Nightengale's Notebook: End of the road? Clayton Kershaw, Craig Counsell face a big choice

We have watched their brilliant performances, earning baseball’s most prestigious awards and winning World Series titles, but now could be watching them for the last time in a uniform.

Detroit Tigers great Miguel Cabrera, one of the greatest right-handed hitters in baseball history, already has announced this will his final season. Man, wouldn’t it be nice to see him go out with a bang like Albert Pujols a year ago?

St. Louis Cardinals pitching legend Adam Wainwright is retiring, too, and we can’t help but pull for him to get two more victories, entering the 200-win club – before they erect a statue of him outside Busch Stadium.

If this indeed is beloved Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker’s final season, who doesn’t want to see him and his toothpick managing one last time in the postseason?

How about fan favorite first baseman Joey Votto getting one more pennant race in Cincinnati?

We want to see veteran pitchers Zack Greinke, Charlie Morton, Rich Hill and Corey Kluber and Rich Hill retire on their own terms, too.

There are two others who are undecided whether this will be their final season, combining for three World Series titles as players. One is going to the Hall of Fame. The other is going to at least his own team’s Hall of Fame.

They are three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, one of the best pitchers in Dodgers’ history, and Craig Counsell, perhaps the greatest manager in Milwaukee Brewers history.

Kershaw, who won the 2020 World Series title with the Dodgers, says he might have retired last year if the Dodgers had won it all again. He will decide this winter whether he’ll come back in 2024 – before adding an appointment in Cooperstown to his calendar.

“I have four kids, a wife, I have to many factors when it comes to baseball," Kershaw says. “I don’t want to diminish how much I like playing here, but I’m at a point where I have to take everything in consideration. I’m weighing a lot of factors. It might take a few months after the season to make a decision.

“Last year was easy for me to come back. This year, I honestly have no idea."

Counsell, a two-time World Series champion as a player, who has won more games than any manager in Brewers history, is in the final year of his contract too. Counsell, the longest-tenured manager in the National League, informed the Brewers he’ll discuss his future only at the end of the season.

“People are aware of his situation," Brewers All-Star closer Devin Williams says. “He wants to see his kids going up, playing college ball, everything. We’ll see."

There has been speculation that if former Brewers GM David Stearns left to the New York Mets president of baseball operations, he may want to bring Counsell along, too. Yet, it’s more likely that Counsell completely steps away, exhales and then decides if he ever wants to manage again, join a front office, enter the broadcast booth, or do something completely outside the world of baseball.

“We don’t know exactly what’s going to happen to him, but knowing what he has done for us since 2015," Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes says, “we sure want to win for him. Everyone loves him. He’s a guy that connects with everyone at every level in our clubhouse. He isn’t that far removed from playing. He’s 52 and he still looks like he can play. Ridiculous.

“We all want to win a World Series there for each other, and winning one for him would be really great. But just getting back to the postseason again, and keeping his legacy for what he’s done in Milwaukee, would be pretty special."

Kershaw, 35, who won the last of his three Cy Young awards in 2014, could find himself in the conversation of winning his fourth once he returns to the field from injury. He’s 10-4 with a league-leading 2.55 ERA, earned his 10^th All-Star selection and only a sore shoulder prevented him from being the National League starter.

Kershaw is expected back in early August, and if he dominated like he did when he returns, he could have the Dodgers winning their 10th NL West title in 11 years and another Cy Young on his mantel.

“I still love to play, but I have not been able to stay healthy for a full year," Kershaw says, “and that is the worst for me. You just feel like you’re not part of it. That’s hard for me too.

“If I come back [in 2024], I want to be good. You can’t come back halfway, you got to be all of the way in. You can’t just show up and say, “All right guys, here I am.’ You got to earn your spot, especially the kind of money you’re going to get paid."

Kershaw, who’s earning $20 million this year, certainly could have his hometown Texas Rangers clamoring for him, too. Who wouldn’t want to play for future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy and GM Chris Young?

“I know CY [Chris Young] wants to win, and will do what it takes,’’ Kershaw said. “I know Boch a little bit. I know a lot of guys over there.

“But I also love being a Dodger."

It’s no different for Counsell, who grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, and whose father worked for the Brewers as their director of community relations and speakers bureau. Counsell played six years for the Brewers and worked in their front office before becoming manager in 2015.

Counsell played for five different teams, winning World Series with the Florida Marlins (1997) and Arizona Diamondbacks (2001), but he’s a Brewer through and through and absolutely loved in the organization.

