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The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness
The definitive biography of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, based on exclusive interviews with Kershaw and more than 200 others, examining the genesis of his brilliance, his exhausting quest to win the World Series, and his singular place within the evolving baseball landscape—from the former Los Angeles Times national baseball writer, now a senior writer at The Athletic .
More than any baseball player of his generation, Clayton Kershaw has embodied the burden of athletic greatness, the prizes and perils that await those who strive for it all. He is a three-time Cy Young award winner, the first pitcher to win National League MVP since Bob Gibson, and a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Many of his peers consider him the greatest pitcher to ever climb atop a big-league mound. In an age when baseball became more impersonal, a sport altered by adherence to algorithms and actuarial tables, Kershaw personified the game’s lingering humanity, with his joy and suffering on display each October as he chased a championship. He pitched through pain, placing his future at risk, on the game’s grandest stages. He endeared himself to teammates and foes alike with his refusal to make excuses, with his willingness to shoulder the blame when he failed. And he only further impressed them when he returned, year after year, even as his body broke down from the strain of his profession. The journey captivated fans in Los Angeles and beyond, so much so that when the Dodgers finally won a title in 2020, the baseball world exulted in his triumph.
The Last of His Kind traces Kershaw’s path from a boyhood fractured by divorce to his development as one of the most-heralded pitching prospects in Texas history to his emergence in Los Angeles as the spiritual heir to Sandy Koufax. But the book also charts Kershaw’s place in baseball’s changing landscape, as his own stubbornness butted against the game’s evolution. The story of baseball in the 21st century can be told through Kershaw’s career, from his apprenticeship with icons like Joe Torre and Greg Maddux, to his wary relationship with the implementation of analytics, to his victimhood in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal at the hands of the Houston Astros. The game has changed so much during Kershaw’s illustrious career, and he has changed, ever so slightly, to stay at the top. To understand how baseball is played today, and how it got that way, you must understand the journey of Clayton Kershaw.
More than any baseball player of his generation, Clayton Kershaw has embodied the burden of athletic greatness, the prizes and perils that await those who strive for it all. He is a three-time Cy Young award winner, the first pitcher to win National League MVP since Bob Gibson, and a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Many of his peers consider him the greatest pitcher to ever climb atop a big-league mound. In an age when baseball became more impersonal, a sport altered by adherence to algorithms and actuarial tables, Kershaw personified the game’s lingering humanity, with his joy and suffering on display each October as he chased a championship. He pitched through pain, placing his future at risk, on the game’s grandest stages. He endeared himself to teammates and foes alike with his refusal to make excuses, with his willingness to shoulder the blame when he failed. And he only further impressed them when he returned, year after year, even as his body broke down from the strain of his profession. The journey captivated fans in Los Angeles and beyond, so much so that when the Dodgers finally won a title in 2020, the baseball world exulted in his triumph.
The Last of His Kind traces Kershaw’s path from a boyhood fractured by divorce to his development as one of the most-heralded pitching prospects in Texas history to his emergence in Los Angeles as the spiritual heir to Sandy Koufax. But the book also charts Kershaw’s place in baseball’s changing landscape, as his own stubbornness butted against the game’s evolution. The story of baseball in the 21st century can be told through Kershaw’s career, from his apprenticeship with icons like Joe Torre and Greg Maddux, to his wary relationship with the implementation of analytics, to his victimhood in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal at the hands of the Houston Astros. The game has changed so much during Kershaw’s illustrious career, and he has changed, ever so slightly, to stay at the top. To understand how baseball is played today, and how it got that way, you must understand the journey of Clayton Kershaw.
416 pages, Paperback
Published May 6, 2025
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July 12, 2024
Baseball’s season has reached the last series before the all star break. Pennant races are heating up, and teams are preparing for both the annual player draft and the trade deadline. At the baseball book club we never run out of things to talk when it comes to America’s game. At this point in the season, we take part in a group read to make up for the lull in the action. This year, the Los Angeles Dodgers are once again leading the National League western division although they are challenged by strong teams for a chance to go the World Series. Like many teams, the Dodgers have been beset by injuries, especially to their pitching staff, as organizations navigate the changing usage of pitchers’ arms on a yearly basis. One member of the Dodgers is notably absent, one Clayton Christopher Kershaw, who has logged over 2100 innings on his left arm. Andy McCullough writes that Kershaw is part of a dying breed, a staff ace who wants the ball every fifth day determined to finish the games he starts. As he recovers from an injury that would have finished most careers, Kershaw is set to make the first start of his season this Sunday in a minor league rehabilitation appearance. With his presence in the Dodgers dugout looming hoping to put the team over the top once again, I sensed the time was right to read what Andy McCullough has to say about Kershaw, the last of the staff aces.
