Clayton Kershaw (credits below) There is no question that Clayton Kershaw is very good. The only question is where among the top ten starting pitchers he should be drafted. The answer to that question comes in the form of another question: Do you buy the drop from 4.79 walks per nine in 2009 to 3.57 per nine in 2010 all the way down to 2.08 per nine last year? After Kershaw, the Dodgers have several guys who are options to be drafted in ten-team mixed leagues but none who will be drafted in almost all leagues (assuming 60 starters are drafted in those leagues). The most draft-worthy of the LA pitchers not named Kershaw is Ted Lilly. Once you get past the top 25 or so starters, the WHIPs start to get ugly. Once you get past that 60th pitcher threshold, it’s hard to find a pitcher who isn’t a complete WHIP killer. Only 13 pitchers with at least 120 innings who finished outside the top 60 in xFIP last year had a WHIP of 1.25 or less. One of whom was Lilly (1.16). ...
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