A Leader Needing To Change
On October 9, 2019 Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw came in to pitch relief in the 7th inning of the fifth and deciding game of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals. He quickly got Adam Eaton to preserve a two-run lead. However, in the 8th inning Kershaw gave up two home runs and the Nationals went on to win the game and ultimately, the World Series.
As detailed on page 35 of Pedro Moura’s excellent book How To Beat A Broken Game: The Rise of the Dodgers in a League on the Brink, it was then that Kershaw was willing to change and do whatever was necessary to go to the next level in the postseason. Former catcher A. J. Ellis said, “That was the beginning of him trying to discover a new way of doing things.”
A Near-Perfect Game
Fast-forward to April 13, 2021. Kershaw is making his season debut against the Minnesota Twins. He would pitch seven perfect innings before being pulled by manager Dave Roberts after 80 pitches and 13 strikeouts.
There was much passionate post-game debate about whether Kershaw should be pulled or not. After all, there have only been 23 perfect games thrown in the 119-year history of Major League Baseball and Roberts was robbing Kershaw and the fans of a historic achievement.
But because of Kershaw’s 15 years in the league, his injury history, a shortened pre-season, and the team’s long-term view that 2022 is about winning the World Series, a pitch count was instituted prior to the game. All parties (including Kershaw) appear to be on board and wholeheartedly supported Roberts’s decision.
But in all of the debate what has not been discussed is the final out pitched by Kershaw in the 7th inning. Twins third baseman Gio Urshela hit a ball up the middle through Kershaw’s legs. This would be a sure single up the middle except for one thing. The Dodgers implemented a defensive shift and placed second baseman Gavin Lux to the left side of the bag allowing him to make an easy play for the final out of the inning.
The Leadership Lesson
Many old-school baseball people want to prohibit defensive shifts. But Kershaw, a man who embraced change three years himself earlier, was now the recipient of an innovative change by the team.
One of Kershaw’s favorite sayings is, “Adapt or die.” On page 233, assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness says of the star pitcher, “The brilliance of him is curiosity. It’s never died. He’s always curious how to evolve with the game.”
Because he is willing to remain curious, Kershaw still remains a dominant pitcher after 15 years in the league. That’s the lesson – all brilliant leaders possess an insatiable sense of curiosity. Do you?
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