What do Clayton Kershaw and pumpkins have in common?

They both get carved up in October.       

Is that a bit of a cheap shot? Sure.

Does the Los Angeles Dodgers ace deserve it after yet another embarrassing performance on the October stage? Yes.

To put a finer point on it: After Kershaw’s latest flop Friday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, it’s worth wondering if he’ll ever cement his status among the greatest pitchers of all time.

In a scant three innings against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, Kershaw coughed up five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Most damningly, he surrendered a game-tying home run to Milwaukee reliever Brandon Woodruff, who was hitting from the left side.

Ouch.

It was far from the dominant showing the Dodgers were counting on and teed up a 6-5 Brewers victory.

There’s plenty of series left. Los Angeles can bounce back, and Kershaw will almost assuredly pitch again.

But it was yet another checkered chapter in Kershaw’s up-and-down postseason history. Great as he’s been overall, his bumpy playoff resume is a significant blemish on his permanent record.

After Friday’s outing, Kershaw’s career postseason ERA sits at 4.26 in 133 innings. That’s enough of a sample size to draw conclusions, and they aren’t great. In fact, they’re downright mediocre.

All too often under the game’s brightest lights, Kershaw has wilted.

No one denies he’s a generational talent. He’s won three NL Cy Young Awards, an NL MVP trophy and amassed 50.7 WAR since 2011, according to FanGraphs, easily the highest total of any pitcher during that span. 

In March 2017, The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh made a credible case for Kershaw as a historically special arm, in the company of hallowed, top-tier Hall of Famers.

With all that stipulated, he needs to do it now. He needs to dig in his heels and prove his mettle when the pressure and stakes are cranked up to eleven. 

Kershaw is 8-8 in the postseason after laying an egg in Game 1 against the Brewers. That’s the definition of mediocre and wholly unbecoming a transcendent player.

The Dodgers showed resilience Friday despite Kershaw’s ho-hum effort and made it a game to the bitter end. They might come back against the Brewers regardless of Kershaw’s contributions, though defeating the defending champion Houston Astros or potent Boston Red Sox in the World Series will be a taller task.

Los Angeles hasn’t hoisted a Commissioner’s Trophy since 1988. Kershaw has done incredible things in Dodger blue, but he hasn’t carried his club across the finish line. 

Listen to what he told reporters after the Dodgers’ Game 7 loss to the Astros in the 2017 Fall Classic: “Maybe one of these days, I won’t fail, we won’t fail and we’ll win one of these things. There’s only one team that can succeed. There’s only one team that wins the last game, so that’s tough.”

Setting aside the defeatist language, he’s right. It is tough.

So were the four errors the Dodgers committed in their Game 1 loss. There was blame to go around, as Mike Petriello of MLB.com noted:

A big blame scoop must be heaped on Kershaw’s plate, however. He was asked to summon greatness, and he responded with a less-than-replacement-level effort.

His average fastball velocity dipped to 91.4 mph this year from a career average of 93.8 mph. He’s wrestled with back and arm injuries and will turn 31 in March. If you’re searching for red flags, you can find them.

On the other hand, he’s carved up enough big leaguers to deserve a seat at the all-time greatness table. Recall, he twirled eight shutout innings in a division-series win Oct. 5 against the Atlanta Braves. 

On the other, other hand, after another playoff face-plant, he remains a pumpkin.

Is that a cheap shot? Sure.

Is it also accurate until further notice? Yes.

All statistics current as of Friday and courtesy of FanGraphs. 

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Friday night at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw had a night to forget. He exited the game in the fourth inning after allowing four earned runs on six hits.

Lorenzo Cain set the tone for the Brewers offense at the top of the order, going 3-for-5 with one run scored.

Brewers’ Bullpen Approach Works in Game 1 But Remains Risky over Seven-Game Series

Brewers manager Craig Counsell has taken the “bullpenning” approach to the extreme. Jhoulys Chacin was the only Milwaukee starter to pitch five innings in the National League Division Series against the Colorado Rockies. Counsell yanked Game 1 starter Gio Gonzalez after just two innings Friday night.

