Reaching end of the road with something in the tank

Kershaw feels it's time to retire because he can go out pitching strong

- BY JACK HARRIS

DODGERS ICON Clayton Kershaw, with son, Charley, has gone on an 18-year journey with family by his side.

Clayton Kershaw took a deep breath, grasped the microphone with his left hand, then chuckled as he scanned the room around him.

"This," he said, "is weird." Over his 18 seasons with the Dodgers, Kershaw was always wary of putting the spotlight on himself. Now, dozens of teammates, coaches, executives, staffers and media members, as well as his wife, Ellen, and their four kids, all sat before him - witness to his official announcement that he was ending his illustrious playing career.

"I'm going to call it," Kershaw said. "I'm going to retire."

After years of grappling with the decision, and ultimately returning to play for the Dodgers into his age-37 season, the future Hall of Fame left-hander made his decision to finally walk away sound simple.

He felt it was time, and could do so pitching well.

"Going into the season, we kind of knew that this was going to be it, so didn't want to say anything in case I changed my mind," he said. "But over the course of the season, just how grateful I am to have been healthy and be out on the mound and be able to pitch, I think it just made it obvious that this was a good sending-off point. And it is. I've had the best time this year. It's been a blast."

KERSHAW'S voice cracked when he acknowledged his Dodger teammates.

Although Kershaw acknowledged that going out on his "own terms is a weird thing to say," that's exactly what this season has offered to the three-time Cy Young Award and former MVP winner.

"Not a lot of people get this opportunity," he said. "Being able to pitch, and not pitch terribly ... has been super special."