Phenom factor is down for Clayton Kershaw

PHOENIX — Clayton Kershaw isn't receiving as many reporters at his locker as he did a spring ago.

"I guess there's a little less hype," Kershaw said.

The novelty of being the can't-miss-kid in the Dodgers' clubhouse has subsided, the anticipation of the heights he might reach replaced by the reality that a 21-year-old will be leaned on to be the club's fourth starter.

"That's great," Kershaw said. "It helps me focus on what I have to do."

As Kershaw gets some relatively quiet time, the burden of public expectation will be passed onto one of his childhood friends, University of Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, who could be taken by the Detroit Lions with the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

"Obviously, his hype is a lot bigger than mine," Kershaw said.

Kershaw and Stafford, who still trade text messages, played numerous sports together growing up in the Dallas area -- baseball, football, basketball and soccer. Stafford was a shortstop and closer on the varsity baseball team in their first two years at Highland Park High. Kershaw was Stafford's center on the freshman football team.

"He could throw a baseball a lot better than I could throw a football," Kershaw said.

While the sports world at large might be more interested in Stafford's future than Kershaw's, Kershaw's teammates and coaches continue to buzz every time they see him throw the ball.

Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt says he envisions Kershaw throwing 200 innings this year, a considerable workload for a pitcher his age. Kershaw threw 169 innings last year, including 61 1/3 innings in the minors that common sense indicates weren't as physically and psychologically taxing as the 107 2/3 he threw in the majors.

Can Kershaw handle that kind of increased workload without jeopardizing his health?

He thinks so.

"I have to minimize how many pitches I throw," he said. "Last year, I got people out, but at the same time, I was getting deep into counts."

He started doing that at the end of last season, as he was 3-0 with a 3.58 earned-run average over his last five starts.

Honeycutt said he's encouraged by the way Kershaw has been able to throw his off-speed pitches in any count this spring, particularly his changeup.

"What you're seeing in camp is that when the count is 1-0, 2-0, you see the ability to throw a changeup, sometimes back to back," Honeycutt said.

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