<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Dodgers purchased the contract of prospect Clayton Kershaw from Double-A Jacksonville on Saturday, and the 20-year-old left-hander is expected to make his big league debut in the finale of a three-game series against St. Louis. “I was beside myself a little bit. Anytime you get to hear those words: `You’re headed up to L.A.,’ it’s unbelievable,” Kershaw said Saturday in the dugout before batting practice. “It’s what you’ve dreamed about since you were a little kid. It’s what you worked so hard for in the minor leagues. “It’s awesome to get the first start here. There’s no better place to make your major league debut than Dodger Stadium. I’m just ready to go for tomorrow. I’m ready to get started.” Kershaw, the seventh overall pick in the 2006 draft out of Highland Park High School in Dallas, had an opportunity to pitch on the mound at Chavez Ravine in the Dodgers’ final exhibition game against the World Series champion Boston Red Sox. He pitched four scoreless innings of relief and struck out six.“It’s really easy to get acclimated here because I got to know most of the guys all through spring training, so I’m pretty comfortable around all these guys—which is really great for me,” Kershaw said. “I’m not too nervous. I know what it’s going to be like. It’s going to be a different atmosphere, so I’m prepared for that.” Manager Joe Torre, who saw Kershaw pitch a handful of times during the spring despite the team’s trip to China, said Kershaw won’t go into Sunday’s game with a designated pitch count because he already has thrown 97 in a game in the minors. Torre and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt had planned to call him up to pitch on Tuesday, but decided instead to give Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda an extra day’s rest because they both pitched deep into the game their last time out. “Kershaw’s been on our radar, obviously,” Torre said. “He got everybody’s attention in spring training, and even before that. I was so curious to meet this kid because his name is the one I’ve probably heard more than anybody else’s, and he showed us something in the spring. My most vivid memory was that the first pitch he threw was a home run.” That was the only run Kershaw allowed in 14 innings during spring training while striking out 19. In Jacksonville, he was 0-3 with a 2.28 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 43 1-3 innings. The Dodgers designated Esteban Loaiza for assignment after activating the right-hander from the 15-day disabled list, and optioned right-handed reliever Yhency Brazoban to Triple-A Las Vegas. The 36-year-old Loaiza was 1-2 with a 5.63 ERA in seven games this year with three starts. He was placed on the disabled list May 7 retroactive to three days earlier because of tightness in his shoulder blade. The Dodgers claimed Loaiza on waivers from Oakland last August, assuming the $1.17 million he was owned for the rest of 2007 as well as his $6.5 million salary for this year. Loaiza has a $7.5 million club option for next year with a $375,000 buyout. The Dodgers have 10 days to trade Loaiza, place him on unconditional release waivers or send him outright to the minors. Los Angeles has been without a permanent fifth starter all season. They began a streak of 17 games in as many days Friday, meaning they’ll need a fifth starter three times before their next day off June 9. Brazoban appeared in two games for the Dodgers since being recalled from Las Vegas earlier this month, allowing two runs in three innings.</div> http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A0WT...p&type=lgns I'll be watching that game!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ May 25 2008, 04:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Do you think he can crack the rotation after this performance? Who does he replace?</div> he replaces nobody because we had Loaiza and Kuo as the fifth starter and none were good enough. Hes most likely to get the 5th spot until maybe schmidt reurns, but if he continues to pitch like he did then he'll get the job.
