In May 2009, Clayton Kershaw experienced a sophomore slump during his second MLB season. To enhance his game, he experimented with a slider in bullpen sessions. Initially, Brad Ausmus, a veteran catcher, noted the pitch's potential but was surprised at Kershaw's confidence in its effectiveness. During a game, Kershaw showcased his talent by pitching seven scoreless innings. Post-game discussions revealed Kershaw's exceptional aptitude as he desired to use more sliders, demonstrating his vision for how the pitch could enhance his overall strategy.
Early in his second year in the majors, Clayton Kershaw was enduring a sophomore slump. Looking for a way to complement his predominantly fastball/curveball mix, he began toying around with a slider in his between-starts bullpen sessions.
He was like, 'It's really good,' Ausmus recalled recently. I said, 'Oh, so maybe he'll throw it in a couple more bullpens before taking it into the game.'
Kershaw spun a gem, throwing seven scoreless innings in a Dodgers victory. But it was afterward, as Kershaw, Ausmus and Rick Honeycutt reviewed the outing...
Collection
[
|
...
]