Clayton Kershaw is what many would call an All-American boy. Top ten draft pick spending minimal time in the minors. Polite, as well put together as possible, dating the same girlfriend since he started high school. This boy rose to stardom to become the best pitcher of his generation. I am not a Los Angeles Dodgers fan by any means although I would read about the Brooklyn version of the team in my sleep, and, yet, I have always been a fan of Kershaw. Maybe it is his story of overcoming a broken home and finding a family, earning his slice of the American dream. Former Dodgers’ pitching coach Rick Honeycutt notes that if he had a daughter and Kershaw wasn’t married, then that is who he would have allowed his daughter to marry. No swearing, always on time, strong work ethic down to the most minute detail of his five day routine, it is little wonder to those who knew him as a teenager that he would get to where he is today. Is that why I am a fan? I admit to having animosity toward opposing teams’ position players, often calling them sleaze bags. This borderline venom does not usually translate to opposing teams’ pitchers. I’m the kid who would stay up to watch no hitters and be at the edge of my seat for them, and as they’ve become a rarity, I appreciate them even more. Kershaw has only thrown one of those in his career. No, the reason why I have always been a fan of Kershaw besides the fact that he has spent his entire career thus far on one team is that Kershaw is a lefty, and what a lefty at that.
My husband says that I am so left handed that I am disabled. He might be right, but I always retort that only left handed people are in their right mind. Kershaw had to be in his right mind growing up. His parents divorced the year he turned ten, his father remarrying and slowly fading from his life. His mother could barely cobble together money to pay the bills, often borrowing from his teammates’ parents. To become accomplished in that environment, one would have to have tunnel vision and he did- no swearing, smoking, no drinking until he turned twenty one, only one girlfriend who he later married. This tunnel vision of living on a five day cycle from the time he was in high school is what lead Kershaw to where he is today. Would he have been as successful coming from an “all American” home remains to be seen, but early on providing for his mother and overcoming poverty is what drove him to success. After establishing a fast ball, curve, and later a slider under Honeycutt’s tutelage, Kershaw as a twenty year old was set to become the face of a changing Dodgers’ team, transitioning from only acquiring high priced players to developing those of their own. Kershaw debuted at age twenty in 2008; pundits thought his arm was the second coming of Koufax, my favorite all time non Cubs’ player. I will leave it to readers to figure out why. If Kershaw is the second coming of Koufax, the Dodgers’ hopes and dreams riding on him, it is little wonder why I would love to watch him pitch despite the time difference. His left arm has made him one of the best pitchers of this generation, putting fear in opposing lineups for the last sixteen years. Not bad for a kid who did not know where his next meal was coming from.
Despite the awards and accolades, the strikeouts and wins, Kershaw has only won the World Series once. That was in 2020, and thankfully the author does not delve into this. If the league is giving out hardware, that is legit. Kershaw has always divided his time into five day cycles. He is as amped up for a weekday in June against a last place team as he is for a late season weekend showdown against the rival Giants. This preparation has not fared him well in the post season. Since 2011, Kershaw has been responsible for many of the Dodgers’ postseason failures. The media has placed most of the blame on his shoulders, fairly or not. Great ones across society will be deemed responsible for both victories and defeats, that’s just how it is. The Los Angeles media being the metropolis that it is only exacerbates the issue, but it is hard to call a pitcher a choke artist when his team struggles to score runs. In this changing era of pitcher usage, the wins and losses statistic has become dubious. A pitcher can take a “loss” when he might give up one run on three hits for an entire game but his team failed to score any runs behind him. One year before the Dodgers became the juggernaut that they are, Kershaw homered on opening day when he saw his team was not hitting. To say that he is a postseason goat might be an unfair assessment. His regular season performance speaks for itself, and there are many of the great ones who never make it to the postseason. The author presents the facts and allows readers to assess playoff Kershaw for themselves. He is his own worst critic, and the feeling he must have felt after 2020 was that of elation mixed with relief, the other years’ melting away.
As Kershaw prepares for his first start of this season in hopes of rescuing the Dodgers, he has a huge milestone on the horizon- needing only 59 strikeouts to reach 3,000 for his career. Koufax never reached it, his career cut short by injuries. When asked if the number means anything, Kershaw just shrugs. What matters are his children and extended family and the chance to see them grow up. He has run his charity giving back to his community for the duration of his career, winning the coveted Clemente Award as a younger player. The charity will be there when he hangs up the cleats, as will the extended community the Kershaw family created for themselves in Highland Park, Texas. It is little wonder to me that a baseball lifer like Rick Honeycutt would have allowed his fictitious daughter to date Clayton Kershaw; he is all that meets the eye, despite his minute attention to detail down to his turkey sandwich on game days. If that is his one quirk, so be it. But, if he comes back strong and leads the Dodgers back to a title, with the now super team they have established, perhaps he will come back for one last hurrah. He is entitled to a last season to soak it in, achieving over 200 victories and on the doorstep of 3,000 strikeouts en route to a place in Cooperstown, truly one of the last of the staff aces of his generation, the likes of which we will probably never see again.