Counsell then brought on left-hander Josh Hader in the fifth inning, well before anybody would’ve expected the All-Star reliever to enter the game.

Game 1 represented an almost ideal situation for Counsell to deploy his strategy. A Manny Machado solo home run gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Brewers plated two runs in the third.

By taking an early lead, Milwaukee allowed Counsell more flexibility with the bullpen.

Still, the jury is out as to whether relying so heavily on the relievers is sustainable over a seven-game playoff series. In addition to tiring out pitchers who aren’t used to such heavy workloads, the Brewers could jeopardize one of the benefits to using late-inning specialists.

And by being so aggressive with Hader—using him for three innings—Counsell basically ruled him out for Game 2. In a high-leverage situation Saturday, Counsell might rue the fact that he has to either rest Hader or put him on the mound when he’ll almost certainly be fatigued.

Kershaw’s Poor Start Emblematic of Star’s Gradual Decline

Entering Friday, Kershaw had a 4.08 ERA in 25 playoff appearances, so his Game 1 performance strengthens the narrative—fair or not—that he’s unable to rise to the occasion in October.

That viewpoint may not tell the full story this time around.

Although Kershaw’s defense did him no favors, he wasn’t sharp to open the NLCS.

When Brewers reliever Brandon Woodruff is going deep off Kershaw, something isn’t working.

Kershaw turns 31 in March, which isn’t that old. However, he already has 11 years of MLB service and has logged 2,229.1 innings between the regular season and playoffs. Then you throw in the persistent injury issues that have dogged him for three straight years, and his future isn’t so straightforward.

Kershaw finished with a 3.19 FIP and averaged 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings this past season, both of which were his worst marks since his rookie year in 2008, per Baseball Reference.

The seven-time All-Star delivered a gem in the NLDS, shutting out the Atlanta Braves and limiting them to two hits in eight innings. On his best day, Kershaw remains one of the game’s top pitchers.

But fans might be witnessing the beginning of the end of Kershaw’s time as MLB’s pre-eminent ace, and it might be time to reset what we expect of him in the playoffs.

Catcher Position Might Be Big Problem for Dodgers

Yasmani Grandal tied for third in WAR (3.6) among Dodgers position players in 2018, per FanGraphs, and his defense accounted for a good chunk of his overall value. According to Baseball Prospectus, Grandal was the best catcher in adjusted field runs above average.

That great defender was nowhere to be seen early in Game 1.

Grandal allowed two passed balls in the first three innings, and he helped set up Milwaukee’s second run of the night.

With one out in the third, Jesus Aguilar lined out to David Freese at first base. The home plate umpire allowed Aguilar to take first, though, after ruling Grandal interfered with his swing. Instead of Kershaw having two outs and runners on second and third, the bases were loaded with just one out.

Hernan Perez stepped to the plate next and hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give Milwaukee the lead.

The issue for the Dodgers is they don’t have a good alternative to playing Grandal. Austin Barnes, who does have some October experience, would be the option.

But Barnes was a .205 hitter and slugged .290 during the regular season, compared to .289 and .486, respectively, a year ago. The Dodgers can’t afford to start a hitter with such a low ceiling, even with a lineup as balanced as theirs.

While Grandal won’t single-handedly lose the Dodgers the NLCS, he does appear to be a liability.

What’s Next?

The series stays in Milwaukee for Game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 4:09 p.m. ET on Saturday, with television coverage on Fox.

An electric vehicle cruising down the highway, a solar panel installed on a neighbor’s rooftop, a wind turbine turning in the breeze: These are just a few of the powerful symbols that represent the blossoming renewable energy economy.

There’s little doubt that the world is on the cusp of a new era of energy generation and consumption. From the rise of renewable fuel sources to the increasing number of companies like AT&T that are investing in clean energy, renewables are swiftly becoming a booming industry.

