For Dodgers and Giants fans, it has certainly been awhile. The Giants have been small in stature, the Dodgers had become skillful at dodging the playoffs. The heroes and legends all seem to have left the hallowed grounds of Dodger Stadium and the beautiful park up north on the bay that keeps changing its name. A rivalry that once burned so great flickered and died down to a tiny flame last season as the Dodgers snuck into the limelight at the last minute leaving the Giants wondering where they had gone.
But let me be the first to say it: This is the year the rivalry returns.
Gone are the days of Barry vs the Fans in Left Field at the Ravine. Gone are the days of Jeff Kent being booed in the Bay Area followed by the mandatory, smarmy response from Kent that “they love me up here.” Gone are the days where the most tension between these teams had little to do with their places in the standings. This is the year we will make each other relevant again.
We tire of the Yankees and Red Sox. Though no one can deny their rivalry ranking amongst the greatest in American sport along with Lakers v Celtics, Michigan v Ohio State and North Carolina v Duke, the Dodgers and Giants have warred across two coasts and deserve the opportunity to once again make their case. We can still harken back to the days of the Bums and Bobby Thompson’s “shot heard ’round the world’.
This year, it would seem the heroes have returned. It would seem these teams have identities. The Giants have perhaps the finest staff in the National League if only they can find a way to plate some runs. The Dodgers have perhaps the finest lineup in the National League, but will their pitching be able to keep the runs down? I certainly do not have the answers, but I do know it is shaping up to be competitive. I know how important this rivalry is to the west coast. Without San Francisco and Los Angeles locked in an intriguing race at the top of the standings, this is a division of small market teams that no one cares about. As much as people in San Diego, Denver and Phoenix want to believe people care about their clubs, the reality is their DMAs are more the size of a Tampa Bay. Ratings do not lie (see World Series). If there is baseball to be played out west, it had better be in LA or SF. Sorry. It’s not personal, people just don’t tune in.
I thought I’d weigh in on matching these teams up, debating where the advantages per squad are, and getting you kicked off to bleed blue or dress like it’s some sort of endless Halloween. Go Bums. Boo Pumpkins.
STARTING PITCHING
ADVANTAGE: San Francisco Giants
Sorry to disappoint the local fans, but this is the strength of the boys from up north. The staff is anchored by Tim Lincecum, who is fresh off winning the NL Cy Young. It wasn’t a fluke. The kid brings it, he’s a fun personality and he is joyful in his approach to the game. If the Giants had even an average offense he could have won 25 games last year. Lincecum is nicely supported by Matt Cain, who if he can lower his walks, can win some games as a strong complement to Lincecum. Randy Johnson jumps in the three-slot (that’s what she said) and provides a very different style of lefty to Barry Zito. The Big Unit still has some gas in the tank, assuming the engine doesn’t fail. He had some back problems again last season, but if he is healthy, he will be a big help to an already strong rotation. Zito, despite an admirable September where he posted a 3.15 era and a little extra bump on his fastball, had a horrible season. He walked nearly as many as he struck out. Still, as a fourth starter, there’s upside if he builds on his September momentum. The fifth starter is solid, especially as a fifth starter. Jonathan Sanchez, with a little more consistency could be a plus element to a deep staff. He’s a power lefty and was great before the all star break. Bad news, his ERA after the All Star Break… Not so much.
The Dodgers staff has great upside, but is not fully realized enough to place it next to the Giants. There is no Lincecum, to say a consistant ace. Chad Billingsley has the stuff, he was among the top starters in the league in strikeouts amongst other things. He’s got power on all his pitchers, but gets into trouble with walks. Still, we’re looking at a 16 game winner and maybe 20 with Manny, Furcal and Casey Blake in the lineup all year. Chad did take a tumble on some ice this offseason and a broken leg was his reward. He’s looked fine during the spring. As for the rest of the staff, it’s questions. Will Randy Wolf stay healthy? Can Kuroda be consistent? Is Kershaw ready to make the next step (this is a big one, he has Lincecum quality stuff, but he’s still a 20 year old), will Jason Schmidt be the fifth man? If not, who will? Will the Dodgers take a flier on Pedro Martinez? We’ll have to see. Until then, advantage Giants.
