Los Angeles Dodgers at Boston Red Sox (-1.5, 9.5)
Los Angeles and Boston conclude their three-game series at Fenway Park under the ESPN Sunday night lights this evening.
Manny happy, returns
Though he rarely speaks to reporters these days, indications are Dodgers Manny Ramirez, once again, is a happy man.
After helping the Red Sox to two World Series championships and ending 86 years of frustration, Ramirez’s homecoming this weekend marked his return to Boston for the first time since he was traded two years ago.
Manny’s greatness, when he hit .312 with 274 home runs and 868 RBIs during an eight-year career with the Bosox, turned to sadness when he was sent packing to Los Angeles after the love affair ran its course in 2007.
To make matters worse, he was suspended for 50 games last season due to a highly publicized fertility-drug-induced rampage.
Entering the weekend, in 124 games since returning from the suspension July 3 of last year, Ramirez has hit .278 with 20 homers and 76 RBIs. While the numbers have declined, so too has Ramirez’s depression.
The question is are the numbers of a lesser man no longer using performance-enhancing drugs, or the normal declining production of a 38-year-old man no longer able to out-hit Father Time?
“I think the suspension hurt him a lot,” Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. “I think it embarrassed him. When he came back, the work stuff was pretty much the same. He’s a little more serious-minded. I know he didn’t like the way he played after the suspension [.269, 13 homers and 43 RBIs in 77 games in ‘09].”
Still, Torre says he thinks Ramirez has yet to get his “swagger” back since the suspension.
As Manny is learning these days, time waits for no man. He’s just happy being Manny.
Dodger doings
The Dodgers are the only team to tag Mike Leake and Ubaldo Jimenez with a loss this season.
Short stop Rafael Furcal was placed on the bereavement list Thursday and returned to his native Dominican Republic to be with an ailing family member. No other details were given. Furcal will miss this series. Chin-lung Hu was recalled from Class AAA Albuquerque.
Pitcher Chad Billingsley was put on the 15-day DL because of a groin strain, retroactive to June 12th.
Yo, Adrian
When the Red Sox acquired Adrian Beltre during the offseason there were doubts lingering about his offence and his ability to stay healthy.
They have been put aside. Beltre is among the American League’s top 10 hitters with a .337 average and his hustle has dazzled teammates. Entering this series, he was riding a seven-game hitting streak and had hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games.
As a result, his high-energy effort has him on pace for 22 home runs and 113 RBIs.
“When you talk about consistent at about a .380 (on-base) clip, that’s pretty good,” said Sox manager Terry Francona. “He plays as hard as any player I think I’ve ever seen. He just goes 100 mph all the time every time he’s out on the field.
“I think he feels really good about himself. It took him a little while to get going when he got here like it does a lot of guys, but he’s been a force.”
Arm wrestling
Dodger southpaw Hiroki Kuroda is 9-4 in his team starts this season, including 4-2 away.
Kuroda has issued two walks against 23 strikeouts in his last three road starts during the month of June.
Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz started the campaign respectably at 3-3 with a 3.82 ERA.
Since then he is 6-1 in his last seven team starts with a 1.84 ERA, including 3-0 at Fenway with a 2.18 ERA.
By the numbers
Entering this series:
In 590 career games at Fenway Park, Ramirez was .315 with 141 home runs and 471 RBIs. He had a .583 slugging percentage there and a 1.005 OPS.
Red Sox hitters lead the AL in seeing 4.09 pitches per plate appearance.
The Dodgers are 13 games under .500 (103-116) all-time in interleague play, including 4-6 this year. The last time the Dodgers had a winning record in interleague play was in 2004, when they went 10-8.