A Tribute to Clayton Kershaw & Paul Goldschmidt
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
“My prayer is when I die, all hell rejoices because I am out of the fight.” – C.S. Lewis
Last week, Paul Goldschmidt announced his retirement from baseball and Clayton Kershaw will be ending his legendary career once the Dodgers’ season is over. Kershaw is a cinch to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot when he becomes eligible in 2030. After all, he has won 223 games over his 18-year career against just 96 losses, giving him a stellar .699 winning percentage, the fourth highest all-time for pitchers with 100 or more career wins. He also recorded a microscopic 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts in 2,855 innings.
Goldschmidt is more of a borderline case for enshrinement in Cooperstown. The 38-year-old Goldschmidt was a platoon player for the New York Yankees this season, batting .274 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 489 at bats. But it was what he accomplished with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2011 to 2018 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 2019 to 2024 that make him a potential Hall of Famer. “Goldy” accumulated 2,190 hits, scored 1,280 runs, clubbed 372 homers, and drove in 1,232 runs while hitting .288 over 15 seasons. He also won one MVP award and finished in the top-20 eight other times.
I am sure that batters across the National League are sighing in relief because Clayton Kershaw is hanging up his spikes. Likewise, pitchers are just as relieved that Paul Goldschmidt is done sending baseballs into orbit.
However, do you know who isn’t relieved? Satan! Because both Kershaw and Goldschmidt are born- again Christians who are outspoken about their faith. In other words, their athletic careers may be coming to an end, but their spiritual careers are just hitting their prime.
How about you, my friend? Will Satan be relieved – and will all hell rejoice – once you “graduate to Glory”? Or will the devil and his demons hardly notice?
Hopefully, it’s the former and not the latter.
“But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’” Acts 19:15 (ESV)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
