Ready for this one? The last series didn’t matter as much, this one does. The Dodgers are 7 games back, but only 3.5 back of the Giants. If they can gain some ground this weekend, then they can at least be closer to the wild card. They need to at least hold steady until Mad Colletti can add Ted Lilly to the troop. The pitching is strong right now, but he would definitely help the back end of the rotation.

Here’s my take on the games.

Tonight, 7:15 pm Tim Lincecum vs. Carlos Monestarios

I have to again give it to the Freak.  He’s not looking totally sharp right now (on my fantasy team), but I still think he will manage the game better than Monestarios.

Saturday, 1pm Fox

Chad Billingsley vs Barry Zito

I give this one to Billingsley.  He is looking sharp right now.  Zito doesn’t look bad either, but I give Billingsley the edge.

Sunday, 5pm ESPN (Going to the game)

Clayton Kershaw vs. Matt Cain

I give this one to Kershaw.  Kershaw has been really sharp of late and he should be able to beat out “tough luck” Cain. 

As always, the bullpens will come into play, but I like the Dodgers chances this weekend.

As mentioned, I’ll be at the game at 5pm on Sunday.  They changed the time, so be aware of that.  If you want to meet up before the game, shoot me an e-mail at scott@sfdodgerfan.com.

Also, I will be in San Jose on Saturday, so if you want to meet at a restaurant to watch the game down there, again, shoot me an e-mail.

Go Blue.

Thank the Lord for the Giants. I’m hoping this series works out like the last ones because that St. Louis series was ugly. Don’t get me started on how the Dodgers will do in the post season if they can’t win one game on the road against the Cardinals. The bullpen is really hurting right now.

Here are my picks for the next three games. It could be really good or really bad for both teams as both have been on the skids of late.

James McDonald vs Madison Bumgarner

I give this one to the new Giants rookie.  McDonald is fresh out of the shoots and I don’t know if he will have it yet.

Clayton Kershaw vs. Tim Lincecum

I have to give this one to Lincecum.  He’s too hot again.  Kershaw should bounce back fine, but I don’t know that he can get the win.

Chad Billingsley vs. Barry Zito

I give this one to Billingsley.  He’s due for a win here and I’m not as confident in Zito any more.

I give these predictions, but especially in the first two games, it could come down to the bullpen.  Broxton has been shaky of late as a middle reliever, so he could go back to the old Broxton of not being able to beat the Giants.  If he can only work 3 batters, he may be all right.

Tonight’s game is on the network channels, so it should be a good time.  Go Dodgers.

Anybody got a coin going into this week? Should be a good series. The Giants are slightly ahead in the standings, but the Giants just lost 2 of 3 to the Red Sox and the Dodgers lost 2 of 3 to the Yankees.

My gut says the Dodgers should still take 2 of 3, because they seem to come alive against the Giants. But…and it’s a big but…the Dodgers lost last night to the Yankees with Jonathan Broxton.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I personally believe the Dodgers should sit Broxton against the Giants. He has done decent this year against them, but in years past he has truly been the weak link. If he blew one yesterday (which he did), and he is overworked (which he is), then this could be the receipe for disaster.

Game 1 – Zito vs Billingsley.
Zito has slipped of late and Billingsley is coming fresh off the DL, so I give this one to Billingsley.

Game 2 – Ely vs Cain
I give this one to Cain. John Ely has been slipping of late and Cain always plays the Dodgers hard.

Game 3 – Padilla vs Sanchez
Padilla also is coming off the DL and did good against the Yankees. I give this one to Padilla.

So there you have it. I lean towards the Dodgers…unless they give the ball to Broxton. We’ll see. Go Blue

Not too much to say about this game. The Dodgers stunk. The Giants have an Ace who is a stud.

It’s interesting up living up here, I don’t like the Giants, but Tim Lincecum is incredible to watch. He’s just this little guy on the mound with a funky delivery, and yet he blew Matt Kemp away today in one at bat. It wasn’t even close. Matt Kemp is a star these days, but “The Freak” make him look really bad.  With already two Cy Youngs in his belt, I really think I’m watching history in the making with him.

Tough Luck for Charlie Haeger. I love seeing knucleballers do well, and still miss Tom Candiotti. The defense didn’t help him any, and then the Giants just teed off on him.

I would have liked to see the triple play on the dropped ball by Garrett Anderson.  The umps did get that wrong, but it didn’t hurt anything.

I was glad to see the Dodgers bullpen rebound a little, but pretty ugly loss.

Tomorrow should be a good game. Barry Zito seems like a different pitcher, and it’s time to see Clayton Kershaw show that he is the next Tim Lincecum.  Hopefully the Dodgers can take the series.

Go Blue

What a difference a year makes. Last year the Dodgers were flying high during the first series. This year, the Giants are the ones flying high. If anything the Dodgers pitching looks really bad, and the Giants pitching looks really good. This could go real bad for the Dodgers unless they find a way to fix their leaky bullpen. (Hint to Joe Torre…George Sherrill just doesn’t seem to have it right now.)

Here are the pitching matches and my predictions:

Friday, April 16  – 7:20 pm

Todd Wellemeyer, RHP (0-1, 5.68)  vs. Vicente Padilla, RHP (0-1, 11.42)

My pick -   The Dodgers.  Both pitchers are bad.  The Dodgers will have the home crowd to cheer them on.

Saturday, April 17 – 1:10 pm

Tim Lincecum, RHP (2-0, 1.29)  vs. Charlie Haeger, RHP (0-0, 3.86)

My pick – The Giants.  I can’t not choose Tim Lincecum and Haeger is pitching well, but you never know with a knucleballer.

Sunday, April 18 – 1:10 pm

Barry Zito, LHP (2-0, 2.25) vs. To be announced

My pick – The Giants.  If the Dodgers don’t even know who is pitching, how can I root for them.  Zito is hot right now, so hopefully the Dodgers can knock him around a little.

Well, honestly, the way the Dodgers bullpen is playing right now, if we only lose one against a hot Giants team, it won’t be that surprising.  Who knows though, my predictions weren’t very accurate last year, so maybe the Dodgers will surprise people.  Here’s a link to a full breakdown of the matchups from Dodgers.com (click here).

Either way, if the Giants do end up sweeping…it could be a long week of people rubbing it in next week.  As I write this, Casey Blake just drove in the tying run against the D-backs in the 9th.  Maybe there is hope for this weekend.  Man I love that guy.

Go Blue.