4+ stars
Clayton Kershaw is what many would call an All-American boy. Top ten draft pick spending minimal time in the minors. Polite, as well put together as possible, dating the same girlfriend since he started high school. This boy rose to stardom to become the best pitcher of his generation. I am not a Los Angeles Dodgers fan by any means although I would read about the Brooklyn version of the team in my sleep, and, yet, I have always been a fan of Kershaw. Maybe it is his story of overcoming a broken home and finding a family, earning his slice of the American dream. Former Dodgers’ pitching coach Rick Honeycutt notes that if he had a daughter and Kershaw wasn’t married, then that is who he would have allowed his daughter to marry. No swearing, always on time, strong work ethic down to the most minute detail of his five day routine, it is little wonder to those who knew him as a teenager that he would get to where he is today. Is that why I am a fan? I admit to having animosity toward opposing teams’ position players, often calling them sleaze bags. This borderline venom does not usually translate to opposing teams’ pitchers. I’m the kid who would stay up to watch no hitters and be at the edge of my seat for them, and as they’ve become a rarity, I appreciate them even more. Kershaw has only thrown one of those in his career. No, the reason why I have always been a fan of Kershaw besides the fact that he has spent his entire career thus far on one team is that Kershaw is a lefty, and what a lefty at that.
My husband says that I am so left handed that I am disabled. He might be right, but I always retort that only left handed people are in their right mind. Kershaw had to be in his right mind growing up. His parents divorced the year he turned ten, his father remarrying and slowly fading from his life. His mother could barely cobble together money to pay the bills, often borrowing from his teammates’ parents. To become accomplished in that environment, one would have to have tunnel vision and he did- no swearing, smoking, no drinking until he turned twenty one, only one girlfriend who he later married. This tunnel vision of living on a five day cycle from the time he was in high school is what lead Kershaw to where he is today. Would he have been as successful coming from an “all American” home remains to be seen, but early on providing for his mother and overcoming poverty is what drove him to success. After establishing a fast ball, curve, and later a slider under Honeycutt’s tutelage, Kershaw as a twenty year old was set to become the face of a changing Dodgers’ team, transitioning from only acquiring high priced players to developing those of their own. Kershaw debuted at age twenty in 2008; pundits thought his arm was the second coming of Koufax, my favorite all time non Cubs’ player. I will leave it to readers to figure out why. If Kershaw is the second coming of Koufax, the Dodgers’ hopes and dreams riding on him, it is little wonder why I would love to watch him pitch despite the time difference. His left arm has made him one of the best pitchers of this generation, putting fear in opposing lineups for the last sixteen years. Not bad for a kid who did not know where his next meal was coming from.
Despite the awards and accolades, the strikeouts and wins, Kershaw has only won the World Series once. That was in 2020, and thankfully the author does not delve into this. If the league is giving out hardware, that is legit. Kershaw has always divided his time into five day cycles. He is as amped up for a weekday in June against a last place team as he is for a late season weekend showdown against the rival Giants. This preparation has not fared him well in the post season. Since 2011, Kershaw has been responsible for many of the Dodgers’ postseason failures. The media has placed most of the blame on his shoulders, fairly or not. Great ones across society will be deemed responsible for both victories and defeats, that’s just how it is. The Los Angeles media being the metropolis that it is only exacerbates the issue, but it is hard to call a pitcher a choke artist when his team struggles to score runs. In this changing era of pitcher usage, the wins and losses statistic has become dubious. A pitcher can take a “loss” when he might give up one run on three hits for an entire game but his team failed to score any runs behind him. One year before the Dodgers became the juggernaut that they are, Kershaw homered on opening day when he saw his team was not hitting. To say that he is a postseason goat might be an unfair assessment. His regular season performance speaks for itself, and there are many of the great ones who never make it to the postseason. The author presents the facts and allows readers to assess playoff Kershaw for themselves. He is his own worst critic, and the feeling he must have felt after 2020 was that of elation mixed with relief, the other years’ melting away.
As Kershaw prepares for his first start of this season in hopes of rescuing the Dodgers, he has a huge milestone on the horizon- needing only 59 strikeouts to reach 3,000 for his career. Koufax never reached it, his career cut short by injuries. When asked if the number means anything, Kershaw just shrugs. What matters are his children and extended family and the chance to see them grow up. He has run his charity giving back to his community for the duration of his career, winning the coveted Clemente Award as a younger player. The charity will be there when he hangs up the cleats, as will the extended community the Kershaw family created for themselves in Highland Park, Texas. It is little wonder to me that a baseball lifer like Rick Honeycutt would have allowed his fictitious daughter to date Clayton Kershaw; he is all that meets the eye, despite his minute attention to detail down to his turkey sandwich on game days. If that is his one quirk, so be it. But, if he comes back strong and leads the Dodgers back to a title, with the now super team they have established, perhaps he will come back for one last hurrah. He is entitled to a last season to soak it in, achieving over 200 victories and on the doorstep of 3,000 strikeouts en route to a place in Cooperstown, truly one of the last of the staff aces of his generation, the likes of which we will probably never see again.
