Monday, September 13, 2010

Picking A Horse For The Home Stretch

Mercifully, there are only 18 games left for the Dodgers in this 2010 season. And looking at the remaining schedule of games, all of which are against NL West teams--there are only two remaining series with post-season stakes: Sept 14-16 @ the Giants, and Sept 21-13 vs. the Padres.

Both the Giants and Padres are tied atop the NL West and 1.5 games behind Atlanta for the NL Wild Card. The Giants have 18 games left, mostly against cushy teams like the Brewers, Cubs and Diamondbacks, with two extra rest days built in. The Padres have 20 games left, including a ten-game road trip that starts today in Colorado, then host NL Central-leading Cincinnati as part of seven games at home, before ending with three games in SF.

And though the schedule is stacked against them and they're fading down the stretch, the Padres should be the team Dodger fans support.

Here are five reasons which come to top-of-mind as I sit on a Sunday night with a beer and a laptop:

1. The Padres are one of the two pleasant surprises in the NL this year. No one expected the Reds or Padres to last into the late season, and despite an early September swoon, here's San Diego, a team most people picked fourth or fifth in the NL West before the season began. They're doing it with stepped-up performances from unexpected sources like Chris Denorfria, Ryan Ludwick and Yorvit Torrealba, as well as mid-season pickup Miguel Tejada; and their pitching, led by rookie Mat Latos, washed-up Giant Kevin Correia, washed-up Dodger Jon Garland, and youngster Clayton Richard, and of course the league-leading bullpen nicknamed the "Pen-itentiary". If there's a nice underdog story, it's them.

2. The Padres are Star Wars fans, according to ESPN the Magazine--stimulated by an unlikely source:

"And inspired by shorrtstop David Eckstein's wife, Ashley, who voices one of the characters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, the bullpen has adopted a Star Wars motif. The younger guys, most often Ryan Webb, carry a Yoda backpack filled with snacks out to the pen before every game.

MSB's wife? Holy Ashoka Tano! This news, which I read in the Sept 20 2010 issue ("The List Issue" cover story), is causing me to re-think everything about MSB. Okay, maybe not everything.

3. The Padres may trot out those embarrassing camouflage uniforms at a rate more often than fashion police would recommend, true. But at least they don't inflict snuggie-wannabes on their fans for stadium giveaways. That shit ain't right.

4. Should the Padres make the postseason, it will be a lot easier for Dodger fans to both acquire playoff tickets (the Padres have the majors' 19th-best attendance and the 18th-best capacity % level), as well as travel to the stadium for a game (you can't get more convenient or economical than taking the Surfrider train from Union Station).

5. The Padres aren't the Giants.

50 comments:

MR.F said...

#5 is the most important reason of all.

Josh S. said...

Of course, the Rockies will probably lap them both.

Fred's Brim said...

I can only assume that the pocket on the front of that snuggie has a hole intentionally cut in it

Shawn Green said...

This confirms my fears: The Giants are in operation with the free masons.

MR.F said...

Why am I still here??!?!?!

spank said...

Mr.F

Let me introduce you to the 3 C's of Nighttime work survival:

Crack, Coffee and Cigarettes

Wait...Crack and Cigarettes are for nighttime street workers.

WHORESWHORESWHORES

MR.F said...

Every conversation eventually goes back to whores. Then again, if it were just me, every conversation would end in crying.

rbnlaw said...

Sudden, disabling, food poisoning for the Pods, Gnats, and Rocks. MLB is forced to anoint the Dodgers as Nat West champs (chumps). Dodgers then go on an unexplainable run of 11 straight play-off victories and win the World Series.

Only scenario I'm going to be happy with. Otherwise, it's just 8 days to Glee!

Nostradamus said...

...Don't forget the Syphilis!

MR.F said...

Do not scroll down to the bottom of the syphilis wikipedia page =/.

Josh S. said...

"Whores, Fire, Tears, & GAARP: The Fall of the 2010 Dodgers" by the Readers of Sons of Steve Garvey

karina said...

I'd wish I could kick you under the table, specially Mr C and Mr F.

Mr F, this is another effective stimulant: vodka and Red Bull. It's a little bit of vodka, by the way.

Nostradamus said...