As a result, we’re in the midst of an explosion of opportunity — both economic and environmental. In America, the seismic shift toward renewables is evident in both classrooms and boardrooms, particularly as major international corporations invest heavily in clean energy. Earlier in 2018, for instance, AT&T announced the expansion of its renewable energy program in collaboration with NextEra Energy Resources.

Not only does corporate investment in renewable energy help create a cleaner and more livable planet, it also helps create jobs and boost careers. Below, we explore how the renewable energy boom is being bolstered by companies like AT&T — and why it matters for future generations.

Renewables are a booming industry

The primary barrier to entry for adopting renewable energy has traditionally been cost. But recent data suggests that renewable energy is more cost-efficient than ever, and studies show that renewable energy will be consistently cheaper than fossil fuels as soon as 2020.

Matthew Linthicum, a wind turbine technician working near the site of a future AT&T-backed wind farm, has witnessed the renewable energy spike firsthand over the course of five years working as a wind tech.

“The cost to produce [wind] power is starting to get right on that level with natural gas,” he says. “And that’s made me feel really good about working in the wind industry.”

“[The story here] is about so much more than just beating records, though,” said John Di Donato, vice president of development for NextEra Energy Resources. “It’s a demonstration of how renewable energy is sustainable, reliable, and cost competitive. It’s why in 2017, renewables made up 55% of new capacity installed onto the US grid. That’s important — especially considering it was the fourth consecutive year that renewables accounted for more than half of new generation.”

The low-carbon economy and corporate leadership

Corporations are front and center in America’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Dozens of Fortune 500 companies are committing to purchase millions of megawatt hours of energy from new wind and solar projects, which enable companies like NextEra Energy Resources to invest billions in capital to the grid. In the first half of 2018 alone, corporations announced deals for 2.48 gigawatts of wind and solar – adding to the 2.89 gigawatts purchased by companies last year – and that number has since increased to 3.86 gigawatts (as of Sept. 20). These investments are becoming a major driver for the growth of the renewable sector overall.

AT&T is one of the largest corporate purchasers of renewable energy, and the company is making significant commitments to environmental sustainability. High among these commitments is the company’s 10X Carbon Reduction goal, which aims to enable carbon savings that are ten times the footprint of the company’s operations by 2025.

“Our culture lends itself to trying to create the kind of environment where our customers live and our employees work that is sustainable and clean,” says Joe Taylor, vice president of global tech optimization and implementation for AT&T. “We think companies can play a key role in taking care of our planet as we move forward.”

Taylor says that AT&T’s dedication to its 10X Carbon Reduction goal is just one stepping-stone toward a brighter future. “We recognize that climate change is happening, and we’re really working to create a better, more sustainable world. Moving off of coal and even gas-based power plants into [renewable energy sources] is going to help modernize our economy, and we’re really proud to be a part of it.”

Taylor also notes that AT&T is investing in renewable energy because it’s both good for the environment and makes sense from a business perspective. “AT&T is one of the largest providers of data traffic and mobile and wire lines, so it’s really important for us to have good, sustainable access to energy,” he explains.

A feel-good career that’s good for the planet

Younger generations stand to benefit from the renewable energy boom on several fronts. For one, the job market in this arena is growing exponentially — particularly in rural areas of the country where job growth has been stagnating for years. And, as generations just hitting the workforce are seeking purpose — not just prosperity — the renewable energy market presents an opportunity to make a decent living and do good simultaneously.

Lindsay Wallace is a project manager for renewable development and origination at NextEra Energy Resources. Throughout Wallace’s seven-year stint at the company, she’s seen the renewables industry skyrocket. In her current role, working closely on corporate partnership agreements between NextEra Energy Resources and external organizations, she’s also seen the positive, on-the-ground impacts that wind energy projects can have.

These projects hit close to home for Wallace on more than one level. “I grew up in a household that was incredibly mindful of sustainability, turning off the lights, saving water … even to the extent that if you didn’t get out of the shower fast enough, the cold water might be switched on,” she recalls. “Growing up like that made me conscious about my personal impact and enthusiastic for what I could do for the world in my career.”

