Tuesday Newsletter time: Clayton Kershaw creates speculation he will spurn Texas Rangers by ... attending Super Bowl LVI?
The left-hander was in Los Angeles on Sunday to cheer on former high school teammate Matthew Stafford.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford and legendary left-hander Clayton Kershaw were baseball teammates at Highland Park High School.
It’s true. Only every outlet in the country reported that leading up to and during Super Bowl LVI.
Kershaw even traveled to Los Angeles for the big game and cheered on Stafford as he led the LA Rams to a 23-20 victory over Cincinnati. In the process, Kershaw rekindled hope among LA Dodgers fans.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Kershaw is a free agent, and Dodgers faithful are concerned that he might choose to sign with the Texas Rangers rather than return to the organization that drafted him. Kershaw is now a father of four and might be feeling the pull of being at home in Dallas more.
The Rangers have basically said that they will sign Kershaw if he chooses to not re-sign with the Dodgers.
But the simple act of being in Los Angeles has been taken by Dodgers faithful as an indication he will stay in LA. Seems pretty flimsy.
However, my money is still on Kershaw re-signing with the Dodgers. Playing for only one team and competing for the World Series in every season he has left will win out, though the addition of Corey Seager might have given the Rangers a better shot.
And there’s this: There has been no reporting this offseason on where he is in his recovery from a strained flexor tendon. The last anyone heard was in November, when Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the Dodgers expect Kershaw to ready by Opening Day.
It sure seems like the Rangers would need to know that before getting any more deep in their pursuit of him.
Skaggs death trial
Over in Fort Worth, in the same building where Chuck Greenberg, Nolan Ryan and Ray Davis purchased the Rangers in 2010 in a courthouse auction, a former Angels employee is on trial for causing the death of left-hander Tyler Skaggs in a Southlake hotel room in 2019.
According to reporting by various outlets, several of Skaggs’ former teammates either have testified or are expected to testify. Kay’s attorneys are attempting to prove that other dealers and even former teammates could have given Skaggs the drugs he used the night he died.
The autopsy performed by the Tarrant County coroner said the death was an accident, caused by Skaggs choking on his own vomit.
Former Angels lefty Andrew Heaney has already testified, and other players are expected to be questioned. Right-hander Matt Harvey could take the stand today.
Among the things the defense must prove to make its case is that Kay gave Skaggs the drugs in Texas. Kay has already admitted to using drugs with Skaggs, but says it was restricted only to California.
Kay was on the Angels’ PR team and traveled with the club for a series against the Rangers in July 2019. The first game of the series was postponed after the Angels learned of Skaggs’ death, and Kay was there the next day as the Angels held a press conference at Globe Life Park.
Newsletter this week
It’s getting lean — very, very lean — these days in the baseball writing business.
There’s the lockout, which isn’t generating enough news. The players and union need to be popping out proposals on a daily basis, with the start of spring training delayed, but instead they are taking days between proposals.
There is also speculating on what will happen once a new CBA is in place, but that line wore itself out last month.
Yet, the Newsletter continues to be a great source for Rangers content, and this week is going to be another good one.
T.R. Sullivan has another memoir ready to go, the Armchair GM is going to return, and so is the Texas Rangers Baseball Podcast. Friday on the Farm this week will feature prospects 11-20 in our Top 40 countdown.
I’m sure I’ll dig up a Sunday Read.
So, be sure to subscribe for $5.99 a month or $60 a year. Also, follow me, T.R. Sullivan and John Moore on Twitter to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Doggy video!
That’s my kind of dog. Enjoy. See you Wednesday.
That husky is moving at my speed
Now that his high school friend has won Los Angeles a Super Bowl, he can say he left the city in good hands and come home to Texas.