4+ stars
May 7, 2024
Winning the Big One
As a life-long Dodger fan, I was set to devour this book. Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers ever to put on the uniform, a sure bet first round hall of famer. His career has been dedicated to one organization, and he and his wife have been pillars of the community. Their charitable work has been inspiring, including the establishment of an orphanage in Zambia. The perfect story!
Well… maybe not perfect.
Clayton has won the Cy Young award as baseball’s best pitcher an incredible three times. He won the National League MVP award in 2014, a rare accomplishment for a pitcher. He has been the dominant stopper of his era… during the regular season. Slowly but surely his reputation began tarnishing during the post-season playoffs. ‘Wonderful, but he can’t win the big one.’ Whether overworked or pitching on short rest, things fell apart and the Dodgers, superior during the season, were unable to grab the World Series trophy behind their ace. The one time they did win, in 2020, has been devalued by many as the Covid series, with an unusual atmosphere adjusted because of the playing restrictions on crowds, teams, and locations.
Sportswriter Andy McCullough does provide glimpses of Kershaw we have not seen before. There is a detailed background of the financial struggles he and his mother endured in his youth, an early factor motivating him to succeed. His intensity, particularly on game day, is well known, and although it is pointed out he was much more easy-going on days he was not starting; a grumpiness and testiness seem to be asserting itself along with struggles to overcome injuries and the aging process. I was surprised to see him say he has no interest in instructing or tutoring the young pitchers coming up… “This might be, like, harsh, but I really don’t have any interest in helping people get better,” he said. “This is probably selfish… but I don’t, like, care.”
Kershaw’s career is winding down (being the old man of 36), but it is not over yet. His last pitched game, in the 2023 National League Division Series, was the worst performance ever, allowing six runs and recording only one out. In the off season he had elbow surgery before signing a $10 million contract for 2024. At the time of this book’s publication, he is still on the injured list, hoping to make another comeback by mid-season. One more chance to grab the brass ring.
“The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness” gives us rare glimpses behind the scenes. We see how Kershaw felt about being robbed by the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017. A strained relationship with manager Dave Roberts is touched upon and we see a mutual admiration through the years with Sandy Koufax. An enjoyable portrait of a man driven to achieve greatness and unwilling to accept anything less.
Thank you to Hachette Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
As a life-long Dodger fan, I was set to devour this book. Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers ever to put on the uniform, a sure bet first round hall of famer. His career has been dedicated to one organization, and he and his wife have been pillars of the community. Their charitable work has been inspiring, including the establishment of an orphanage in Zambia. The perfect story!
Well… maybe not perfect.
Clayton has won the Cy Young award as baseball’s best pitcher an incredible three times. He won the National League MVP award in 2014, a rare accomplishment for a pitcher. He has been the dominant stopper of his era… during the regular season. Slowly but surely his reputation began tarnishing during the post-season playoffs. ‘Wonderful, but he can’t win the big one.’ Whether overworked or pitching on short rest, things fell apart and the Dodgers, superior during the season, were unable to grab the World Series trophy behind their ace. The one time they did win, in 2020, has been devalued by many as the Covid series, with an unusual atmosphere adjusted because of the playing restrictions on crowds, teams, and locations.
Sportswriter Andy McCullough does provide glimpses of Kershaw we have not seen before. There is a detailed background of the financial struggles he and his mother endured in his youth, an early factor motivating him to succeed. His intensity, particularly on game day, is well known, and although it is pointed out he was much more easy-going on days he was not starting; a grumpiness and testiness seem to be asserting itself along with struggles to overcome injuries and the aging process. I was surprised to see him say he has no interest in instructing or tutoring the young pitchers coming up… “This might be, like, harsh, but I really don’t have any interest in helping people get better,” he said. “This is probably selfish… but I don’t, like, care.”
Kershaw’s career is winding down (being the old man of 36), but it is not over yet. His last pitched game, in the 2023 National League Division Series, was the worst performance ever, allowing six runs and recording only one out. In the off season he had elbow surgery before signing a $10 million contract for 2024. At the time of this book’s publication, he is still on the injured list, hoping to make another comeback by mid-season. One more chance to grab the brass ring.
“The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness” gives us rare glimpses behind the scenes. We see how Kershaw felt about being robbed by the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017. A strained relationship with manager Dave Roberts is touched upon and we see a mutual admiration through the years with Sandy Koufax. An enjoyable portrait of a man driven to achieve greatness and unwilling to accept anything less.
Thank you to Hachette Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2024
Clayton Kershaw has been one of the best pitchers in major league baseball since his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008. By 2010, he was moving into elite status, eventually earning three Cy Young awards and also was the National League MVP in 2014. As this review is written, he is still on the active list for the Dodgers but has not pitched in a game in 2024. While his status as an active player may be in doubt, there is no doubt he has had an interesting baseball career and life, both of which are told in this excellent book by Andy McCullough.