Wallace, who directly supports AT&T-backed projects, explains that collaboration with AT&T was serendipitous for both parties. “We had a number of projects that were a really strong fit for AT&T, both by the value they delivered as well as the community benefits and the locations [where they were planned],” she says. For example, AT&T, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, jumped at the chance to support renewable energy projects in the company’s “home” state.

Today, the four wind energy projects that AT&T is backing are expected to have a notable impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions — the equivalent of taking 530,000 cars per year off of the road.

While projects like the ones supported by AT&T can have big environmental benefits, they also take time. Taylor says that the company worked for nearly a year to find the right projects and right partners.

“We worked hard to get this right,” says Taylor. “It took a lot of people and a lot of time to make sure our investments would benefit both our company and our planet. Now, the renewable projects we’re building together can help change the world.” 

This article is the second in a series from AT&T exploring how wind energy is powering America’s transition to a low-carbon economy and creating a better, more environmentally sustainable world. AT&T is working to enable a clean energy future; the company is one of the largest corporate purchasers of renewable energy in the US. Read the first piece in the series here.

New Orleans Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis said Friday he ranks himself ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ LeBron James and Golden State Warriors‘ Kevin Durant as the best player in the NBA.

Davis made the statement during an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols:

The 25-year-old University of Kentucky product finished third in Most Valuable Player voting last season behind LeBron and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden, the award’s winner.

Davis averaged 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 75 appearances for the Pelicans last season. That terrific across-the-board production allowed him to rank second to Harden in player efficiency rating, per ESPN.com.

Last month, the Chicago native caused a stir when he switched his representation to Klutch Sports, the same agency that handles James, prompting speculation that he could leave New Orleans.

“It was just for where I am right now in my career—what I’m trying to do—I thought the change was necessary,” Davis told reporters. “That’s all it was.”

He’ll head into the 2018-19 campaign second in betting odds for MVP (+450), per OddsShark. James is the favorite (+333), with the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (+500), Harden (+650) and the Toronto Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard (+950) rounding out the top five.

Davis and the Pelicans kick off the regular season Wednesday with a road game against the Rockets at Toyota Center.

1. Todd Rosiak @Todd_Rosiak

2. Kershaw Fooled Yelich on This One

   Pitcher List @PitcherList

   Clayton Kershaw Curveball delivery in slow motion https://t.co/Qbc1ncD2qr

3. Gio’s Changeup Is Nasty

   Pitcher List @PitcherList

   Gio Gonzalez Changeup to fan Chris Taylor – Home Plate View https://t.co/Sub5R9qnQB

4. Bob with the Pitch

   Milwaukee Brewers @Brewers

   A first pitch by Mr. Baseball and we’re ready to #PlayBall in Game 1 of the NLCS at Miller Park! #LetsGo #OurCrewOurOctober https://t.co/84502xpjEK

5. Get the Popcorn

   Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

   Game 1 about to be a movie

   #NLCS https://t.co/72AxKoNZyl

6. Bill Plunkett @billplunkettocr

7. Adam McCalvy @AdamMcCalvy

8. True Blue LA @truebluela

9. Suter Brings the Hype

   Cut4 @Cut4

   Brent Suter: Hype Man. https://t.co/z22ckrDM3G

10. Who’s Ready for #12?

    FOX Sports Wisconsin @fswisconsin

    
    
    
    

    Straight wins. https://t.co/lN8IyaDC4W

11. 

    MLB @MLB

    KERSHAW https://t.co/SMbupsJFwK

12. Cream City Central @CreamCityCtral

13. Tom @Haudricourt

14. Dodger Blue @DodgerBlue1958

15. When Old Friends Become New Rivals

    Cut4 @Cut4

    Reeeeunited. https://t.co/GBHcwZXuNA

16. Manny Ready

    MLB @MLB

    Manny hacks. https://t.co/dNdE8woaTB

17. Brotherly Reunion of Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop

    

    via La Vida Baseball

18. Cream City Central @CreamCityCtral

19. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

20. Ken Gurnick @kengurnick

21. Best Wishes from Randall Cobb

    Green Bay Packers @packers

    Good luck in the #NLCS, @Brewers!

