Los Angeles Dodgers

It could be a "Freeway Series," between Los Angeles and Anaheim for two southern California teams. Or it could be a (New Jersey) "Turnpike Series" for two teams in major cities in different Mid-Atlantic states, just off the one turnpike.

Or the two league rivalries of one Los Angeles-based team and one east coaster could reduce to a final contest featuring one of each.

What are absent from the pennant races this year are "small market teams" from the interior of the United States. No Minnesota Twins or Tampa Bay Rays. Not to mention Cleveland Indians or Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been quietly waiting in the Southland for their next opponent since clinching their series sweep in St. Louis against the Cardinals on Saturday evening.

Huston Street opened the door for the Philadelphia Phillies to enter the NLCS on Monday night when he squandered a two-run ninth inning lead that could have extended the NLDS to a fifth game.

When the Arizona Diamondbacks traded Jon Garland to the Los Angeles Dodgers the deal was for the proverbial “player to be named later”. Within hours of the announced deal, there were rumors that the Diamondbacks would receive infielder Tony Abreu. This would potentially fulfill the Diamondbacks need for a second baseman.

Abreu is a highly touted 25-year-old second baseman that has had a lot of success at the minor league level similar to some of the other Diamondbacks young core players such as Chris Young, Chris Snyder, and Gerardo Parra.

Headhunter Vincente Padilla picked up his forst postseason win with seven scoreless innings for the NL West champions.  Padilla was added to the Torre's roster on Aug. 20, a few weeks after he was released from Texas.

As the Los Angeles Dodgers finished their three-game sweep of the Cardinals, it occurred to me that this is one club whose success has seemed to be taken for granted.

Last year, as the Dodgers did the same to my Cubbies, most everything that was talked about and written seemed to focus on how poorly the Cubs played and very little, if any, respect was accorded the Dodgers for winning the series.

Vicente Padilla will get the nod to pitch Game Three of the NLDS on Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals as manager Joe Torre chose to go with Padilla over the early season ace, Chad Billingsley.

He also was awarded the start over Jon Garland, who possesses post-season experience and even a World Series championship ring, but Padilla has done yeoman’s work in the final months of the season and has earned the right to toe the rubber.

Beginning tonight at 9:37 PM Eastern time, the Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodgers Stadium. Both teams are tremendously talented and lead their respective leagues in several categories.

Both the Dodgers and the Cardinals have strong pitching and stacked hitting lineups. The question is, who has the advantage at each position?

This slideshow breaks down the projected lineup each team will put out on the field during this NLDS, of course I my lineups may not be completely accurate but I am going by what they most likely will be.

Heading east on Sunset, miles and miles away from where it becomes "the Strip" and just before it hits Alvarado, is a sign that reads "Slide Area." 

If you don't think this is relevant to an article about the Dodgers, who nearly ceded the NL West Division and their 15.5-game lead at the beginning of June to the Colorado Rockies, then may I introduce you to my old friend, the metaphor?

Take that finger off the panic button, Dodger fans.  The division race is over.

Finally.

After dragging their victory champagne from Pittsburgh to San Diego, the Los Angeles Dodgers were able to pop bottles on the second-to-last day of the season.