Clayton Kershaw has been tabbed by manager Joe Torre to start Game 1 of the NLCS for the Dodgers, opposite Cole Hamels of the Philies. Kershaw, at 21 years, 209 days old, would be the second youngest Dodger to start the first game of any postseason series. Fernando Valenzuela was 20 years, 339 days old when he started Game 1 of the 1981 NLCS. Kershaw is 58 days younger than Ralph Branca when he started Game 1 of the 1947 World Series.
Kershaw has allowed 22 runs in 17 starts at Dodger Stadium this season, including the playoffs, with a 1.89 ERA and 2.69 FIP at home.
The Dodgers have also announced their starting rotation, the order of which shocked me: Kershaw, Vicente Padilla, Hiroki Kuroda, and Randy Wolf. To paraphrase Clark W. Griswold, "if I woke up tomorrow morning with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am to know Vicente Padilla is starting in game 2."
The Game 1 lineup has also been announced:
Furcal SS
Ethier RF
Ramirez LF
Kemp CF
Blake 3B
Loney 1B
Belliard 2B
Martin C
Kershaw P