Is Clayton Kershaw the Greatest Pitcher of All Time?

East Coast Bias is a real thing, especially when it comes to sports.

We only hear about the greatness of players such as Clayton Kershaw. I watched CK pitch a full game on Sunday night, perhaps for the first time.

The ESPN initiated a discussion on where Kershaw ranks among the all-time greats. I listened, watched and researched. And this guy might be the most perfect pitcher to ever take the mound.

Here's a guy who spots a fastball like Greg Maddux. He has a wipe-out slider like Steve Carlton, and a 12-to-6 curveball like Barry Zito. And he has a deceptive, funky deliver to boot.

Just an extraordinary package. His control is such that he reached 100 strikeouts Sunday against just 5 walks.

One of the very hardest things to achieve in baseball is consistent dominance. This sport is not like the NFL, where we know before the season that Tom Brady is going to toss 30+ TDs. Or the NBA, where you can bank on Lebron averaging 27+ a game.

It is extremely tough to sustain dominance in MLB. Especially from the mound. Check back in two years and see where Jake Arietta is at.

Clayton Kershaw is in his eighth year of complete domination of the Senior Circuit. During that time, he has compiled a 2.26 ERA, 10 strikeouts per nine and an astounding 0.983 WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched).

To post a WHIP below 1 for even a season is a phenonomal accomplishment. To do it over eight years is otherworldly.

But easily the most impressive stat concerning Kershaw is his hits per inning stat. He ranks second all time, giving up 6.6 hits per nine.

When I looked up the all-time list, I expected to see some of the game's greatest starters. That's not the case at all. The top is populated by wild arms who had great stuff, like Nolan Ryan.

Nolan gave up the fewest hits per nine of any pitcher in ML history. But he walked 2,795 batters! The similarly wild Sandy Koufax and Sid Fernandez are also in the top five.

Relief pitchers Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera place in the top 10.

Only Ryan and Koufax are in the Hall of Fame among the ten toughest pitchers to hit of all time.

But Kershaw is the only one who can be called a complete pitcher, a control pitcher. The significance is extraordinary. He's a pitcher who throw strike after strike, yet nobody can hit him.

Yes, Kershaw needs to shed the postseason monkey. That goes without saying.

But it might be worth staying up late for some of those Dodger games. We just might be seeing the best pitcher of all time.

The Next Phillie Call-up Will Be (Not Who You Think) ...

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are 8-2 in their last 10 games and sit in second place in the International League North Division.

Unlike past Phillies' Triple A teams, the Pigs are fueled by genuine future major leaguers, rather than MLB retreads. The team is stocked with several future Phillies polishing up a few final flaws to the satisfaction of the Broad Street brass.

First baseman Tommy Joseph was the first Pig to get the call. With the big club clinging to contention, Phillies' fans are eagerly anticipating the next.

Will it be Nick Williams to add some offense to the woeful outfield? Maybe Zach Eflin to punch up the flagging rotation? Even IF Taylor Featherston has a fan club of one among my Phillies circle.

No, no and nope. The next Pig called to Philly will be Edubray Ramos.

If you're asking "Who?" at this point, I am with you. I never heard of young Ramos until a couple months ago, but he has compiled an impressive record moving through the system.

The Ramos story is fascinating. Bob Brookover covered it in this February profile. Like a lot of teenagers in Latin America and South America, Ramos converted his baseball talent into a lottery ticket out of hopeless poverty.

And just as quickly, after posting a 9.53 ERA in the Venezuelan Summer League, it was over. Just 17 years old, he was out of baseball in 2011 and 2012.

The Phillies are one of just a few teams who continue to seek players in the deteriorating Venezuela. They signed Ramos in 2013. After converting to a full-time relief role, he dominated.

In 2014, Ramos posted a culmulative 0.81 ERA at three stops; In 2015, a 2.07 ERA with two teams, reaching Double A.

So far this year, Ramos has a 1.54 ERA in 17 games. He is unscored upon in seven Triple A games. Simply put, he is ready to help the big club.