The book is a good balance of Kershaw’s baseball life and his personal life. He was a child of divorced parents and grew up without the financial security of many of his friends. He and his mother did the best they could and in Clayton’s case, that included being the best baseball player he could be. He was very focused on this, believing that a scholarship opportunity through baseball was the only way he could afford to go to college. That plan got sidetracked when the Dodgers made him a first-round draft choice in 2006 and paid him a very good signing bonus.
This is where he developed his work ethic and the five day routine from which he never wavered during baseball season, all the way up to the Dodgers and through most of his career. Injuries, mainly to his back, forced him to deviate from this later in his career, but the writing by McCullough about Kershaw’s routines is excellent and lets the reader know just how focused Kershaw can be, especially on the days he pitches.
From this description, one would think Kershaw is intense without much of a personality, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This was what really stood out to me while reading this. Yes, there is plenty about his baseball career and the questions about his postseason struggles are addressed. However, when he is not pitching and either spending time with his family or even with teammates in the clubhouse or away from the ballpark, Kershaw comes across as a friendly funny guy and a man who puts his family first. There are many passages in which his wife Ellen describes Clayton in such glowing terms. While that may be expected, this is backed up by so many others in which Kershaw has had interactions.
When writing about baseball on the field, McCullough gives excellent accounts of this part of Kershaw as well. Whether describing Kershaw’s coaches and advisors working on developing his pitching arsenal, the Dodgers’ front office activities (including the disastrous time of Frank and Jamie McCourt’s ownership) or the joy Kershaw felt when the Dodgers finally won a World Series in 2020, this aspect of the book is just as good. I particularly enjoyed the section when Kershaw learned his unorthodox delivery method in three steps.
Whether you are a Dodgers fan, a baseball fan, or just want to learn about one of the best pitchers in baseball the last 15 years, this book is for you.
I wish to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The book is a good balance of Kershaw’s baseball life and his personal life. He was a child of divorced parents and grew up without the financial security of many of his friends. He and his mother did the best they could and in Clayton’s case, that included being the best baseball player he could be. He was very focused on this, believing that a scholarship opportunity through baseball was the only way he could afford to go to college. That plan got sidetracked when the Dodgers made him a first-round draft choice in 2006 and paid him a very good signing bonus.
This is where he developed his work ethic and the five day routine from which he never wavered during baseball season, all the way up to the Dodgers and through most of his career. Injuries, mainly to his back, forced him to deviate from this later in his career, but the writing by McCullough about Kershaw’s routines is excellent and lets the reader know just how focused Kershaw can be, especially on the days he pitches.
From this description, one would think Kershaw is intense without much of a personality, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. This was what really stood out to me while reading this. Yes, there is plenty about his baseball career and the questions about his postseason struggles are addressed. However, when he is not pitching and either spending time with his family or even with teammates in the clubhouse or away from the ballpark, Kershaw comes across as a friendly funny guy and a man who puts his family first. There are many passages in which his wife Ellen describes Clayton in such glowing terms. While that may be expected, this is backed up by so many others in which Kershaw has had interactions.
When writing about baseball on the field, McCullough gives excellent accounts of this part of Kershaw as well. Whether describing Kershaw’s coaches and advisors working on developing his pitching arsenal, the Dodgers’ front office activities (including the disastrous time of Frank and Jamie McCourt’s ownership) or the joy Kershaw felt when the Dodgers finally won a World Series in 2020, this aspect of the book is just as good. I particularly enjoyed the section when Kershaw learned his unorthodox delivery method in three steps.
Whether you are a Dodgers fan, a baseball fan, or just want to learn about one of the best pitchers in baseball the last 15 years, this book is for you.
I wish to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
May 23, 2024
initial reaction: LET’S GOOOOOOOO
two hours later: oh god “Definitive Biography” means this is the end, isn’t it
—————————
thoughts upon finishing: Does Max Scherzer know that “there’s no crying in baseball” isn’t supposed to be something we agree with? I really need to know this now.
two hours later: oh god “Definitive Biography” means this is the end, isn’t it
—————————
thoughts upon finishing: Does Max Scherzer know that “there’s no crying in baseball” isn’t supposed to be something we agree with? I really need to know this now.
June 6, 2024
I’ve loved this writer for years. He gave me great appreciation for Kershaw, a flawed and admirable man.
May 23, 2024
Kershaw is a boring ass dude
November 1, 2024
A great writer reporting deeply on one of my favorite players was always going to be a win for me, but even I didn't expect this. McCullough follows Clayton Kershaw from his difficult childhood in Dallas through his triumphs and frustrations as the greatest pitcher of his generation. Finishing this the week the Dodgers -- with Kershaw sidelined by injury -- won the World Series was fitting. It's the best sports bio I have read in a long time.
April 28, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for ebook ARC of this book. Anyone who knows me I’m a die hard Dodger fan. Clayton Kershaw is the reason why I fell in love with the Dodgers in the summer of 2009. In 2009, I was sitting on the couch taking care of my Grandpa licking some wounds of my own when my Grandpa asked to watch his Dodgers. I was anti sports at the time but that afternoon I fell in love with baseball and my Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw and I should nothing in common beyond a love of this child’s game as Vin Scully called it. But reading about Kershaw’s burdens made me understand his failures in the postseason. The great burden he carried with him through childhood and adulthood made me understand him. I could relate to the anxiety and the need for routine as I myself have my own routine.
