Clayton Kershaw

PHOENIX - Matt Kemp and several other Dodgers sat on sofas in the visiting clubhouse Friday at Chase Field, trading jokes and watching the Masters. Clayton Kershaw studied film of the Arizona Diamondbacks' hitters, whom he would face later that night. Zack Greinke was on the 15-day disabled list, scheduled to undergo an operation on his left, non-throwing shoulder the next day that was expected to sideline him for eight weeks. The Dodgers were trying to move on. A collective calm had replaced the explosive rage they felt Thursday night in San Diego, where Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin took offense to an innocent-looking pitch that struck him on the arm, prompting him to charge the mound, where he fractured Greinke's left collarbone.

It's a big week for the Dodgers' roots, today marking the day the Dodgers called up Jackie Robinson, Friday the official release of his film biography “42,” on Tuesday marking 66 years since he made his historic major league debut and this week marking the 100th anniversary of Ebbets Field. Here's a look at it all, plus some other tidbits, on the web: -- Your first stop should be Ron Rapoport's story at LA Observed on his interviewing Robinson in a dark downtown hotel room, near his death.

SAN DIEGO - Sidelined shortstop Hanley Ramirez said he expects to get the cast removed from his right hand this week. With the cast stabilizing his surgically repaired right thumb, Ramirez is already taking grounders, throwing and hitting one-handed. He remains hopeful he could return to the lineup by the middle of next month. “I've been doing everything,” said Ramirez, who underwent surgery March 21 to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. Ramirez said he doesn't know what he will and won't be able to do once his cast is removed.

Everyone knew the Dodgers granting the starting third base job to Luis Cruz in the off-season was iffy material. The Dodgers too. Cruz, though, had earned the spot. He forced their hand with solid play. Cruz came out of seemingly nowhere in the second half last season to hit .298 with six homers and 40 RBI in 283 at-bats. The Dodgers hoped they had uncovered a late bloomer, Cruz having mostly bounced around the minors for 11 seasons. Qualifiers in hand, they crossed their fingers and said he was their starting third baseman.

Why do you suspect items like this are somehow still only the beginning? On Monday, Dodgers' slugging left-hander Clayton Kershaw was selected the National League player of the week. To nab this honor all he did was not give up a run in the 16 innings of his two starts, strike out 16 batters, give up six hits and one walk, pitch an opening-day shutout and hit a home run. “He's like the perfect player,” Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis said. “He's got talent, he works hard and he cares a lot. It's hard to say anything bad about him.” It's the third such honor for Kershaw, who was player of the week once in each of his previous two seasons.

You figure out if this is good or bad news: The Dodgers have started the season 3-2 and can't hit a lick. The pitching's been so terrific, even if the team is batting .205, the Dodgers have a modest winning record. Trouble is, four guys - Carl Crawford (.438), Mark Ellis (.375), Adrian Gonzalez (.313) and Andre Either (.278) - are pretty much responsible for the entirety of the offensive success. Subtract those four, and all the other Dodgers are batting a combined .094. “Obviously you can't just sit here and say everything's great,” said Manager Don Mattingly.

Even by Clayton Kershaw's elevated standards, this was a special week. Already considered one of the best pitchers in baseball, Kershaw looked as if he could be on the verge of becoming a force. Kershaw was nearly perfect over the first seven innings of a Dodgers 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, his performance as effortless as his four-hit shutout on opening day five days earlier. Kershaw (2-0) held the visitors at Dodger Stadium to two hits, drawing the ever-growing admiration of teammates.

Fantasy owners may build their teams around superstars like Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw, but success often lies in the performance of an unknown commodity. From a minor leaguer about to show off his tools at the next level, to a career backup who finally gets everyday playing time, players ignored on draft day often wind up in pivotal roles. Times staff writer Tim Hubbard takes a weekly look at players, teams and trends that are constantly evolving over baseball's regular season: TIME TO STEAL Matt Harvey SP | New York Mets The 24-year-old right-hander has the ability to anchor a staff for years.

Clayton Kershaw is pitching like a man who expects to be perfect. And when he is not, he actually gets upset with himself. Kershaw needed to skirt with perfection Saturday night, making a lone run stand up for a 1-0 victory for the Dodgers over the Pirates before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 39,446. Kershaw gave up a bloop hit to Starling Marte on his first pitch of the game and then retired the next 17 consecutive Pirates. Marte also collected the only other hit Pittsburgh managed against Kershaw when it was ruled, questionably, he beat out an infield single in the sixth.

Even by Clayton Kershaw's elevated standards, this was a special week. Already considered one of the best pitchers in baseball, Kershaw looked as if he could be on the verge of becoming a force. Kershaw was nearly perfect over the first seven innings of a Dodgers 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, his performance as effortless as his four-hit shutout on opening day five days earlier. BOX SCORE: Dodgers 1, Pirates 0 Kershaw (2-0) held the visitors at Dodger Stadium to two hits, drawing the ever-growing admiration of teammates.