Just How Good Is Clayton Kershaw?
One approach critics take in measuring the value of a player is through comparing him with a different player. Case in point, LaVar Ball vs Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning vs Tom Brady. These debates reveal different perspectives, appreciations and understandings that are unobtainable through box scores. Clayton Kershaw of the LA Dodgers is phenomenal. The 29 year old already won a MVP and three Cy Young awards and there are no indications of slowing down. But, how good is the Texas southpaw? Before we can answer that question, we must first appreciate the benchmark for pitchers.
Hop aboard the Ryan Express.
For 27 years, Major League Baseball was blessed and blown away by Nolan Ryan. In 1966, the Alvin High School alum signed with the New York Mets at the young age of 19 with no plans on looking back. After appearing in only two games during his rookie season, Ryan embarked on a 25 year long rampage. During said tear, Ryan bounced from the Mets to the Angels to the Rangers and finally to the Astros. Not once in that span did the eight time All Star finish a season with an ERA higher than 4.00. He was blessed with a cannon for an arm that produced a powerful fastball that helped him strike out a MLB record 5,714 batters (2,989 more than the active strikeout leader, CC Sabathia). The San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondback have combined for seven no-hitters. Nolan Ryan threw just as many in his career. In 1993, more than two decades after his rookie season, Ryan retired his Hall of Fame career with a career stat line of: 324–292 W-L record, 3.19 ERA and 5,714 k’s.
To put Ryan’s never-ending dominance in a modern era perspective, let us compare four year samples from generational aces. First, this a four year span from 1987–1990, when Ryan was 40,41, 42 and 43 years old:
49–46 (.516%), 3.23 ERA, 639 hits, 1031 strikeouts, 1.126 WHIP.
This a four year span from 2009–2012 during Felix Hernandez’s prime when he was 23, 24, 25 and 26 years old:
59–40 (.596%), 2.81 ERA, 821 hits, 894 strikeouts, 1.137 WHIP.
At the age of 43, Ryan was still seriously contending in the MLB. If the 43 year old Nolan Ryan pitched last season, he would have ranked 25th overall in ERA (3.44), 11th in Innings Pitched (204), and seventh in WHIP and Strikeouts (1.034 and 237). Remember, that was the 43 year old Nolan Ryan. Scary stuff, no? There was no one more dependable for a lights out performance than him. He amassed 300 strikeouts in a season five times and led the league in K’s 11 times, including four consecutive seasons when Ryan was 40–43 years old.
There is no denying that Nolan Ryan was the greatest pitcher of all time. Let us meet his our match from our generation. Ryan, meet Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw and Ryan present a few similarities. They are both relatively tall (Kershaw is 6'4 and Ryan is 6'2). They are both Texas-bred who pitch(ed) in Hollywood (Kershaw pitches for the LA Dodgers and Ryan pitched for the California Angels from 1972–’79). More importantly, they are/were the dominant ace for their team. However, their mechanics and tools separates them.
Ryan was a righty and Kershaw throws with his left hand. Ryan’s nickname was the Ryan Express because he regularly topped 100 MPH and would blow hitters away. Kershaw, on the other hand, prefers to dance with his pitches. His main pitch is his curveball that bounces from side to side and leaves hitters is a tizzy.
Kershaw was the Most Valuable Player in 2014. He was also the Cy Young winner in 2011, 2013, and 2014. Enough said for the 29 year old southpaw. Clayton Kershaw is the greatest pitcher of our generation. He is on pace to be just as good, if not better, than Nolan Ryan. Take a look at Kershaw’s stats through his first nine seasons in the Bigs:
126–60 (.677%), 2.37 ERA, 1295 hits, 1918 Strikeouts, 463 Earned Runs, 1.007 WHIP
Here is Nolan Ryan’s stats through his first nine professional seasons:
122–115 (.515%), 3.09 ERA, 1334 hits, 2079 Strikeouts 663 ER, 1.300 WHIP.
Clayton Kershaw is not pitching until he is 44. Or maybe he will. Chances are he will not. The question is how long can Kershaw stay dominant for? Right now, he’s on pace to match Nolan Ryan.
