In his final start of the season Sunday, Clayton Kershaw led the Dodgers to a 6-2 victory against the Padres. He went 7-1/3 innings, holding San Diego to two runs on four hits and a walk, and striking out six.
The 23-year-old leads the National League in earned run average (2.28) and strikeouts (248) and is tied with Arizona Diamondbacks' Ian Kennedy for most victories this season (21). Should he win the Cy Young award?
Times columnists T.J. Simers and Bill Plaschke disagree on the answer to that question.
Simers says no way. Kennedy deserves the award because he carried his team into postseason play.
Plaschke says team records are irrelevant. The only thing that matters is that Kershaw is the best pitcher in the league.
This is the second installment of a new weekly video series, L.A. Loud, moderated by L.A. Times sports reporter Melissa Rohlin. Check out the first video, in which Plaschke and Simers debate whether Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant should play overseas.
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-- Melissa Rohlin
