Claw to the Top

Clayton “The Klaw” Kershaw is a force to be reckoned with on the baseball diamond. The 24-year-old ace pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers has a chip on his shoulder, a Cy Young Award in his back pocket, and -- to paraphrase Eastbound and Down’s Kenny Powers -- an arm...

By Benjamin Leatherman

May 17, 2012

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Clayton “The Klaw” Kershaw is a force to be reckoned with on the baseball diamond. The 24-year-old ace pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers has a chip on his shoulder, a Cy Young Award in his back pocket, and -- to paraphrase Eastbound and Down’s Kenny Powers -- an arm like an effin’ cannon.

Kershaw, who’s four-seam fastballs average about 97 m.p.h., is one of many reasons L.A. has been kicking the crap out of the rest of the National League and posses one of the best records in baseball.

Suffice to say the Arizona Diamondbacks will have their work cut out for them if during the Dodgers’ visit to Chase Field this week. Kershaw likely will fire off his signature four-seam fastballs from the mound during the three-game series, which will conclude on Wednesday, May 23.

Wed., May 23, 6:40 p.m., 2012

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Benjamin Leatherman is a staff writer for Phoenix New Times where he focuses primarily on arts, culture, music, and nightlife. He began writing for New Times in 2003 and joined the staff full-time in 2005. Prior to that, he contributed to magazines such as Tips & Tricks and The Wrestler. Benjamin has earned multiple awards from the Arizona Press Club including an award for sports enterprise reporting in 2009 and an award for statewide arts reporting in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s of arts in journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Contact: Benjamin Leatherman

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