This book will give you the insight into one of the greatest Dodgers pitchers ever to put on Dodger blue.
This book will give you the insight into one of the greatest Dodgers pitchers ever to put on Dodger blue.
January 26, 2025
Caveat: I am a huge Dodgers fan and have watched Kershaw a lot over the last 15 years. What made this book so enjoyable for me was learning aspects of Kershaw’s life I did not know and how he has battled the narrative of playoff failure. Reading it after the 2024 World Series, it is easy to understand and appreciate why Kershaw was so excited the Dodgers won.
October 5, 2024
A must read for any Dodgers or Kershaw fan. This was a great look into Kershaw’s life and career so far. I loved getting a look into some of the behind the scenes of Kershaw’s life and path he’s taken. The commentary from friends, family, players, coaches, etc. was great. I always loved Andy as a beat writer for the Dodgers, so no surprises that I liked this book. I don’t think he sugar coated it or tried to make Kershaw look a certain way. He presented the ups and the downs, the good with the bad, and the reality of who Kershaw is and what this journey has been.
As as die-hard Dodgers fan, it was painful to relive some of those heartbreaking seasons.
As as die-hard Dodgers fan, it was painful to relive some of those heartbreaking seasons.
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July 3, 2025It's really a shame this came out before the 2024 WS, the 3,000th strikeout, and also before Kersh actually retires (like WHY didn't the author wait just a couple more years to have a complete end??). Besides the unsatisfying story timeline, it was still a good & sometimes painful walk down memory lane while getting to know my fave Dodger a little bit more!
June 25, 2024
Finished reading this tonight (during a rain delay and then after the game). Fun, painful, beautiful, heart-breaking…much like Kershaw in the regular season and then the postseason. You will enjoy it when you get the time. My only suggestion is to read it in the summer, when the grass is green, the lights are on at Dodger Stadium, and Boys of Summer are on the field.
March 4, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by outside factors.
When you hear Kershaw, you hear the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a Dodgers' fan, it warms my heart. As a baseball fan, it always made me wonder if this decision to stay with one team was definite or something battled. This book was the insight I craved, despite not liking the answer too much.
Throughout my journey of reading, Kershaw became less of a baseball legend, and more of a human. This sounds silly out loud, but it's hard to connect the two when you grow up watching 4-6 games a week in a major stadium or in front of a television screen. I appreciate McCullough's dedication to giving us the honest and real version of Kershaw and his accomplishments along with his failures. This is what I held the most nerves over when approved for the copy, but I truly believe that's what sets this book a part from so many others.
Baseball is both beautiful in its triumphs and ugly in its setbacks, but this is what allows fans to hold so much dedication to the sport. Seeing we're not so different from Kershaw in this thought process allowed for even more of a connection than we get from simply watching. McCullough thoroughly portrayed this feeling in an impressive and crucial manner through his writing style and voice. Sometimes it even felt like I was watching the games all over again with my heart beat above 100 and my ears ringing of excitement.
Furthermore, the inclusion of so many other names was riveting and kept the story alive. Of course Clayton Kershaw reigns the purpose of this book, but having quotes from past and present teammates, family members, and fans alike made the writing that much more significant. It was a wonderful sentiment to have background from all perspectives, and I am happy to have this book's details in my arsenal of fun facts.
I will be purchasing a physical copy when released. Hopefully (and with major amounts of luck) to be signed at a spring training event.
Bookstagram: @marissasatheneum
When you hear Kershaw, you hear the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a Dodgers' fan, it warms my heart. As a baseball fan, it always made me wonder if this decision to stay with one team was definite or something battled. This book was the insight I craved, despite not liking the answer too much.
Throughout my journey of reading, Kershaw became less of a baseball legend, and more of a human. This sounds silly out loud, but it's hard to connect the two when you grow up watching 4-6 games a week in a major stadium or in front of a television screen. I appreciate McCullough's dedication to giving us the honest and real version of Kershaw and his accomplishments along with his failures. This is what I held the most nerves over when approved for the copy, but I truly believe that's what sets this book a part from so many others.
Baseball is both beautiful in its triumphs and ugly in its setbacks, but this is what allows fans to hold so much dedication to the sport. Seeing we're not so different from Kershaw in this thought process allowed for even more of a connection than we get from simply watching. McCullough thoroughly portrayed this feeling in an impressive and crucial manner through his writing style and voice. Sometimes it even felt like I was watching the games all over again with my heart beat above 100 and my ears ringing of excitement.
Furthermore, the inclusion of so many other names was riveting and kept the story alive. Of course Clayton Kershaw reigns the purpose of this book, but having quotes from past and present teammates, family members, and fans alike made the writing that much more significant. It was a wonderful sentiment to have background from all perspectives, and I am happy to have this book's details in my arsenal of fun facts.
