Comparisons to Koufax follow Kershaw

LOS ANGELES -- The first time Dodgers manager Joe Torre saw Clayton Kershaw pitch in a game two springs ago, he uttered the name Sandy Koufax and the bar was forever set way high.

This is still Kershaw's first full Major League season. He's only 21. When he takes the mound Thursday in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against St. Louis at 3:07 p.m. PT on TBS, he will be the youngest Dodgers pitcher to start a postseason game since Fernando Valenzuela was 20 in 1981.

Kershaw is coming off the kind of game Koufax might have pitched. For five consecutive games, the Dodgers had a magic number of one to clinch the NL West and answered with five consecutive losses.

Dodgers at a glance 2009 record: 95-67 2008 record: 84-78 NL West champs NL best record NLCS matchup: Phillies at Dodgers Postseason tix: Buy now WHO ARE THESE GUYS? • Loney: Taking good swings • Kuo: Long road back • Thome: Back in Philly • Loney: Building resume • Bullpen: Led by Broxton • Torre: Rep precedes him • Blake: Chemistry guy • Kershaw: Game 1 nod? • Dodgers: Eyes on prize • Kemp: Path of the pros • Furcal: Back healthy • Kershaw: Like Koufax • Hudson: Keeping head up • Billingsley: Unknown role • Ethier: Slump over • Torre: Tough decisions • Kershaw: Elite comparisons • Kemp: Nearly elite • Kershaw: Path to the pros • Billingsley: Fate in balance • Ethier: Aims to improve • Torre: Back to playoffs • Kershaw: Ready to rock • Rotation: Plenty of options • Kemp: Chasing LA history • Bullpen: Dominant pair • Honeycutt: Pitching guru • Kemp: Tools to match talent • Ethier: Walk-off wonder • Billingsley: Vying for spot • Ethier/Kemp: Dynamic duo • Torre: Another pennant race • Pierre: Receives high praise • Kershaw: Beyond his years More Dodgers coverage • Dodgers, Broxton stung by Phils in ninth Game 4 remains unkind to Broxton Phillies have Dodgers in tight spot Dodgers attempt to shake off heartbreaker With season on line, LA turns to Padilla Dodgers overwhelmed in Game 3 Wolf to put fond memories aside Kuroda makes no excuses for performance Runs hard to come by for Dodgers Beyond Game 4, rotation a question Dodgers ready to weather chill in Philly Kuroda gets ball for Game 3 Temperatures will be a challenge Rally revives Dodgers, evens NLCS Dodgers can't recover from Phils' homers Sherrill's rough inning costly Kershaw unravels quickly in Gm. 1 For starters, Dodgers have options October continues to be Torre's time After sweep, Dodgers reload rotation Sweep deal: Dodgers return to NLCS Dodgers hope party isn't last of 2009 Manny's big game a great sign Sweep leaves LA waiting on Rox, Phils Padilla silences critics with gem Dodgers excited, but keep eye on prize Affable Padilla on top of his game Torre, the person, leads way Dodgers stun Cardinals in ninth From walk to walk-off, Blake set stage Kershaw comes of age in Game 2 start Holliday takes place in long line of 'goats' Padilla grateful for 'second life' in LA Cards focused, but history against them Kemp, bullpen pull through in Game 1 Kershaw ready to grow up on big stage Short turnaround awaits NLDS foes Dodgers, Cardinals break left-on-base mark Middle of defense turns tables fast Billingsley gets call for Game 4 No surprises as Dodgers set roster Call to Wolf is easy decision One win nets Dodgers division, home-field Dodgers end drama, wrap up NL West Dodgers' division lead whittled to one Dodgers leave SD without division title LA drops chance to clinch NL West Ohman undergoes shoulder surgery Bucs keep Dodgers' celebration on ice Dodgers stunned; West party on hold Dodgers clinch postseason berth Playoffs await after win over Bucs Dodgers denied in playoff clinch attempt Wolf rolling as postseason beckons Blake playing it careful with hamstring Dodgers trim playoff magic number to one Billingsley sharp, LA not in loss to Nats Postseason magic number down to two Dodgers beat Giants' ace to stay on track Kershaw says he's ready to go Ethier blossoms into prime-time player Billingsley confident turnaround is coming Kershaw pitching beyond his years Ethier helps Dodgers pad West lead Dodgers shut down by former ace Penny Dodgers leave Giants reeling in NL West Dodgers protect lead with Kuroda's help Bauman: Pitching will carry Dodgers Messy ninth inning costs Dodgers

"We've tried to protect this kid the last year or so from any outside pressures or game pressures and watch his pitch count," said Torre, "and then you hand him the ball Saturday and he wins a game that we couldn't win for a week. He didn't win it, but he pitched well enough to win it."

Kershaw pitched six scoreless innings, left the tie game and the Dodgers scored five in the seventh to lock up the division.

Kershaw reminded Maury Wills of, well, Sandy Koufax.

"I look at Kershaw and think of Sandy," said Wills, a teammate of Koufax from 1959-66. "I talk to Clayton about Sandy, to plant a seed in his mind about having Koufax-type ability and the type of talent and the type of future. They say if a pitcher can quarter the strike zone, he can win. Sandy Koufax could pitch quarter to quarter. Kershaw is still working on his command. It will come with time and more experience."

Wills had the good fortune of playing during Koufax's prime, when the left-hander put up numbers that were just sick -- three Cy Young Awards and five consecutive ERA titles.

But Don Newcombe has a different perspective of Koufax. They were teammates from Koufax's rookie season of 1955 until Newcombe was traded to Cincinnati in 1958. As Newcombe put it, they were teammates when Koufax "couldn't throw batting practice and keep it in the cage." And what he says about the comparison is, in some ways, even more complimentary to Kershaw.

"I wouldn't compare Kershaw, or anybody, to Koufax over his career. That's not fair to Kershaw and it's not fair to Sandy," said Newcombe.

"But if you're talking about how they compare at the age of 21, that's different. There's no comparison. Sandy couldn't do what Kershaw has done. Sandy had no Minor League experience. He came to us and sat on the bench. When he threw batting practice, I wouldn't hit against him. He threw too hard and threw too wild. In 1961 when I was with Cincinnati, I told Sandy to sacrifice speed for accuracy. He worked with [catcher] Norm Sherry and that's what made him the best pitcher in baseball the next six years."

Through the age of 21, Koufax was 9-10 with a 4.00 ERA. Kershaw is 13-13 with a 3.36 ERA. Koufax didn't make a postseason start until he was 23.