“His personality is just so contagious," says Padres All-Star closer Josh Hader, who developed into one of baseball's best relievers in his years pitching for Counsell. “When you’re around him, you gravitate towards him. He’s just so easy to talk to. You can sit down, have a conversation with him, and not even think about business.

"As a player, you know he has your back, and he gives you confidence, no matter what. He meant so much to me. It’s what you want as a manager."

The two men have their teams in first place in their divisions with the Brewers vying for their fifth playoff berth in six years while the Dodgers are bidding for their 11th consecutive postseason. They could be on a collision course again, with the two teams having already met twice in the past five years (2018 NLCS, 2020 WCS) with the Dodgers beating the Brewers both times en route to the World Series

What a sentimental thing it would be if Kershaw and Counsell meet once again this October, perhaps for the final time.

Tony La Russa heading to Hall of Fame weekend

Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who had been undergoing cancer treatments for the past year after resigning as manager from the White Sox, has received medical clearance to travel to the Hall of Fame this week.

It will be his first appearance at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony since 2019.

“The doctors always said that we’re going to get you to Cooperstown," La Russa told USA TODAY Sports, “and about 10 days ago, it became official. Everything is coming together. I’m  starting to gain my weight back, get stronger and my stamina back."

La Russa will be traveling with Walt Jocketty, former general manager of the Cardinals and Reds. Jocketty traded for Hall of Famer Scott Rolen in 2002. Rolen spent six years in St. Louis under La Russa, winning a World Series in 2006.

A year from now, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony could include Jocketty, the three-time executive of the year winner, who’s expected to be on the veterans’ ballot in November.

“It is a pet peeve of mine that Walt has not gotten the recognition," La Russa said. “You look at this record, and his trades, and he’s as good as anybody in our generation. He doesn’t always want to take credit, but he needs to be credited."

Around the basepaths

– The Angels are telling rival teams they still plan to retain Shohei Ohtani, but will listen to proposals just in case owner Arte Moreno suddenly changes his mind at the trade deadline.

The Angels know that if they trade him, they not only have a zero chance of him returning as a free agent, but it would cost them about $15 million in merchandising, licensing and gate receipts.

And, if they did trade him?

Well, could he become the first player in history to win an American League and National League MVP award in the same season?

– The Tampa Bay Rays believe this is the best team in franchise but have played only .500 ball for the past month, privately say they will be aggressive at the trade deadline to acquire another starting pitcher and perhaps a bat.

They have engaged in trade talks with the White Sox about veteran Lance Lynn, whose strikeout rate is an impressive 11.1 per nine innings, but the White Sox’s asking price remains steep. They also have been extensively scouting Cardinals starters Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty.

The Rays also could use an offensive boost, averaging 6.33 runs and 2.05 homers a game with an .864 OPS on May 8 when they were 29-7, but are since 29-28, averaging 4.88 runs and 1.12 homers a game with a .731 OPS.

– The Houston Astros have checked in with the Chicago Cubs about starter Marcus Stroman and center fielder Cody Bellinger, each who are expected to be available.

– The Cardinals are certainly open for business, as president John Mozeliak says, but they will NOT be trading first baseman Paul Goldschmidt or third baseman Nolan Arenado.

This is not a rebuild. They want to win in 2024.

They instead are shopping starters Jordan Montgomery, Jack Flaherty and relievers Jordan Hicks, Ryan Helsley and Genesis Cabrera.

– GMs say top outfielders available in trades are Cody Bellinger of the Cubs, Tommy Pham and Mark Canha of the Mets, Tyler O’Neill of the Cardinals and Adam Duvall of the Red Sox.

– MLB officials believe it will be at least 2026 before they’ll be able to implement an automated strike zone.

– The Yankees signed an eight-year deal for about $187 million with Starr Insurance for uniform patches, the richest among all MLB teams.

– MLB is expected to announce the site of the 2025 All-Star Game at the November owners’ meetings, deciding between Atlanta, Toronto, Baltimore and Chicago's Wrigley Field. Atlanta, which was scheduled to host the 2021 All-Star Game before it was removed out of protest to Georgia’s voting rights restrictions, is the favorite.

– If the San Diego Padres are out of the race at the end of the month, they are expected to unload starter Blake Snell and All-Star closer Josh Hader.

“I hope I’m not traded, I really don’t," Hader says. “We’ve got the team to still do it. We’ve just go to stay in the moment.

