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layoff masterpiece http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , the talk was it could be the last time Clayton Kershaw — who has an opt-out clause in the contract that will pay him $65 million the next two years — wears the Dodgers home whites.That would be bad for the Dodgers on two fronts.No. 1, it would mean they lose the next two games in Milwaukee and fall short of the World Series. No. 2, it would mean they lose a pitcher who is in the conversation just after Sandy Koufax when it comes to the all-time Dodger greats.Don’t fear, Dodger fans. It’s highly doubtful Kershaw is going anywhere.The ace lefty was coy talking about possible free agency before his start Wednesday in Los Angeles, when he redeemed himself for a dismal performance in Game 1 of the NLCS by pitching three-hit ball over seven innings as the Dodgers moved within a game of the World Series with a 5-2 win.He said the kind of things a player is supposed to say to avoid tipping off his thoughts or alienating any of his fans.“I have not made a decision,” Kershaw said. “And to my understanding you get 10 days after the World Series. So should be a busy 10 days.”Kershaw has the contractual right to opt out of the seven-year deal signed in 2014 that pays him $215 million, and to use the leverage that comes with it. That’s likely, at the very least, to get him a few more years at the same kind of money he’s making today.Make no mistake about it, that money is huge. Kershaw is making $34 million this year, putting him just behind Angels outfielder Mike Trout after leading the highest-paid list for the previous three years.And, for the most part, Kershaw has earned his pay. He’s an astonishing 153-69 in 11 years as a Dodger, with an ERA of 2.39 and a WAR (wins above replacement) of 62.1.But his innings are in decline, partly because of injury and partly because of the way baseball is evolving. Kershaw’s ERA has inched up as his fastball has gone down in velocity, and he’s no longer the automatic win Dodger fans pencil him in for every time he takes the mound.By itself http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , that might not be enough for teams to pass on emptying the wallet to sign him. There aren’t many impact players like Kershaw, and the idea of him taking the mound every five days would have any general manager salivating.But baseball doesn’t value the starting pitcher like it used to, which was on display in Wednesday’s game when Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell removed starter Wade Miley after just five pitches. The move was unconventional and made mostly because Counsell hoped the Dodgers would load their lineup with right-handed hitters, but the trend across baseball is toward using starters less and replacing them with multiple relievers.Fox analyst and Hall of Famer John Smoltz believes the analytical age is causing teams to rethink the traditional rotation. It’s cheaper — and sometimes more effective — to have pitchers throw as hard as they can for as long as they can, he says, and then replace them with another pitcher who can do the same.“It’s hard-pressed for me to think that at the end of the day this is not just a cheaper version of baseball,” Smoltz said earlier this year. “You can operate your team paying guys less and utilizing them in their younger years when they’re not making so much. Burn and churn and just keep shuffling the deck in the bullpen.”Kershaw’s value to the Dodgers was also questioned when he was passed over as Game 1 starter in the division series against Atlanta. Kershaw was miffed, then went out to pitch eight innings of two-hit ball to win Game 2.But he stumbled when picked to start the NLCS, not getting an out in the fourth inning before being pulled. And while he rebounded against the Brewers in Game 5, the knock on Kershaw is that, for all his greatness, he has underperformed at crucial times in the postseason and has yet to deliver the Dodgers a World Series title.That could change in the next two weeks as the Dodgers chase their first championship in 30 years. It might also convince the Dodgers to add as many years onto Kershaw’s contract as he will likely want.It will be money well spent, because Kershaw is as much an institution in LA as the great Dodger pitchers of the past. Vin Scully himself has compared him to Koufax except, of course, for the fact Koufax won three World Series rings in Los Angeles.No matter what happens in Milwaukee, though Christian Yelich Jersey , expect Kershaw to remain a Dodger for years to come.____Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg SPOILER ALERT! It was a successful season!"