Since moving to Florida last fall, my options have changed. This year, getting my Dodgers fix meant a drive down I-95 to see the Dodgers square off against the Miami Marlins in beautiful Marlins Park, which opened in 2012.I saw games with old friends, Jay and Lou, and even worked in a visit to my mother-in-law in Indiantown up in Martin County.
Some impressions:
- Marlins Park is a top-notch stadium. I fell in love with the retractable roof and the air conditioning system that maintained a cool 75 degrees inside as it sweltered outside.
- Jose Fernandez is a beast. He struck out 14 Dodgers in a 4-1 win and was consistently hitting the gun at 97-98 miles per hour.
- Rich Hill was perfect for seven innings on Saturday night but was pulled for health considerations by Dave Roberts. Roberts has his eye on October but it was still a tough decision. Hill is now 3-0 as a Dodger and has yet to allow a run. He's 36 but has been a godsend to the L.A. pitching staff.
- Clayton Kershaw showed the rust from being on the shelf for two plus months, giving up a homer and getting hit in a short three-inning appearance on Friday night. Give him a few starts and if his back holds up he will be nails down the stretch.
- Joc Pederson launched a moonshot in the 5-0 win on Saturday and followed it with a laser to right field the same night. He is coming along just fine.
- Cory Seager has a sweet swing and deserves to be in the running for Rookie of the Year and has an outside shot at MVP.
- Yasiel Puig may be growing up. He is playing within the framework of the team and made a highlight reel catch to preserve Hill's perfecto.
The Dodgers dropped two of three to Miami this weekend while the Giants were sweeping the D-Backs. Their lead in the NL West has shrunk to three games with a critical series starting tonight in the Bronx.
Ya gotta love a pennant race.
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