Clayton Kershaw, the 25-year-old left-handed ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers is said to be seeking a long-term deal worth $300 million, according to reports.
The lefty is 5-4 with a 1.84 ERA this season, and has racked up 104 strikeouts in 107.1 innings of work. He won the Cy Young award in 2011 and finished as the 2012 runner-up and his age makes such an outlandish total a bit more digestible.
Kershaw is not happy that information about a potentially massive extension has made the media rounds, however. "I think the reason we've been able to continue discussions this long is that it hasn't been talked about (publicly). Now that it's being talked about, it's a distraction because I'm being asked about it. I don't love the fact that I have to talk about it."
Currently, the richest pitcher in the big leagues is Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander, who inked a seven-year, $180 million pact that could reach $200 million. Kershaw is five years Verlander's junior, and a lefty, which pushes up his price tag.
Since Verlander got his contract, he has seen a dip in his performance. Granted Verlander's still pitching very well, but he has not been the force that won an MVP and Cy Young simultaneously in 2011. Verlander's record is 8-4, and he carries a 3.41 ERA, more than a full run higher than in his MVP campaign.
News of Kershaw's exorbitant contract desires are an unwelcome distraction right now for both the pitcher and the organization, which is struggling through a disappointing season in which lofty expectations aren't being met.
The Dodgers shelled out millions and millions of dollars to acquire Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford from the Boston Red Sox, as well as Hanley Ramirez from the Miami Marlins. Beckett, Crawford and Ramirez have all been beset by injuries in 2013, while Gonzalez has performed well but fallen short of superstar production.
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