Playoff Rematch Recap

The Mets series was so good for the Dodgers that it makes it very difficult to write anything about it. So the only thing I see sensible to do at a time like this is to take a second to let sink in what was one of the more significant regular season, non-divisional series we will see this year.

Pitching

Dodgers starters Randy Wolf, Hong-Chih Kuo and Brad Penny gave up five runs in the three-game series to the best batting team in the National League.

Dodgers relievers gave up one hit in seven innings and struck out 11. Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito each had four strikeouts in two innings pitched.

Batting

Matt Kemp was awesome, going 5-for-7 in two games with a 447-foot home run on Friday night. His shot gave hope to at least one fan who thinks the Dodgers can solve their power problem from within without trading valuable young players for an overpaid slugger -- unless it's Miguel Cabrera.

Wilson Betemit looks to have become the most recent full-time third baseman until some other guy looks a little better. In two games starting at third and one as a pinch-hitter, Betemit went 5-for-9 with two home runs. If I'm Grady Little, I'll take that production four-five days a week, with Tony Abreu platooning once in a while.

Rollin' Down Imperial Highway

Entering the Freeway Series this weekend, the Dodgers appear to have a lineup, or at least a lineup rotation, set to go along with their pitching rotation that has been phenomenal. The only question mark is Jason Schmidt, who is scheduled to start Saturday opposite Jered Weaver.

Schmidt reverted to his pre-injury, post-Giants velocity and was not good when he gave up six runs in four innings against San Diego in his last start. He has to pitch better against an Angels team that is reaping the benefits of patience in their minor league system. If he doesn't, the feeling among Dodgers fans that Ned Colletti knew something we didn't when he signed Schmidt to a three-year deal may begin to subsist.

Lost in the All-Star hoopla, Russell Martin has seen his average drop 25 points in the last 10 games (from .314 to .291), and Andre Ethier is 4-for-25 during that span after looking like he might get back to hitting line drives like he did for most of last season. If both of those two start hitting again, things could be looking good. If Ethier doesn't he might have to start watching his back for Kemp creaping up and Loney taking some playing time too.