News
Dodgers bring Mannywood to Big Apple
Los Angeles (52-30) at New York (39-42), 4:10 p.m. PT
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
07/05/09 10:27 PM ET
SAN DIEGO -- The Dodgers, after a very limited engagement in San Diego, take the Manny Show to Broadway and a three-game series against the Mets, with the curtain raised on Tuesday's opener at Citi Field. And Sprint Final Vote candidate Matt Kemp gets to make his case for the lone remaining All-Star Game roster spot when he faces Mike Pelfrey. Kemp is 1-for-3 lifetime against Pelfrey, but 27-for-83 (.325) vs. the Mets.The 150 media members who showed up at PETCO Park for Manny Ramirez's return Friday night provided a decent trial run for Dodgers weaving their way through a jammed clubhouse.
However, the sellout crowds in San Diego were swelled by rabid Dodgers fans who made the drive from Los Angeles. The commute to Flushing, N.Y., is a tough one and the Dodgers must prepare for an atmosphere of hostility. "This is good training if we want to get to where we want to get to," said injured infielder Doug Mientkiewicz, who knows about playing for and against teams in New York. "To young players, it can be eye-opening if you haven't been through something like this. Most of us have been through it and we understand the circus is an everyday occurrence on the East Coast. You have to get to the point where it's just what you do." The Dodgers have a day off on Monday to prepare for the madness. But manager Joe Torre has a higher calling. He's hosting his annual golf classic to benefit his Safe at Home Foundation. The event will be held at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. The foundation was established in 2002 as a result of the impact domestic violence had on Torre and his family. "We'll have a nice group of people -- David Cone, Tino Martinez, Donald Trump will be there, Yogi [Berra], other dignitaries. It's always a good time," Torre told Charlie Steiner on the Dodgers' KABC pregame show. "Hopefully, we'll get good weather, because the weather back there hasn't been good. But this is important to me." Then on Tuesday, it's showtime in New York, and all that comes with it. "They got a little taste of it here," Torre said. "Manny gets all the attention and the rest get some questions. But hopefully, with this taste here, they got an understanding of what's to come." Pitching matchupLAD: LHP Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 3.49 ERA)
On July 1 against the Colorado Rockies, both sides to Kershaw's game were evident. One on hand, he kept Rockies hitters off balance and prevented them from making solid contact. On the other hand, he was wild and erratic, walking five batters and exiting after throwing 97 pitches in five innings. For the day, Kershaw allowed one hit and struck out five. He has one career start against the Mets, giving up four runs in 3 2/3 innings. NYM: RHP Mike Pelfrey (6-3, 4.26 ERA)
Pelfrey bounced back from two sub-par outings to deliver a gem in his last start, holding Milwaukee to six hits in 7 2/3 scoreless innings. He went into the eighth inning, throwing 107 pitches while walking two. Pelfrey has faced the Dodgers just once in his career, a 3-2 Mets win last May in which he took the no-decision. He threw seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, striking out six. Tidbits
In the three games since Ramirez returned, Rafael Furcal is 8-for-16 with four runs scored. ... The four home runs hit by the Dodgers on Sunday tied a season high. ... When the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame inducts Walter O'Malley on Tuesday, it will become the first New York City-based organization to honor the longtime Dodgers owner (the man who moved the team out of Brooklyn to Los Angeles) in more than 50 years. Among other inductees are Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully and longtime first baseman Steve Garvey. Tickets
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• KABC 790, KHJ 930 (Español) Up next
• Wednesday: Dodgers (Hiroki Kuroda, 3-4, 3.91) at Mets (Oliver Perez, 1-2, 9.97), 4:10 p.m. PT
• Thursday: Dodgers (Randy Wolf, 3-3, 3.49) at Mets (Livan Hernandez, 5-4, 4.56), 4:10 p.m. PT
• Friday: Dodgers (TBD) at Brewers (TBD), 5:05 p.m. PT
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
