Dodgers Giants Game 1 Preview

Now, games kinda begin to matter again.

The Rockies series was literally meaningless. I’ve read a bunch of tweets/comments/opinions about how bad the weekend was for the Dodgers. And I just don’t see it. The starting pitching was awful in Colorado. Everyones starting pitching is awful in Colorado. Mike Bolsinger, Brett Anderson and Alex Wood started the three games in Colorado and allowed a combined 18 runs in 13 1/3 innings. Bolsinger probably won’t start in the playoffs. Anderson will only start if things are going really well and the Dodgers can afford to not send Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke on short rest. Even if they do start postseason games, they will either be at Dodger Stadium or Citi Field in the first round, both historically pitcher friendly parks.

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The offense was also kind of disappointing, but it was also Don Mattingly‘s weird righty-heavy lineups. I’m generally an optimist, but I don’t think he would start Chris Heisey or Alex Guerrero in a playoff game, mainly because they won’t be on the playoff roster. Also, the Mets top three starters are all right handed. Don might still sub out Andre Ethier against a left handed reliever (which is always the right move and none of you can convince me otherwise), but the lefty-righty matchups won’t play a huge role in the first round. If they advance and take on a Jon Lester/Francisco Liriano/Jaime Garcia, I might be a little more worried. But let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.

Sep 23, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jake Peavy (22) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The whole momentum argument is also kinda moot. It would be nice if the Dodgers finished the season hot. But they don’t need the end of the season to carry into the postseason. Whether the Dodgers end the season winning these last seven games or limp into the playoffs, the NLDS begins five days after the end of the regular season. That winning streak or losing streak isn’t going to carry over during five off days. Health is more important than home field advantage or momentum. And the Dodgers are getting healthier and didn’t suffer any injuries in Colorado. Also, Kenley Jansen did not try to fight Corey Seager in the dugout. So let’s just be happy the Dodgers didn’t trade for Jonathan Papelbon.

Alright? We all good? Now, let’s focus on this four game series in San Francisco. The Dodgers need one win to clinch a playoff berth and eliminate the Giants. Take a time machine back a couple months. At the end of July, the Dodgers were half a game ahead of the Giants. At that time, this upcoming series looked HUGE. If you would have told me that the Dodgers would need to win one of those four games, or even if they get swept in SF again they would need to beat the Padres twice with Kershaw and Greinke scheduled to throw, I would have been fine with it. And I still am. But maybe just clinch tonight so people can calm down.

They have a pretty good shot tonight as Greinke gets the ball for what could be one of his final starts as a Dodger. Jake Arrieta has had an all-time great second half and could steal Greinke’s Cy Young award if he’s not careful, but lets keep in mind that while Arrieta has an incredible 1.82 ERA this season, Greinke has only had an ERA higher than that after four of his 30 starts this season. Looking at the numbers, it should be a no-brainer, and while Arrieta has been amazing in the second half, but Greinke has been amazing all season long and barring an implosion in these last couple starts, should be taking home his second Cy Young.

Greinke’s only faced the Giants twice this season and has allowed four runs in 13 1/3 innings. His last time out against the Giants, he held them to a run in seven innings and beat the Giants and Madison Bumgarner, 2-1.

This time out, he faces Jake Peavy, who is very much not MadBum. Peavy missed most of the first half and has been decent in the second half, but the Dodgers put up four in five 2/3 innings against him on August 31, in what was for two weeks the longest Dodger game of the season. Adrian Gonzalez and Ethier both took Peavy deep that night in a game I tried to block from my memory because it was way too long. Peavy has been hot recently, having allowed three runs in his last 19 innings pitched (three starts, twice against San Diego and once against Cincinnati).

Had the Dodgers gotten swept in Colorado with this lineup, I would be concerned. But they didn’t. Gonzalez didn’t play the last two games. Seager sat two of the games. Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal also only started one of the games. So let’s see how the real lineup fares before losing all faith in this team.

Enrique Hernandez is not in the starting lineup, but according to his twitter he appears to be back. So that’s more depth and less of a chance that the Dodgers have to depend on Heisey to go to the playoffs.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 PST and will be shown on Sportsnet LA.