What does a pitcher do on the road when he isn't scheduled to pitch in his team's four-game series? If you're Clayton Kershaw you take your family on an architectural boat tour of downtown Chicago.
The Dodgers' ace joined The Dan Patrick Show Wednesday while having breakfast with his family in the Windy City. After a history lesson from the lefty, Patrick asked to talk to Clayton's wife, Ellen.
"He was the class clown," said Ellen. "He was much shorter than he is now. A little bit chubbier - actually a lot-a-bit chubbier."
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What's it like to go to a game and watch your husband pitch?
"It used to be absolutely nerve-racking," Ellen said. "I couldn't handle it. I think a couple years into it I had to give it up and realize that he's going to do what he does best and it's got to be just fun for me to watch it."
"I know that this chapter (of life) is going to be so small and fleeting that we need to enjoy it and not just live and breathe every pitch or strikeout."
Turning back to the star pitcher, Patrick asked Clayton about when he first came up to the big leagues and what made him into a good pitcher.
"I obviously wasn't as prepared as I would've liked to have been," said Clayton. "I think I was a little bit in awe of being in the big leagues. I didn't really think I belonged. I was just a little bit overwhelmed by the situation but I'm thankful I got the chance to take my lumps in the big leagues."
"It wasn't until I learned a third pitch. I was throwing fastball-curveball and I wasn't throwing my curveball for strikes. Most games I was just throwing heaters and that's not going to work up here."
Adding the slider during the 2009 season was a game-changer for the left-hander. Clayton hasn't looked back, posting a sub-3.00 ERA in the eight seasons since.
Patrick discussed Jake Arrieta, pitcher hits and more in the full video above.