LOS ANGELES -- There will never be another Bulldog. If that wasn't clear already, it is now.
So much for the idea that Orel Hershiser's place in Los Angeles Dodgers history would be diminished when the franchise made its long-awaited return to the World Series.
If anything, the opposite has happened. The well-rounded strength of these Dodgers has served as a reminder of what their predecessors 29 years ago were lacking, of the incredible heights Hershiser had to reach to make them champions in 1988.
Instead of being reduced to historical footnotes, his accomplishments are more awe-inspiring than they have ever been. The starts on abbreviated rest. The complete games. The absolute dominance.
Hershiser, 59, feels uncomfortable about this kind of talk.
"This is these guys' time," he said.
Now an analyst for Dodgers-owned SportsNet LA, Hershiser went as far to downplay the superhuman nature of his magical postseason.
"The game has completely changed," he said.
Has it ever. Bullpens back then weren't constructed to cover the last four innings of a game as they are now.
Hershiser shouldered the kind of workload that would be unimaginable today. His manager, Tommy Lasorda, would be under fire for abusing his arm.
When he pitched a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings during the regular season, the streak covered seven games in which he pitched nine or more innings -- six complete games, plus 10 innings of a 16-inning game.
He maintained a similar workload in the postseason. He pitched four times in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. He started Game 1 and returned for Game 3 on three days' rest. He pitched in relief the next day, recording the final out of Game 4. Four days later, he started Game 7 and delivered a shutout.
His next two starts were also on three days' rest, Games 2 and 5 of the World Series against the Oakland Athletics. He pitched nine innings in both games.
The season made Hershiser a legend in Los Angeles, elevating him to a status bestowed upon the likes of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Fernando Valenzuela. But Hershiser also paid a price for flying too close to the sun. Only four games into the 1990 season, a torn labrum was discovered in his shoulder. He underwent reconstructive surgery. He pitched 10 more seasons but was never the same.
It was worth it, he said.
"You know when you don't regret it?" he said. "When you win. You probably do regret it when you lose."
He laughed.
Did he ever think of how many more All-Star appearances he could have made if the Dodgers had taken care of him the way they do their pitchers now?
"Not even once," he said. "Not even a thought. Everybody has their time, everybody has their culture, their circumstances."
Hershiser was delighted for Clayton Kershaw, whose regular-season accomplishments were overshadowed by previous postseason failures.
"For me, it's really exciting to see Clayton do so well in a legacy start," Hershiser said. "This is the best pitcher, maybe, that's ever pitched. For him to make another step closer to a lifelong dream is just fantastic."
Hershiser asserts Kershaw is better than he ever was. He never bought into the idea that his postseason achievements were something Kershaw had to match.
"He's won way more games, he's had ERAs in a very offensive era," Hershiser said. "I don't even think it's a comparison. I don't even think it's close.
"I was 30 in '88 and what is he, 29 right now? He's accomplished it all at such a young age compared to me. He's on another planet."
Hershiser insisted his heavier workload was a reflection of when he played, not his superiority.
"I think the athletes are still capable," he said. "I don't think it's what they are able to do, I think it's what they are allowed to do."
Either way, Hershiser's legacy is safe. The question isn't whether he will remain relevant, but whether the likes of Kershaw will have a place alongside him.
Sports on 10/24/2017