Past behind him, Kershaw focused on winning

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw knew he'd be hearing his least favorite question on Thursday in the customary press conference for Game 1 starting pitchers.

The media found several ways to ask Kershaw about his postseason shortcomings, and he was ready.

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He was asked what he'd take out of the last two postseasons that would help on Friday, when he faces the Mets in the National League Division Series (6:30 p.m. PT on TBS).

"I don't know. We'll find out tomorrow," he said. "Losing's never fun, so try to win, I guess, is probably the best bet."

He was asked if "the journey back to October" was part of his season preparation.

"That's a deep question," Kershaw said. "The way I look at it, 29 teams fail every year and one team succeeds. So no different for us. No different for me personally. It's the same thing this year."

He was asked if he's "fueled" by what happened the past two years.

"I don't need to be fueled by too much," Kershaw said. "I definitely remember, but it's a new team, new season and hopefully for me a new outcome."

And finally, he was asked if he judges others or himself by postseason performance.

"I don't really judge myself, I guess," Kershaw said. "I don't really judge other players. That's for you guys to do. I don't really care, honestly. My goal is to win just for the teammates and the guys in our room. That's the most important thing to me. So you look at guys' success, guys' careers. I think you have to take everything into account. But, yeah, at the end of the day you want to win the World Series. That's what we play for."