Chilling in St. Pete

ST. PETERSBURG – Watching the Dodgers dismantle Tampa Bay 7-3 on Tuesday in the comfort of air conditioning at Tropicana Field reminded me how much I appreciate air conditioning.

Spring is over in Florida. Temps are near 90 degrees and the humidity is climbing up the scale.

Raised out West, I have yet to acclimate to the humidity in the South. My children and grandchildren are the joys of my life and why I am living in Florida. It isn’t for the weather.

On the other hand, the half of the year that is not summer is very pleasant. From late October to early May, Florida is a delight. We get a little taste of winter but it’s over before you know it.

Which is why watching a baseball game in late May in Florida needs to be in a domed stadium with the AC cranked up.

Marlins Park in Miami, a much newer and more impressive stadium, is also air conditioned. I have been to several Dodger games in Miami and it too, is a delight.

I checked the schedule and the Dodgers will be back in my neck of the woods in August when they travel to Atlanta to take on the Braves.

I planned to go but may cancel those plans after this week’s game in St. Petersburg. Atlanta in August is about as hot and muggy as it gets.

I think I will watch it on the tube.

Kershaw Lite brings his game to St. Petersburg

In the last five seasons, the oft-injured Clayton Kershaw has seen his fastball decrease from 94-95 mph to 90-91 mph.

The dominating pitcher who once was hailed as the best in the game no longer exists.

But Kershaw 2019 still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

Now relying on his off-speed stuff, Kershaw has started the season with a 3-0 record and respectable 3.40 ERA. He remains a tough competitor and workhorse in preparation.

Which is why tomorrow night when he takes the mound against the Rays in St. Pete, I will be sitting in Section 115, Row UU, getting a first-hand look at one of his generation’s best pitchers.

Kershaw is no longer the ace of the staff. Hyun-Jin Ryu (6-1, 1.52 ERA) and pitching mates Walker Buehler (4-1, 3.83 ERA) and Kenta Maeda (5-2, 3.51 ERA) are the backbone of the staff now. The Dodgers have a 3.38 team ERA, second only to Tampa Bay (2.98) in the major leagues.

Don’t expect the two-game set to be a slugfest, but you never know.

When L.A. is at the plate, look for Cody Bellinger, the hottest hitter in the major leagues (.405, 17 HR, 44 RBI), Alex Verdugo (.323, 4 HR, 23 RBI) and Justin Turner (.276, 6 HR, 22 RBI) to lead the way.

And if Tampa throws a righty look for Joc Pederson to get some at-bats. He’s only hitting .220 but has smashed 14 HRs and knocked in 23 RBI while platooning in left field.

The Dodgers go into the two-game set at 31-17, 5.5 games ahead of Arizona in the division and with the best record in the National League. Only Houston and Minnesota in the AL have better records.