    #GoPackGo x #OurCrewOurOctober https://t.co/crQGAV0dPZ

22. Lock in

    Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers

    Let’s go to work. #LADetermined https://t.co/uQ8u9zuc4A

23. These Brewers Have the ‘It’ Factor

    

    via Cream City Central

24. Tom @Haudricourt

25. The Brewer Nation @BrewerNation

26. Scott Miller @ScottMillerBbl

27. Moose Is Ready

    MLB @MLB

    Moose gets loose. https://t.co/OvL8B2liJI

28. All We Do Is Win

    Milwaukee Brewers @Brewers

    BreWErs. #OurCrewOurOctober https://t.co/Rya39r5how

29. Kershaw Makes History with Start Tonight

    StatsCentre @StatsCentre

    Clayton Kershaw starts for the @Dodgers in Gm1 of the #NLCS tonight. With it, he’ll tie for the 3rd most #PostSeason appearances by a left handed pitcher in the National League (26)

30. Tom @Haudricourt

31. Todd Rosiak @Todd_Rosiak

32. Jump on It Now While You Still Can

    B/R Betting @br_betting

    Some money starting to come in on the Brewers for Game 1

    Milwaukee has jumped from +138 to +128 since the line opened https://t.co/viJrp4Vna6

33. 

    Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin

    Andre Ethier to throw out first pitch for Game 3 of NLCS at Dodger Stadium, Shawn Green for Game 4.

34. Mike Petriello @mike_petriello

35. Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenband

36. Yeli Looking Loose

    MLB @MLB

    .@ChristianYelich isn’t feeling any pressure. https://t.co/qlhe9MAo5O

37. No Love Lost Tonight

    MLB @MLB

    Brothers off the field, enemies between the lines. https://t.co/6mev4F8DOI

38. Matt Kelly @mattkellyMLB

39. Adam McCalvy @AdamMcCalvy

40. Mirror Image

    Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers

    NSYNC. https://t.co/XLtKXrFiL2

41. LAD and MIL Open NLCS Right-Handed Heavy as Expected

    

    via True Blue LA

42. Cream City Central @CreamCityCtral

43. Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin

44. Todd Rosiak @Todd_Rosiak

45. Tom @Haudricourt

46. True Blue LA @truebluela

47. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

48. FOX Sports Wisconsin @fswisconsin

49. Dodger Blue @DodgerBlue1958

50. True Blue LA @truebluela

51. Tyler Kepner @TylerKepner

52. Tom @Haudricourt

53. Tom @Haudricourt

54. Mike Petriello @mike_petriello

55. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

56. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

57. Tyler Kepner @TylerKepner

58. FOX Sports: MLB @MLBONFOX

59. Bill Plaschke @BillPlaschke

60. Jon Heyman @JonHeyman

1. Todd Rosiak @Todd_Rosiak

2. Kershaw Fooled Yelich on This One

   Pitcher List @PitcherList

   Clayton Kershaw Curveball delivery in slow motion https://t.co/Qbc1ncD2qr

3. Gio’s Changeup Is Nasty

   Pitcher List @PitcherList

   Gio Gonzalez Changeup to fan Chris Taylor – Home Plate View https://t.co/Sub5R9qnQB

4. Bob with the Pitch

   Milwaukee Brewers @Brewers

   A first pitch by Mr. Baseball and we’re ready to #PlayBall in Game 1 of the NLCS at Miller Park! #LetsGo #OurCrewOurOctober https://t.co/84502xpjEK

5. Get the Popcorn

   Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

   Game 1 about to be a movie

   #NLCS https://t.co/72AxKoNZyl

6. Bill Plunkett @billplunkettocr

7. Adam McCalvy @AdamMcCalvy

8. True Blue LA @truebluela

9. Suter Brings the Hype

   Cut4 @Cut4

   Brent Suter: Hype Man. https://t.co/z22ckrDM3G

10. Who’s Ready for #12?

    FOX Sports Wisconsin @fswisconsin

    
    
    
    

    Straight wins. https://t.co/lN8IyaDC4W

11. 

