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The Sporting News unveiled its annual All-Star teams on Wednesday, and a pair of Dodgers were named the National League's best at their positions. Clayton Kershaw was selected as the starting pitcher for the NL, and Dee Gordon the second baseman.
The Sporting News has been naming an All-Star team after each season since 1925, including one for each league since 1961.
Gordon is the sixth Dodgers second baseman to be named a Sporting News All-Star, and the first since Steve Sax in 1986. The others were Billy Herman (1943), Jackie Robinson (1949-1952), Jim Gilliam (1963), Davey Lopes (1978-1979) and Sax.
The awards were selected by a vote of baseball executives, and Gordon beat out Neil Walker of the Pirates, Daniel Murphy of the Mets and Chase Utley of the Phillies, all of whom received votes. Gordon hit .289/.326/.378, scored 92 runs, and led the majors in stolen bases (64), triples (12), infield hits (62) and bunt hits (20).
Kershaw has been named the National League All-Star starting pitcher in three of the last four years, the same years (2011, 2013-2014) he will win National League Cy Young Awards. Kershaw is the first Dodgers three-time Sporting News All-Star since Mike Piazza (1993-1997). The only other Dodgers pitcher to be named a Sporting News All-Star at least three times was Sandy Koufax (1963-1966).
Kershaw was 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA, leading the majors in wins and earned run average. He struck out 239 against just 31 walks, setting a Dodgers record with a 7.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Kershaw was a unanimous selection as the National League's top starting pitcher, with no others receiving votes.
Among the other Dodgers receiving votes were Yasiel Puig in the outfield, Hanley Ramirez at shortstop and Adrian Gonzalez at first base.