OFFENSE
ADVANTAGE: Los Angeles Dodgers
Any lineup featuring Manny Ramirez is immediately a lot better than it was without him. His freakish stats and fiery, if not quixotic personality can haunt an opposing pitcher. Health will be a concern for the Dodgers, but like with the Giants staff, we’re going with what we know and what we know is that if the Dodgers are healthy, they are going to mash. They will start with two switch hitters, each with the ability to hit .300 and steal 20-35 bases or so. They will be followed by Manny, who will be protected most likely with Andre Ethier, who at this point has proven he is a big league hitter capable of doing some damage (and going to Roscoe’s with me, come on…). There is no way to pitch around this lineup with a lefty/righty advantage and it has elements of speed, power, average and opposite field capability. Afterwards, the Dodgers have the bulk of “the kids”, a set that includes 2-time all-star Russell Martin, Matt Kemp (who when he learns to hit a slider will be a real threat to go 30/30) and James Loney (needs more power, but hits the gaps all day). Casey Blake will provide veteran presence and around 20 HRs somewhere therein. The Dodgers are strong off the bench with veteren Mark Loretta and the ever-emerging Blake DeWitt. There is not one easy out in this lineup. Easily the best Dodger lineup top-to-bottom in twenty years.
The Giants made a big mistake in overpaying for Edgar Renteria too early in the offseason. When the Angels are getting Bobby Abreu for pennies, the Giants are paying a SS with declining speed and a .270 average a lot more. The lineup features one .300 hitter (besides C Pablo Sandoval in his 145 ABs) in Randy Winn, who isn’t exactly a record run producer. Not much bark. Not much bite.
DEFENSE
ADVANTAGE: Los Angeles Dodgers
While the Dodgers may have the worst fielder in the whole group in Manny, they boast an infield stocked with nice gloves. Catcher Russell Martin and 2B Orlando Hudson won Gold Gloves, and SS Rafael Furcal boasts the best arm in the league (arguably). James Loney is more than adequate, a tall and smooth fielding lefty at first. Casey Blake, while not a lock down defender at the hot corner, plays smart and stays in front of the ball. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp boast great range and plus-plus arms, Kemp being among the league leaders in outfield assists.
CF Aaron Rowand and C Bengie Molina are great with the glove, but the Dodgers are pretty stacked save Manny and to a much smaller degree, Casey Blake. Still, they have wonderful defense from the bench with Juan Pierre, Mark Lorretta, Chin Lung Hu and Blake DeWitt.
BULLPEN
ADVANTAGE: Los Angeles Dodgers
While this is very close, I give a slight edge to the Boys of Summer. While the pickup of Jeremy Affeldt improves this bullpen, the Dodgers have a gross amount of talent here. For all his detractors, CL Jonathan Broxton has been a shutdown hurler for his three years of service. Dodger fans are spoiled after back to back super human closers in Eric Gagne (plus roids) and Takashi Saito, but on a normal team, Broxton is a beast. Cory Wade and Hung-Chih Kuo have been murders against their respective sides of the plate. James McDonald and Scott Elbert are young guys with a ton of upside. This could be a nice group.
In the end, while I think the Dodgers have the better team, the Giants are vastly improved and should not be taken lightly. If the best team on paper meant everything, the Yankees would win every year. The Giants have the pitching to be dominant if they can just find the hitting. Still, the regular season can often be about mashing the ball and throwing runs on the board.
I will be at the games expecting to hear the “Gi-Ants Suck” chant and when I go north, I expect a lot of “BEAT L.A.” That said, I don’t expect the Giants to actually beat L.A.