    MLB @MLB

    KERSHAW https://t.co/SMbupsJFwK

12. Cream City Central @CreamCityCtral

13. Tom @Haudricourt

14. Dodger Blue @DodgerBlue1958

15. When Old Friends Become New Rivals

    Cut4 @Cut4

    Reeeeunited. https://t.co/GBHcwZXuNA

16. Manny Ready

    MLB @MLB

    Manny hacks. https://t.co/dNdE8woaTB

17. Brotherly Reunion of Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop

    

    via La Vida Baseball

18. Cream City Central @CreamCityCtral

19. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

20. Ken Gurnick @kengurnick

21. Best Wishes from Randall Cobb

    Green Bay Packers @packers

    Good luck in the #NLCS, @Brewers!

    #GoPackGo x #OurCrewOurOctober https://t.co/crQGAV0dPZ

22. Lock in

    Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers

    Let’s go to work. #LADetermined https://t.co/uQ8u9zuc4A

23. These Brewers Have the ‘It’ Factor

    

    via Cream City Central

24. Tom @Haudricourt

25. The Brewer Nation @BrewerNation

26. Scott Miller @ScottMillerBbl

27. Moose Is Ready

    MLB @MLB

    Moose gets loose. https://t.co/OvL8B2liJI

28. All We Do Is Win

    Milwaukee Brewers @Brewers

    BreWErs. #OurCrewOurOctober https://t.co/Rya39r5how

29. Kershaw Makes History with Start Tonight

    StatsCentre @StatsCentre

    Clayton Kershaw starts for the @Dodgers in Gm1 of the #NLCS tonight. With it, he’ll tie for the 3rd most #PostSeason appearances by a left handed pitcher in the National League (26)

30. Tom @Haudricourt

31. Todd Rosiak @Todd_Rosiak

32. Jump on It Now While You Still Can

    B/R Betting @br_betting

    Some money starting to come in on the Brewers for Game 1

    Milwaukee has jumped from +138 to +128 since the line opened https://t.co/viJrp4Vna6

33. 

    Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin

    Andre Ethier to throw out first pitch for Game 3 of NLCS at Dodger Stadium, Shawn Green for Game 4.

34. Mike Petriello @mike_petriello

35. Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenband

36. Yeli Looking Loose

    MLB @MLB

    .@ChristianYelich isn’t feeling any pressure. https://t.co/qlhe9MAo5O

37. No Love Lost Tonight

    MLB @MLB

    Brothers off the field, enemies between the lines. https://t.co/6mev4F8DOI

38. Matt Kelly @mattkellyMLB

39. Adam McCalvy @AdamMcCalvy

40. Mirror Image

    Los Angeles Dodgers @Dodgers

    NSYNC. https://t.co/XLtKXrFiL2

41. LAD and MIL Open NLCS Right-Handed Heavy as Expected

    

    via True Blue LA

42. Cream City Central @CreamCityCtral

43. Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin

44. Todd Rosiak @Todd_Rosiak

45. Tom @Haudricourt

46. True Blue LA @truebluela

47. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

48. FOX Sports Wisconsin @fswisconsin

49. Dodger Blue @DodgerBlue1958

50. True Blue LA @truebluela

51. Tyler Kepner @TylerKepner

52. Tom @Haudricourt

53. Tom @Haudricourt

54. Mike Petriello @mike_petriello

55. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

56. Dodgers Nation @DodgersNation

57. Tyler Kepner @TylerKepner

58. FOX Sports: MLB @MLBONFOX

59. Bill Plaschke @BillPlaschke

60. Jon Heyman @JonHeyman