I will be purchasing a physical copy when released. Hopefully (and with major amounts of luck) to be signed at a spring training event.
Bookstagram: @marissasatheneum
October 23, 2025
Clayton Kershaw is arguably on the Mount Rushmore of the all-time greatest pitchers-well, at least of this century. That is why I wanted to read this well-done biography by Andy McCullough. Andy had access to Kershaw, his family, in-laws, coaches and former teammates. So, the author had plenty of material to depict the personality of Kershaw, and what made him great. To understand Kershaw one must look at his upbringing. His mother raised him largely by herself when her husband essentially abandoned his role as a father. Kershaw felt immense pressure to succeed and exceed in his primary love-baseball. He needed to prove his self-worth by rigorous control of his life, routine, preparation for his five-day cycle. In a word, he was obsessed with his routine. It made him resist attempts by coaches or managers to change his pitching mechanics or even try new pitches; namely a change-up that he couldn't accomplish in those first ten great years. He was stubborn and frankly hard to coach, but he worked so hard that he was able to accomplish great things without losing his control over his life. But Kershaw had the unswerving support of his wife Ellen, her parents, and his mother. Those relationships are fully explored by McCollough as well as Clayton's deeply held faith in God. (Although that faltered in his mid 30's). The postseason calamities and the extra burden Kershaw felt in postseason games were frankly explored, and we get Kershaw's own words throughout the book to help understand the man. I also enjoyed the quotes from his teammates and the reverence they had for him, the tension between Kershaw and Doc Roberts, and the delicate dance Andrew Friedman had to perform after every free agency. Kershaw was also committed to his charities and won the Roberto Clemente award in 2012. The book ends after the 2024 World Series-one that injuries kept him from any role in it. And yet, we know that Kershaw came back in 2025, still trying to prove to himself and others that he still has what it takes to be a winner.
July 6, 2025
Wasn’t sure I’d get into this book. Kershaw himself acknowledged he does easily talk about himself (the author promised to ask good questions). He has been known for his single-mindedness on becoming great and his split personality as a human (personable for four days, and then. a complete antisocial bear on pitching days).
The book goes a way toward understanding what makes this guy tick. A musician dad who moved out of the picture; a mom who scrimped and sacrificed for her son. A HS girlfriend who believed in him; her welcoming and generous family that buffeted him.
Andy McCullough does not sugarcoat the stubbornness that both helped him rise and delayed breakthroughs to his greatness.
Why should I care? McCullough’s 215 interviews onetime minor-league colleagues that Kershaw kept close; had legends like Sandy Koufax attest to his friendship and kindness; show how ace-adapters like longtime pitcher Zack Greineke bonded with him (and noted how Greineke needed Zoloft and other tools to work around his own social anxiety and depression).
For a relatively new LA resident like me, McCullough’s book also shows how today’s best team in baseball limped through Rupert Murdoch’s ownership and barely survived the disastrous, insolvent run of parking lot revenue-siphoner Frank McCourt.
This was a great book to read as Kershaw reached a strikeout milestone and may be a big role in this year’s injury-wracked Dodger pitching staff.
The book goes a way toward understanding what makes this guy tick. A musician dad who moved out of the picture; a mom who scrimped and sacrificed for her son. A HS girlfriend who believed in him; her welcoming and generous family that buffeted him.
Andy McCullough does not sugarcoat the stubbornness that both helped him rise and delayed breakthroughs to his greatness.
Why should I care? McCullough’s 215 interviews onetime minor-league colleagues that Kershaw kept close; had legends like Sandy Koufax attest to his friendship and kindness; show how ace-adapters like longtime pitcher Zack Greineke bonded with him (and noted how Greineke needed Zoloft and other tools to work around his own social anxiety and depression).
For a relatively new LA resident like me, McCullough’s book also shows how today’s best team in baseball limped through Rupert Murdoch’s ownership and barely survived the disastrous, insolvent run of parking lot revenue-siphoner Frank McCourt.
This was a great book to read as Kershaw reached a strikeout milestone and may be a big role in this year’s injury-wracked Dodger pitching staff.
December 30, 2024
Really enjoyed reading this collection on a historic and yet tragically somewhat “cursed” all time pitcher. It seems as though what made him great hurt him the most in the end. His work ethic got him to become a machine yet overtime he couldn’t adapt in the playoffs and his training wore down his body. Perhaps what was most frustrating (and naturally I’m very biased) was his resistance to change (especially when collaborating or lack of collaborating with new management) in numerous ways. To me it was his at times arrogant mindset that cost him down the stretch. Even resisting analytics which as a leader spilled over to others (see his backup catcher AJ Ellis) embracing the same old school mindset and those who weren’t as talented as him cost them dearly. He also got terribly unlucky several times too (see Matt what’s his face hitting a bomb off of him in STL). The last chapter on his faith is also a little puzzling, perhaps the author just caught him during a rough patch…
May 24, 2024
As a lifelong dodger fan for all 34 years of my life this book has been a lot to say the least. Only a couple years younger than Kershaw I feel like I grew up with him. For dodger fans this takes you through the highs and many lows of the best pitcher to don the blue since Koufax. This book takes you through the many painful parts of kershaw’s journey. Some of which (1 in particular) many dodger fans are still not over. It’s an excellent read.
