In case you missed it …

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… a great column in today’s sports section by Ramona Shelburne, who spoke with Clayton Kershaw at the Dodgers’ winter development program and later caught up with his girlfriend, Ellen Melson. Sort of humanizes a kid whose arrival Dodgers fans anxiously awaited almost from the moment he was drafted in the first round in 2006, and reminds us that as mature-beyond-his-years as he appears to be when he is pitching, he is still a 20-year-old away from the field. Here’s the link:

http://www.dailynews.com/sportscolumnists/ci_11561060

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  • http://juliehibbard.blogspot.com Julie H

    Great article…Wow, 20 years old! I love that Ellen is noted as his “long time girlfriend”–how LONG TIME could it be?!

    Love your style of writing, Tony, and read you every day. I appreciate the positive tone in which you write and the way you encourage your readers to be supportive and considerate with all that’s going on (or not going on) with the Dodgers this off season. It’s been a long dark winter for Dodgers fans…and not all writers/bloggers have been as ‘supportive’ of Frank and Ned, et al…I admire you for doing so.
    I appreciate your great stories (you can see the field lights from your back window!) and being able to read the facts (and updated facts) and follow what’s happening with the Dodgers without the slamming or berating of anyone. I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I DO know that I’ll be at two of the Spring Training games and a whole LOT of regular season Dodgers games too–no matter what.
    Thanks and keep up the good work!
    PS–I SO envy your job!

  • Tony Jackson

    Julie, thanks for the great comments (and compliments). And thanks for reading. I’m glad to hear you’re going to make it down to spring training. I really believe the Dodgers are going to be a phenomenon over here, sort of like the Red Sox are in Florida, where their fans dominate not only their home games but also their road games. If that week the team spent in Arizona last spring was any indication, there are going to be Dodgers fans everywhere in the Cactus League.

  • lawdog

    I’m fairly new to your blog, but I’d like to express my appreciation as well Tony. You are good at what you do. And it is great to have this kind of access to a true Dodger insider to get information for us we’d never be able to obtain otherwise. Keep up the good work, and thank you!

  • snuffy02

    McCourts stay on the cheap & let Garland go to the DBacks for $8 mill for one year. Even if the Dodgers add Wolf, their starting rotation is suspect:

    Billingsley (broken leg recovery)
    Kuroda
    Kershaw
    Schmidt (!)
    Wolf (if signed)

    Going nowhere fast; especially if McCourts cheap it out with Manny & he winds up elsewhere.

  • lawdog

    Garland and Wolf are two peas in a pod. Both of them are finesse pitchers who must command their pitches and change speeds to succeed. Problem is, neither of them can command their pitches. With spotty control, both will probably go 10-10 and have eras around 4.50; WHIPS around1.6.

    Teams that sign these tweo will probably be .500 clubs and not go to the playoffs.

    Sign Sheets! He’s the real deal. He’d be our first true ace since Kevin Brown.

  • Vasquez

    Sign Manny and trade for Peavy….

    I’m thinking Broxton, Ivan DeJesus and Pierre should do it?

    Then sign Wolf….

    Peavy
    Billingsley
    Kershaw
    Kuroda
    Wolf

    Move McDonald to Broxton’s spot

  • Brooklyn Dodger

    Vasquez,

    And what makes you think the Padres would want Pierre? They’re trying to shed payroll, not add any. For the Padres to take Pierre the Dodgers would probably have to eat the vast majority of his contract, while at the same time taking on Peavy’s $63 million for the next four years. Don’t hold your breath.

    I like McDonald, but it’s really a stretch, given his limited experience at the big league level and in the bullpen, to think that he could just jump into the closer’s role.

  • crzblue

    Julie,
    Very nice post! I agree wholehearted with your comments.

    Tony,
    I’ve been to Vero Beach a few times and loved the fan friendliness of the original Dodgertown. Never been to Glendale. Do you think that like Vero Beach that one can walk around and watch the players practice? I have friends that want to make the drive but need to leave prior to the start of Spring Training games! Looking forward to more of your columns and posts.

    God willing, I will attempt to make every game at Dodger Stadium and my first trip to Glendale for a couple of games. -Emma