*uselessly attempts to look innocent*

MR.F said...

Sorry Karina. I blame my drunken sleep deprivation.

Nostradamus said...

I just have regular depravation.

MR.F said...

I'm just trying to fit in by making whore jokes! I feel like Homer after he loosens the salt shaker on Moe as a practical joke after Lenny/Carl light Moe's tie on fire.

rbnlaw said...

Amanda Hugginkiss?
C'mon fellas, I'm lookin for Amanda Hugginkiss.
Can someone help me find Amanda Hugginkiss??

Why you little. . .

Nostradamus said...

Some of us were amused, Mr. F. I'll wear the mantle of shame.

Perhaps I took it a bit too far. I'd settle for wishing them a particularly bad case of Spirochetes.

MeanieBreanie said...

Karina,
If any of our guys need a good kicking I am more than happy to oblige. My surly factor is still at 9 after last night's game.

Song of the day:
Sour Girl - Stone Temple Pilot's
"The girls got reasons, they all got reasons".

karina said...

@Mr C we both know you haven't been innocent in years, why pretending the opposite?

@Mr F how do you fit into a bunch of misfits? be yourself :)

Nostradamus said...

^Preach it, Sistah.

Nostradamus said...

It's inevitable that my song of the day submission will be this, so we might as well get it over with. Totally work inappropriate. Fair warning.

karina said...

@Meaniebreanie you're the best. Do as your heart tells.

and I love you!

MeanieBreanie said...

@Karina - I love you too sista!

Mr. C - I am shocked at your posting. **Shakes head in disbelief that came from my dear Mr. C.

Remind me to never come within a 500 yard radius of you. And today you don't want to be within 500 yards of me.

Surliness & Hormones = Deadly combo

Nostradamus said...

Now I've gone and done it...

Nostradamus said...

*Checks whether he's offended himself*

MeanieBreanie said...

Mr. C -
You have been a very naughty boy. Given my surly factor any spankings or kicks under the table would be considered abuse. Go to your corner until you can behave in a civil manner.

MR.F said...

I'll try to redeem myself with this song (referenced in another blog I read today):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHBwryfycvk

MeanieBreanie said...

Mr C offend himself? Nah, he's just being a guy.

Nostradamus said...

*Thinks about what he's done*

MeanieBreanie said...

Here is a special dedication to all of you guy's, especially Mr. C

Brad Paisley - I'm Still a Guy

http://tiny.cc/x5vbk

For those of you not into country listen to the lyrics all the way through. Cuz at the end of the day hopefully you've still got a pair.

Nostradamus said...

Where'd everybody go? Did y'all go on vacation without me?! I didn't mean it!

Josh S. said...

I'm here! I gave up on the puzzle, even though I'm sure it's obscenely easy if I gave it even a little effort.

MeanieBreanie said...

Mr C, lucky for you I am the forgiving type. You can come out of your corner now.

MR.F said...

Okay time to finally get out of here!!!

Nostradamus said...

*sigh of relief*

I'm afraid Dusty is going to be putting me right back in my place after tonight's football games, though.

Nostradamus said...

Bon chance, Mr. F.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nostradamus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Say it, Frenchy!

Nostradamus said...

Well, deleting your comment makes that punchline worthless, MLASF.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Hey, it's not my fault I got the line wrong.

Actually, it is, but you get my point!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Get back here. I'm not through demeaning you.

Nostradamus said...

I'd just like to know when it would be appropriate to surrender. Before or after I point out the irony of being mocked for Frenchyness by a dude rolling a fleur-de-lis

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Uh, er, um...

...

MUST CRUSH CAPITALISM. ER. AR.

karina said...

Mr LASF got owned!

yeah Mr C, you can come out from your corner ;)

karina said...

Mr C, I found out something pretty offensive about that Monthy Python song. Don't ever do that to me again without a warning:

why Comic Sans? WHY? my eyes hurt big time :(

Nostradamus said...

@karina

Good holy lord is that funny!
I never bothered to watch the video. (Listening to the whole thing is bad enough).

Needless to say, no one should be subjected to comic sans.

Steve Sax said...

Karina, I love the fact you hate comic sans.

I'm with you.

karina said...

great minds, Sax. That's all.