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Royals Trade Rumors & Hot StoveRoyals Minor Leagues & ProspectsRoyals Review ClassicRoyals Review Users GuideThe 100 Greatest Royals Of All TimeThe 2019 Kansas City Royals season according to MLB: The Show 19New,9commentsSPOILER ALERT! It was a successful season!EDTShareTweetShareShareThe 2019 Kansas City Royals season according to MLB: The Show 19Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY SportsLast week, San Diego Studio dropped MLB: The Show 19. It’s my personal favorite video game every year and I spend WAY too much time rebuilding a franchise that, in reality, I will never influence in the slightest. But dammit do I love it.Similar to Michael Augustine running us through a 2019 simulation using OOTP, I ran the simulation in MLB: The Show’s franchise mode for the year to spoil it for all of us (You. Are. Welcome.). Preseason Roster RoundupGoing into the year, the default player ratings were VERY poor. Whit was at a 90, Brad Keller was an 83, Salvy was an 81, and that’s the complete list of everyone above an 80. Off to a very rough start but (digital) Ned Yost knows how to get the most out of his (digital) guys.To keep the simulation as close to real as possible, Salvy was optioned to AAA. Homer Bailey (buried in AA with a 68 rating) was selected to be a key piece to the rotation. Ian Kennedy and his large contract were sent to the bullpen. The roster was made to match what I believe the actual lineup will look like for the majority of the year:Lineup:Whit 2BMondesi SSGordon LFSoler RF/DHO’Hearn 1BDuda DH/Owings RFDozier 3BMaldonado CBHam CFBench:Owings/DudaGoreGallagherRotation:KellerJunisDuffyBaileyLopezPen:KennedyEllisTim HillMcCarthyZimmerDiekmanPeraltaBoxbergerThat lineup will change with the ebbs/flows throughout the season but I think that’s where they sit most games. I also used the new feature of extending players currently under contract to lock up 2 of Mondesi’s free agent years. In the end, it was 7 years for $85M and I back-loaded it, which is also a new aspect and is neat. Isn’t it neat? It’s pretty neat. Let’s roll!End of AprilLook out! The Royals came out of the gate sprinting. Maybe it was a result of a weak schedule or the boys just feeling themselves, but they got out to a 19-11 record. Hot damn! Like we all saw coming, Lucas Duda led the position players in WAR as a DH. I imagine Kansas Samplers and Rally Houses struggle to keep Duda shirseys in stock. Jakob Junis produces the most WAR among pitchers and someone coins the term “Jakob Smear-nov” to describe the pitcher’s plus slider. That person becomes a millionaire when Uncle Hud gets word of it and refuses to stop saying it. The Royals lead the AL Central by 2 games.End of MayAll good things come to an end. May was really tough on the Boys in Blue. When the calendar turns over to June, the Royals are 27-30 after going 8-19 for the month http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , and 4 games out of the division lead. Billy Hamilton takes over as the best position player and his .283 average and 16 stolen bases are putting the haters in their place. Cyber-Ned refuses to put him higher in the lineup because “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Junis continues to deal and lead the team, but the pitching all around had a very bad month. When asked about the Royals’ pitching struggles, Stephen A. Smith says “Well what do you expect? They’re still marching Bret Saberhagen and Jeff Montgomery out there! Those guys don’t have any business being on the field!” How true that is...End of JuneMore of the same and the descent into the cellar begins, as do the Dog Days of Summer. The Royals put together a 12-15 month, bringing their total to 39-45. The whole AL Central struggles though and the Royals only lose 2 more games from the division-leading Indians. Whit takes his rightful place on top of the positional WAR leaders while Junis keeps the throne for the pitchers. In the draft, I picked a college SS with 80 grade upside that will be ready for the majors by 2021 (Bryson Stott maybe?) that will fit in nicely with the coming wave of talented prospects. The rumor mill for trades has begun turning and anyone on their last contract year is placed on the trade block. Dave Dombrowski calls me about Ian Kennedy and his 3.56 ERA, but then asks me if my refrigerator is running. Go to Hell, Dave.End of JulyThe roller coaster season continues and this time the track starts running up... errr... down... things start going well. The good guys go 15-11 and are now only 2 games under .500 at 54-56. The WAR leaders remain to be Whit and Junis. Whit, Boxberger, and Hamilton are voted into the All-Star game. Any squad that features that trio is destined for good things 99 times out of 100. This year was that lone lost outcome, as the NL defeats the AL 15-6. system, and nailed the draft. I’d call that a very successful season.