Only cons I can think of are there are few typos and grammatical errors here and there, sometimes I got to look up the meaning of certain adjectives, and I found at least 1 incorrect date. Outside of that the book takes us through kershaw’s journey with ease.
Also the Greinke material is straight gold and should have you laughing out loud.
Only cons I can think of are there are few typos and grammatical errors here and there, sometimes I got to look up the meaning of certain adjectives, and I found at least 1 incorrect date. Outside of that the book takes us through kershaw’s journey with ease.
Also the Greinke material is straight gold and should have you laughing out loud.
May 19, 2024
Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers of all time and has a very complicated complex legend that is defined by greatness and the demons that linger around him. McCullough absolutely nailed telling his story through this book. From Kershaw’s upbringing to the reputation as a choker in the postseason, it is there warts and all. The insight was beyond anything I could have imagined this to be and It lived up to the hype I had for it when I preordered a copy months ago. It was really cool to see names connected to each other I would have never thought of and how sometimes you really get lucky with amazing lifelong friends
It was also really amazing being able to remember watching the games referenced to as the book goes along (My dad and I were at the very famous Opening Day 2013 game in LA) and it’s like “that was me, I was there!!”. A truly good read on one player’s struggle to obtain and maintain greatness the whole way
It was also really amazing being able to remember watching the games referenced to as the book goes along (My dad and I were at the very famous Opening Day 2013 game in LA) and it’s like “that was me, I was there!!”. A truly good read on one player’s struggle to obtain and maintain greatness the whole way
October 21, 2024
In 2007, I met Clayton Kershaw. He was 19 years old and people were coming up to him asking him how it feels to be the next Sandy Koufax. I thought that was putting a lot of pressure on the young man. It turned out those people were correct. I have followed his career ever since I met him. The only time I ever saw him pitch in person was that game in 2007. He has been on my fantasy baseball team multiple times. I remember his playoff collapses and where I was when they happened. It's like his career has always been on in the background of my life. I really enjoyed this book. I was uncertain about buying it, but I'm glad I did. Here's hoping Clayton pitches again.
May 30, 2024
This book was excellent. The level of detail and reporting on Kershaw’s career is next level. I have always considered myself lucky to be a Dodgers fan in the era of Kershaw and this book sheds so much light on those years in a new way. Reliving the 2017, 2018, and 2020 World Series runs was something else. (Tissues may be required!) Along with Molly Knight’s The Best Team Money Can Buy, I will recommend this to all Dodgers fans in my life.
July 20, 2024
An excellent book, due to the access Kershaw granted the author and the author's sharp reporting. Kershaw isn't the most dynamic personality and certainly isn't a controversial figure. But he and his family were generous with their time and allowed the author to paint a full and human picture of a modern professional athlete. Kershaw experienced the highest highs and lowest lows both on and off the field, and he lets you travel the journey with him in this book.
May 11, 2024
I won this book in the giveaway. As Ned Colletti said in the prologue "This is a book about the blessing and the curse of those who strive for greatness”
I would recommend this book to all baseball fans.
I would recommend this book to all baseball fans.
July 22, 2024
An essential read for any baseball fan. Especially anyone who has followed the Dodgers. A walk through a unique part of the franchise’s history through the lens of their greatest player.
Loved it. Cried several times. 7/5 stars
Loved it. Cried several times. 7/5 stars
July 29, 2024
I hate the Dodgers (Cubs fan), but I have always thought Kershaw was a generational talent. It was an easy interesting read. Any baseball fan would like this.
June 3, 2025
Any book written by anyone at The Athletic is an instant read. Really enjoyed this book and it was so easy to read.
August 28, 2024
I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob.
April 5, 2025
This was an interesting look at the life and career of Clayton Kershaw. As a Yankees fan I didn’t really get to experience Kershaw in his prime, so this book provided a lot of new information to me. A good read to get me ready for the start of the season.
April 23, 2025
As a lifelong Dodger fan, I’m so happy that this book was written. Kershaw is an amazing human and wonderful player. This book brings him to life beyond the Ravine. Loved it!
October 29, 2025
honestly kinda mid biography
March 12, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for the advanced digital copy. I'm going to keep this short and simple. This book easily slides into my top 5 baseball books of all-time. What an absolute classic from Andy McCullough. I must admit, I am a huge fan of Andy's work, and this did not disappoint. The book is well written, it flows, and it has tremendous amounts of detail. All the Kershaw stories are fantastic and gives an insight into not only how he operates but how others view him as well. I highly, highly recommend reading this as soon as it is released. 4.7/5.0
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