Clayton Kershaw, Cy Young, Hanley Ramirez contract extension, & the Yasiel Puig debate

The folks at Beyond the Box Score took a stab at determining the National League Cy Young Award winner. Dan Rozenson argued for Clayton Kershaw, while Neil Weinberg went the Ralph Nader route and picked Matt Harvey.

David J. Roth at SB Nation wrote of the debate of how to discipline Yasiel Puig, "The debate stinks because it is designed to be circular, and to get louder each time around the circuit. So with cycle around the track it has less to do with Yasiel Puig and more to do with the circuit itself."

With news over the weekend from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that owner Mark Walter and shortstop Hanley Ramirez are interested in a contract extension with the Dodgers beyond the 2014 season, Mike Petriello at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness wondered what such a deal might look like.

This is from Saturday, but Tim Brown profiled closer Kenley Jansen, who sounded as modest as he is dominant. "You never know where your talent sits," Jansen told Brown. "It's humbling. It's been pretty awesome."

Josh Beckett, who had surgery on July 10 to relieve nerve pressure caused by Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, told reporters Sunday he will begin a throwing program on Wednesday in Texas and that he is ahead of schedule. Beckett, who said he expects to be ready by the start of spring training, said, "It's an exciting time to be a Dodger fan or a Dodger player, or a Dodger owner -- or a Dodger DL guy.," per the Associated Press.

Ross Porter, who called Dodger games for 28 years through 2004, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday's game against the Padres.