Am I really asking for so much? Just superstardom for Clayton Kershaw now

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I’m in a hurry when it comes to Clayton Kershaw. It’s absolutely unreasonable, but I can’t help myself.

I want greatness right now. I want strikeouts and shutouts and no-hitters. I want All-Star games and World Series starts and Cy Young Awards.

Like, you know, yesterday.

It’s completely ridiculous. He’s just turned 22. He has a lot of growing and maturing to do. I get that. But that pragmatic part of me sometimes gets overtaken by the slightly irrational part.

In this case, the part that sees a 6-3 left-hander throwing smoke. Who reeks of ability. Who has nasty stuff. And the proper mental outlook.

Who you just positively know is destined for greatness.

Youth requires patience. He is, I keep reminding myself, very much a work in progress. He still throws too many pitches. Can still try to overpower when he simply has to locate.

Friday night in the 5-4 victory against the scorching Atlanta Braves, he was pretty good. Not I-just-can’t-believe-this-kid great, but pretty good.

He went 6 2/3 innings, holding the Braves to four runs (three earned) on five hits. He struck out eight, but walked five. Including the opposing pitcher.

‘It wasn’t great, it wasn’t terrible,’’ Kershaw said. ‘Just kind of an average night. I walked too many guys, gave them too many opportunities.

‘But it’s good to get the win, good to get them off their win streak and good to win against a good team.’

He easily could have gotten the victory. He left with two on and two out and leading 4-2 in the seventh, but Hong-Chih Kuo served a two-run double to Yunel Escobar.

Not that Kershaw wasn’t partially to blame. There was one on when Manager Joe Torre made a visit to the mound with Troy Glaus coming to the plate. Kershaw was allowed to stay in the game.

He got the hot-hitting Glaus down 0-2 and then walked him.

‘It was a frustrating at-bat,’’ Kershaw said. ‘You get Glaus 0-2, you have to finish him. It’s just my fault, 0-2 to a walk. It’s terrible. You can’t do that. He’s their hottest hitter right now and I was trying to pitch him careful, but not that careful.’

See, he’s learning. Filing things away. Accepting responsibility. Growing.

He is going to be a great one. Just not today … but maybe tomorrow?

--Steve Dilbeck