“It’s easy to say with our lineup we’re going to score 100 runs a game, but it’s baseball. You’re going to have your ups and downs."

– Home run king Barry Bonds vented his frustration about being on the outside looking in at the Baseball Hall of Fame with his ties to performance-enhancing drug use.

Bonds was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying under oath during an investigation into steroid use among pro athletes, but was found not guilty.

“I was vindicated,’’ Bonds said in a recent podcast. “I went to court, I was in federal court, and I won my case, 100%. Where is the vindication of me in my own sport? That’s what bothers me. I belong with my teammates in that Hall of Fame, 100%.’’

Besides, Bonds says, there was no testing for PED use until 2004, and never once did he test positive.

“Major League Baseball, and let’s get this clearly and straight,’’ Bonds said, “had a rule and has rules, OK? My era, there was no rules.”

– Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, who’s good friends with Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright, says he’s pulling hard for Wainwright to get two more victories to join the 200-win club.

“Waino is awesome," Kershaw says. “Everybody throughout the league is rooting for him. He’s been doing it for a long time, and he’s really, really good. He’ll get it.’’

– This year’s All-Star Game had the lowest TV ratings in history, which can partly be attributed to Aaron Judge and Mike Trout being injured, and Shohei Ohtani unable to pitch.

– So what does putting a winning team on the field do for popularity?

The Cincinnati Reds' attendance has increased 26% with TV viewership up 48%. The Reds are one of 12 teams whose attendance has increased by more than 10% from a year ago.

– The Cleveland Guardians won’t be trading veteran starter Shane Bieber, who’s yielding a career-high 3.77 ERA, and was placed on the injured list with a sore right forearm. The Guardians entertained the possibility of moving him for a major-league outfielder but were hesitant because of their array of pitching concerns. Pitcher Triston McKenzie is scheduled to be sidelined until at least September with a sprained UCL, and may be limited to short stints; Cal Quantrill is on the injured list for the second time this season; Zach Plesac was optioned to Triple-A where he continues to struggle with a 7.03 ERA.

The Guardians instead could turn to dealing one of their prized infield prospects for a major-league outfielder.

– Pretty cool that Cincinnati Reds great Davey Concepcion, who had been the only Venezuelan player to win the All-Star MVP award, telephoned Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz after he became the second.

– Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez says that he was originally upset that Astros owner Jim Crane and GM Dana Brown did not want him to pitch in the All-Star Game, just like the WBC, but understands the decision.

"It’s one of those things, really, there wasn’t really much to argue when I was told the owner and (GM) didn’t want me to pitch," Valdez told Houston reporters, “there wasn’t really much that I could do there. I can tell you I really wasn’t that happy with the decision, but after that, I decided I was just going to go and prepare myself for the second half."

– Frustration is building in Minnesota, where manager Rocco Baldelli could be on the hot seat if the Twins don’t reach the postseason.

– Just how valuable is Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who took batting practice on the field Friday for the first time since going on the injured list June 3, and could soon rejoin the team?

The Yankees were 35-25 when he went on the injured list with a torn ligament in his right big toe.

They since are 14-18 with the major league’s worst batting average (.218) and and on-base percentage (.288).

Remarkably, Judge still leads the team in home runs (19) and RBI (40) despite missing the last six weeks.

– The Dodgers have used 12 rookies this year, but despite their potential, have offered little help:

The eight rookie pitchers have combined for a 6.26 ERA with an ugly 1.54 walks and hits inning.

The four position players have combined for a .215/.307/.381 slash line.

Ouch.

– Bryce Harper is expected to play in the field for the first time in a year, at first base this week, Phillies manager Rob Thomson says.

Who knows, maybe a return to the field could bring back his power.

He entered Saturday having gone a career-high 164 plate appearances without a homer.

– You want to know why the Padres are grossly underachieving?

Second baseman Ha-Seong Kim is the only player with at least 100 plate appearances to have an OPS higher than his career average. They have lost 27 games by less than three runs. They are 5-15 in one-run games. They are 2-37 when trailing after seven innings. They are winless, 0-8, in extra-inning games.

– Kudos to Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star rookie Corbin Carroll. He spent two hours the next day after the All-Star Game in his hometown of Seattle signing autographs and doing a Q&A with Little League players and their families on the same field he grew up playing on the West Queen Anne Playfield.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clayton Kershaw, Craig Counsell ready to retire? MLBers mum on future