Two things stand out with Ramos. Number one, he can pitch multiple innings. His 17 appearances cover 23.1 innings.

But here's the stat that Pete Mackanin and Bob McClure have to love: he has allowed one walk. That's right -- one walk in 23.1 innings. For you saber guys, that translates to a 0.73 WHIP.

If you flung your TV remote and now you can't find the little battery door (which I may or may not have done) at the sight of Andrew Bailey walking two batters in a tight 2-0 game Saturday, you welcome a pen shakeup.

Bailey isn't the answer. Colton Murray isn't a major leaguer. If the Phillies are going to continue to chase a 75-win successful season, they'll do it on the backs of the bullpen. I think it's a legit strength.

And Ramos will fit in nicely as a bridge to Neris/Gomez.

You'll see him soon.

Should the Phillies Make a Play for Trout?

Everyone in Philliesland has an opinion on what kid GM Matt Klentak should do next.

He should promote Nick Williams; He should acquire a bat; He should trade the No. 1 draft pick for Andrew Luck. OK, only long-suffering Birds' fans dream of that last one.

The issue of the day is whether the Phils' 24-18 record is anything remotely real. I don't think it is, but that has nothing to do with what I am proposing here.

The next time the Angels drop seven of eight, MacPhail, Middleton & Klentak should dial up Anaheim GM Billy Eppler and offer any five prospects on the Philly system for Mike Trout.

The Angels are in a tough spot, since they really can't get comparable value for Trout. There's only one other player remotely like him, and the Nationals aren't trading Bryce Harper.

Trout is roughly the equivelant of two All-Star caliber players. Baseball Reference tells me that a 5+ WAR is an All Star. Trout averaged about 9.4 WAR the past four seasons. You put Trout alongside Herrera and a breathing body and the Phils are getting 15+ WAR from their OF.

That would make them immediate contenders.

Still, our top FIVE propspects, you say? Won't that devastate out greatest resource -- the bountiful farm? No.

Such a trade is still a lopsided win for the Phils, which is why Eppler will smile politely and pretend he has an incoming call. But ... maybe Trout and his agent get involved. Maybe his overwhelming desire to play close to home makes the Angels think about it. After all, Anaheim has one of the worst farm systems anyone has ever seen.

A few reasons why this is a good deal for the Phils:

1. It's prospects from the prospect list. That means Nola, Franco, Herrera, Neris, Eickhoff and Velasquez are not eligible. Fact is most prospects do not pan out. Remember Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Lou Marson, Jon Singleton, Jared Cosart or Anthony Gose? They were all prospects Phils' fans did not want to trade.

2. Yes, it will hurt to give up Crawford, but...  You've got to give up something to get something, and when you're getting a future Hall of Famer a full three years from his prime, you only hope that an elite SS prospect who hails from Cali will entice the Angels enough to bite.

3. A Quick Reload. Phils have that No. 1 pick in a draft that has no Harper and no Trout. Various accounts have MMK preparing to spread around their vast draft cash pool with an eye toward adding two, or even three 1st round caliber talents. In addition, they are expected to sign two of the top international prospects. The Phils could ship out their top five prospects and still have a top 10 system heading into the offseason.

4. Depth, depth, depth. Some of the Phils' farm standouts thus far are not even on many top 10 or top 20 lists. Guys like OFs Dylan Cozens (an Eastern League-leading 11 HRs, 9 SBs) and Jose Pujols (leading the Sally League in HRs), and 2B Scott Kingery are playing their way onto the MMK farm reports. Fact is, the Phils' system is loaded with No. 3-4 starters and No. 6 hitters. They need an ace starter and a cleanup masher.

Swapping some of that depth could get them the latter.

The returns would be swift and strong. The Bank would sell out every night again.

Trout would become the biggest athlete in Philadelphia since Allen Iverson took the Phils to the NBA Finals. And does anybody doubt he has the stones to handle it?

It's a pipe dream I realize.

But summer and baseball are what dreams are all about.