If you are into such things (and I will admit to you that I am not), MLB Network spent the better part of last week ranking the 10 best players at each position over the past 10 years. They also ranked the 10 best players at each position right now.

For Dodger fans, more specifically for fans of future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

First the good news:

According to MLB Network show hosts Brian Kenny and the ever-annoying (and always screaming) Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, the perennial Dodgers ace was ranked as the best starting pitcher in the game over the past 10 years of his soon-to-be 12-year major league career..

Ya think?

I mean, seriously. As if this isn’t something that every Dodger – and baseball – fan on the planet didn’t already know.

And now for the bad news … if you can even call it that. (I cannot).

The soon-to-be (on March 19) 31-year-old Dallas, Texas native and Dodgers 2006 first-round draft pick out of Highland Park High School in University Park, Texas is ranked as the 10th and fifth best pitcher in the game right now by Kenny and guest host (and former MLB right-hander) Ron Darling respectively, and sixth in a poll of baseball fans across the country.

While these rankings (and poll) may be mildly entertaining, they are anything but scientific and should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. But what is scientific (or at least statistically proven) is that Kershaw has a career record of 153-69 (that’s not a typo) and an absolutely ludicrous  career ERA of 2.39 over his 11 major league seasons. He is also a three-time National League Cy Young award winner, a former NL MVP, a seven-time All-Star, a five-time ERA title holder, and a former MLB Player of the Year. For good measure, he also owns a Gold Glove at his position.

Have fun with your rankings and polls, guys. As for me, I’ll be watching the undisputed best left-hander that the game has seen since Sandy Koufax.

Play Ball!

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