Series of the week: Dodgers at Mets
By The Prez.
Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets
Season series
The Dodgers swept the Mets in a three-game series May 18-20 out in L.A. The Dodgers didn’t have Manny Ramirez for that series. New York, meanwhile, was just 3-for-27 in the three games with runners in scoring position. And the Mets didn’t have a homer in the entire set.
However, Los Angeles is just 2-7 in the past nine meetings in the Big Apple. This will be L.A.’s first look at new Citi Field.
Welcome home?
Ramirez was raised in New York, but here’s guessing he doesn’t get a warm reception from his fellow New Yorkers following that drug suspension. Manny returned last Friday in San Diego, but there seemed to be more Dodger fans in Petco Park than Padres fans, so all Ramirez heard were cheers (in an odd coincidence, the locker area that Manny used at Petco was the same one that Barry Bonds occupied on his visits to San Diego).
Padres pitcher Chris Young was upset that Ramirez, a cheater, got all those standing ovations.
"I think it sends the wrong message to kids," Young told reporters. "Juan Pierre should be the one getting those ovations, in my opinion."
Ramirez didn’t start Sunday’s game because Manager Joe Torre said he wanted Ramírez to rest his legs after being out so long. Manny did pinch-hit in the 11th inning and flew out; he was 1-for-7 in the series, with that one hit a solo home run Saturday. Ramirez also was lifted in the first two games after batting in the sixth inning.
Torre said he would continue to ration Ramirez’s playing time at least up to the All-Star break.
"It's his legs -- he's not in game shape yet,” Torre said to the media. “He has to get his legs under him. Running back and forth to the outfield, it takes some time. By the time the second half starts, he should be all the way back.”
The pitchers
Tuesday: Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw, 5-5, 3.49) at Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 6-3, 4.26) – Los Angeles has won Kershaw’s past four starts. But Kershaw's ERA on the road this season is 5.54, compared to 1.85 at Dodger Stadium. Pelfrey is coming off his best start of the season and has an ERA of 3.91 at home. Neither guy pitched in the first series between these clubs in May.
Wednesday: Dodgers (Hiroki Kuroda, 3-4, 3.91) at Mets (Oliver Perez, 1-2, 9.97) – This is Perez’s first start since May 2. He went on the DL with tendinitis in his right knee May 3. Perez takes Tim Redding’s spot in the rotation, with Redding now in the bullpen.
Thursday: Dodgers (Randy Wolf, 3-3, 3.49) at Mets (Livan Hernandez, 5-4, 4.56) – Wolf faced the Mets May 18, getting a no-decision despite allowing just two runs in 7 2-3 innings. That remains his longest outing of the season. Hernandez faced L.A. May 20, also getting a no-decision despite allowing one run in seven innings.
A few numbers
The Dodgers have the majors' best winning percentage in one-run games at .692 (18-8). They took two of three from San Diego over the weekend, but the bullpen allowed 11 runs in the final two games to the weak-hitting Padres.
In the three games since Ramirez returned, Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal is 8-for-16 with four runs scored. However, second baseman Orlando Hudson is in a 0-for-22 slump.
The Mets were held to just three runs in three games by the struggling Phillies’ staff over as New York was swept the weekend. It was the Mets’ fifth three-game sweep of the year – only the Nats have been swept more in the National League. New York third baseman David Wright was hitless in 11 at-bats in the series and is just five hits in his last 41 trips to the plate.
New York set a dubious mark Sunday, becoming the first visiting team at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park to go consecutive games without an extra-base hit.
Both teams were off Monday, and the Mets have won the past five times they have played following a scheduled day off and eight times in the nine such occurrences. The Dodgers are 4-1 in their past five following a day off and have won the past four openers of a series.
Mets aim to take Dodgers down a peg
Betonline.com
If the Dodgers were involved in UFC 100 odds, they would be the undisputed heavyweight champions as they've torn through the majors so far in 2009. They'll take their show on the road on Tuesday, when they kick off a three-game set at Citi Field against the New York Mets, who are looking to end a three-game slide.
Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 3.49) hasn't lost in his last four outings, taking a no-decision by tossing a one-hitter over five innings of a 1-0 win over Colorado. The problem with the 21-year-old southpaw is his efficiency: he threw 97 pitches in those five innings, and while he had five strikeouts, he also walked five batters, and he now leads the league in walks. The second start of Kershaw's career came against the Mets in New York, and he took a no-decision by allowing four runs on five hits in 3.2 innings of a 9-5 victory, which you should be aware of when making your baseball picks.
Mike Pelfrey (6-3, 4.26) was dominant in a 1-0 win at Milwaukee, tossing a six-hitter over 7.2 innings with six strikeouts and only a pair of walks. The 25-year-old righty looked more like the guy who won 13 games in 2008 than he has all season, and betting software should give him the edge because of his 2008 outing against the Dodgers, when he gave up a pair of runs on seven runs over seven innings, but he took a no-decision in a 3-2 victory.
Baseball odds should give the nod to the Mets at home, especially with a young pitcher on the other side of the field. Kershaw has great stuff, but until he figures out how to command his pitches, he'll have high pitch counts like he did against the Rockies. As for Pelfrey, he needs to continue to pitch well as the Mets are struggling with injuries, and he was due to be their No.2 starter at the beginning of the year anyway. The Mets would also like to take some momentum into the All-Star break after this week's series against the Dodgers and Cincinnati, and being at home gives them a great chance to do so after they were swept in Philadelphia, where they managed a meager three runs over three games. Look for the Mets' bats to tee off on the young Kershaw.
Pick: New York Mets