majors.... The M's selected Brandon Morrow with the fifth pick in the draft... the Dodgers took the high ceiling high school pitcher, Clayton Kershaw two picks later.

Morrow debuted in 2007 coming out of the bullpen... In late 2008 the M's sent him to AAA to become a starter. In 2009 they sent him back to the bullpen. In late 2009 they sent him back to AAA to become a starter again. In late September Wakamatsu started Morrow against the Athletics where he pitched his best game for the Mariners... an eight inning one hitter. That winter they traded him to the Blue Jays for a relief pitcher, Brandon League and a minor league outfielder. They mishandled Morrow every step of the way, in my opinon.

Meanwhile, Kershaw debuted in 2008 and has started 13 seasons for the Dodgers with 8 all star appearances, 3 Cy Youngs, and one NL MVP. A huge opportunity missed.... a decent pitcher in Morrow mishandled... this is how losing franchises develop a losing culture...

Terry, what a depressing post. After reading that I just swallowed 3 boxes of rat poison.
All kidding aside I think Morrow could have been better if handled correctly but the M's jerked him around so much it arrested his development so, so, so severely. Doubtful he would have ever reached Kershaw's lofty height of excellence but Morrow could have been much more.

Cheer up. We probably would have traded him for a bag of broken bats.