Dodgers Take 2 out of 3 Against Free-Falling Mets

The Dodgers won 11-2 Thursday night to take the series from the New York Mets, and in the process ran their overall season record against the Mets to 5-1. While the Dodgers continue to get better, the Mets' season is beginning to look more and more like a lost cause. The team has been ravaged by injuries to three of its best position players (Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado), and its pitching staff (Maine, Putz, Wagner). So what normally would be an impressive season series win for the Dodgers is nullified by the fact that the Dodgers were playing a team that is a shell of its former self. Regardless, the Dodgers put a whooping on the Mets, outscoring them 25-7 in the process, and the Mets were really lucky to salvage even one game in the series. Some thoughts from the series:

• This was the Dodgers first trip to the new CitiField. I must say I really like the homage to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The outdoor facade that is strikingly similar to Ebbets Field was pretty cool. Well done Wilpons. On the flip side, the park plays way too big and already looks like an East Coast version of San Diego's Petco Park. And did the Mets really expect to have good luck playing in a stadium named after a bank that received millions of dollars in a government bailout? I don't think so. It is poetic justice in my eyes.
• Wolf switching from jersey number 21 to 43 in order to try and snap his eight game winless streak is hilarious. Baseball players have always been the worst in terms of superstition and this one fits right in. It worked though as Wolf pitched 6 1/3 innings while giving up 2 ER to pick up a win in Thursday's contest.
• The Dodgers run differential for the season is now +101, the best in baseball by nearly 30 runs. That is very impressive. People may want to sell the Dodgers short, but their performance this year has been for real. Their run differential proves just that.
• The Pre-Manny suspension Dodgers were back. The Dodgers drew a ridiculous amount of baserunners in the series (too lazy to look it up, but it was alot). They were patient at the plate and forced struggling pitchers to go deep into the count and in turn drew alot of walks and ran pitch counts up. On Thursday night alone, the Dodgers had 27 baserunners (17 hits, 9 walks and a HBP). That will get the job done. The only negative: The Dodgers gave away three outs on the basepaths on Thursday night. They have to be smarter going forward.
• It appears as if Raffy and Russell are starting to get it going. Furcal had a great series, and has now raised his batting line to .260/.334/.349. If Raffy gets on a streak like he has in the past, there is no reason he can't get to .280/.350/.400 in the next few weeks. Martin on the other hand, has his OBP up to .374 despite a batting average of only .257. He is still displaying a shocking loss of power, .303 SLG, including an isolated slugging percentage of .046. It's concerning for the future, but if he can put up high OBP's as a catcher at least he still has some offensive value left.
• Clayshaw continued his progression this season with a 6 shutout innings performance on Tuesday, celebrating a certain blogger's birthday in style. Amazingly, Kershaw has lowered his ERA from 5.60 on May 1 to 3.27 today. He is still walking too many batters, 54 in 93.2 innings, and they will probably catch up to him a bit at some point, but it's undeniable that he is developing rapidly. I can't even imagine how good he will be at his peak.
• And you thought I was going to forget... Ya right. Matt Kemp had a huge series. Kemp went 8 for 11 in the series, while drawing a walk in every game (actually 6 straight games with a walk for the Bison) and coming up with an amazing outfield assist to cut down Luis Castillo in game one on Tuesday. Kemp's 2009 OPS is now up to .875. He didn't win the final vote (Shane Victorino did), but he should definitely be on the team as an injury replacement. A superstar is emerging in front of our eyes. Now if he can add the power we know he is capable of, watch out.

It's good to see the Dodgers starting to hit again. Manny's return has had an immediate impact without a doubt. I would like to see Furcal continue to get it going, and hopefully Ethier and Hudson will begin to snap out of their recent funks (Thursday's game could be the beginning for both). The boys now head to Milwaukee to play three with the Brewers before the All-Star break. I would love to see them take 2 out of 3 and go into the break with a 56-32 record.