CASPER
New member
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers — especially the left-handers — are about to get the instruction of a lifetime.
Hall of Fame lefty Sandy Koufax will make an appearance at the Dodgers' spring training this week as a guest instructor.
Koufax has made few public appearances since his retirement in 1966, but the instructor role will cap a very public week for him. On Sunday, he was the headline guest at a fundraiser in Los Angeles for manager Joe Torre's personal charity.
Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw also attended Torre's fundraiser, appearing onstage with Koufax. Kershaw and Koufax were then locked in conversation on the flight to Arizona late Sunday night.
"You feel really comfortable when you're with him," Kershaw said. "Some of the Hall of Fame players I've met — not that they aren't approachable — but you're in awe of them. He makes it really easy for you to talk to him. It's like he's another coach."
Torre has often made comparisons between Koufax and Kershaw, stopping himself on occasion when realizing it might put undue pressure his 21-year-old pitcher.
"Going back on the plane (Sunday) night, it did my heart some good because those two guys just talked the whole way back," Torre said.
Kershaw declined to be specific about what he discussed with Koufax, but it seemed to already have made an impact.
"It was pretty awesome," said Kershaw, who has had bouts of control problems in the early part of his career much like Koufax did. "To sit there and talk to him for an hour was unbelievable. I learned more on that plane trip than I have in a long time."
Hall of Fame lefty Sandy Koufax will make an appearance at the Dodgers' spring training this week as a guest instructor.
Koufax has made few public appearances since his retirement in 1966, but the instructor role will cap a very public week for him. On Sunday, he was the headline guest at a fundraiser in Los Angeles for manager Joe Torre's personal charity.
Dodgers left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw also attended Torre's fundraiser, appearing onstage with Koufax. Kershaw and Koufax were then locked in conversation on the flight to Arizona late Sunday night.
"You feel really comfortable when you're with him," Kershaw said. "Some of the Hall of Fame players I've met — not that they aren't approachable — but you're in awe of them. He makes it really easy for you to talk to him. It's like he's another coach."
Torre has often made comparisons between Koufax and Kershaw, stopping himself on occasion when realizing it might put undue pressure his 21-year-old pitcher.
"Going back on the plane (Sunday) night, it did my heart some good because those two guys just talked the whole way back," Torre said.
Kershaw declined to be specific about what he discussed with Koufax, but it seemed to already have made an impact.
"It was pretty awesome," said Kershaw, who has had bouts of control problems in the early part of his career much like Koufax did. "To sit there and talk to him for an hour was unbelievable. I learned more on that plane trip than I have in a long time."