Talking with: Clayton Kershaw

AK: Your performances have been pretty strong.  Is this what you thought you'd be capable of at this level or are you even a little surprised?

CK: You know, I knew it was always "baseball" up here.  Obviously, it's a completely different atmosphere once you get up here and you can't really prepare for that.  BUt as far as pitching, you always expect that you can get people out and stuff like that.  BUt it's pretty cool to see you can get people out at this level, even though you're not used to it.

AK: Is it good to see the tangible proof, in terms of doing it at this level?

CK: Definitely.  When you see the results of you pitching and getting people out at this level, it's a confidence booster.  To know that you can do it and some day, whenever you get in the regular season, you can do it, too.

AK: How much have they talked to you in terms of staying up or what it means if you don't stay up.

CK: You know, they don't really talk to anybody until it's time, because obviously there's a lot of things going on in their heads.  Everybody understands that.  Come Sunday, I'm sure they'll talk to me about it and whatever they say is great, because it's a lot harder for them than it is to me.

AK: I'm sure on some level, it doesn't matter to you how they use you as long as you're up.  But all things being equal, does it matter to you at all in terms of staying up as a starter vs. the bullpen?

CK: It doesn't really matter to me.  I've always been a starter, but this whole spring training, I've come out of the bullpen.  It's still pitching.  It's not really that big of a deal to me.  WHatever they need is what I'll dpo. 

AK: What type of adjustments have there been in coming out of the pen?

CK: Just to know how fast to get ready is a little different.  As a starter, you can take your time and do whatever you need to do.  As a reliever, one phone call and you gotta be up.  It's a little bit different, but other than that, it's the same.

AK: Is there anyone in particular you've been hitting up for tips?

CK: I've talked to all the relief pitchers.  I've talked to all the starters.  I'll talk to pretty much any pitcher that wants to hear a kid talk to him.  Just ask them what it's like.  Jason Schmidt's been really awesome.  He talks to me a kot oabout everything.  He's one of the best, so it's pretty cool to be get to talk to him.   

AK: Are any of these guys sick of you asking questions yet?

CK: They could be.  (laughs)  But I'm gonna do it until I become a veteran and guys are gonna ask me.

AK: Have you been hearing a lot from your friends about that one curve ball you threw against Boston?  It had been up on YouTube (since taken down) and got a lot of attention.

CK: Yeah, my friends called me a lot after that.  And back home, they talked about it.  It's great.  It's one curveball.  It's flattering, but it's also just one curveball. 

AK: Yeah, but have you seen the footage of it?

CK: Yeah, I looked at it, yeah.

AK: It's pretty sick.  Can you at least admit that much?

CK: Some days, it's better than others.  I just threw one pretty well.  I'll just try to get them all like that.

AK: Is it possible to even come close to bottling what you did on a pitch like that?  To get it like that again?  Sense memory, breaking it down?

CK: Obviously, if I think if every pitcher could repeat they ever threw, it'd be a lot different.  That's the main things with pitching, it's consistency.  Trying to throw every pitch just the way want to every time.  Obviously, iI know what it feels like when I throw one good, but you can't do it every time. 

(Editor's note: Mind you, this could just be me playing armchair psychologist.  I got a sense the kid was too modest to admit it, but fully well that toss was pretty flippin' good). 

AK