Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

15 hours ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

2 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

2 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

2 days ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

2 days ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

2 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

2 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

3 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

3 days ago
Rivals Dodgers, Giants Prepare for Instant Playoff Classic
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 4 years ago on
October 8, 2021

Share

Mookie Betts is ready to throw out all the wins his Dodgers and the rival Giants piled up on the way to a frenetic regular-season finish.

San Francisco edged the defending World Series champions by a single game for first place in the NL West, 107 victories to 106 — a total of 213 wins between them.

It’s a new playoff stage now with baseball’s two hottest teams in a best-of-five NL Division Series. Game 1 is Friday night in the Bay Area.

“I think all the 106 games are out the window now. It didn’t help us win the division, so it’s really irrelevant,” Betts said after the Dodgers earned a 3-1 wild card win over the Cardinals to set up this instant NLDS classic. “We’re in the spot we are now. We’ve got to play the hand we’re dealt. … Obviously, use what you learned in 106 wins. You just try and apply it to now. Other than that, those 106 are irrelevant.”

Series ‘Going to Be a Mad House’

And no doubt you can take this rivalry up a notch or two before the first pitch is even thrown, because the Dodgers and Giants are meeting on the big October stage for the first time.

“This series is going to be a mad house at both places,” Giants third baseman Evan Longoria said Thursday.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Corey Seager, right, hits a two-run home run as San Diego Padres catcher Victor Caratini watches during the eighth inning on Sept. 29, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The storied franchises go way, way back to their memorable New York days.

In 1951 and ’62 the clubs faced off in a best-of-three NL tiebreaker, with the Giants winning both times.

“These are two historic organizations in the game,” Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said. “It’s fun playing the rivalry, and tomorrow we’ll be ready for it.”

They were about as even as you can get meeting head-to-head this year: The Giants won the season series 10-9, while the Dodgers outscored San Francisco 80-78.

Playoff Everybody Longed to See

Los Angeles had won the previous eight division titles.

“For me it kind of felt like this was how it was going to end up anyway,” Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski said. “I felt like I didn’t even have to watch the (wild-card) game to figure out who we were going to play.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts realizes this is the playoff matchup everybody longed to see after all these teams did to get here.

“There’s a lot of familiarity, which makes it fun, even more challenging,” Roberts said. “It’s going to be a fantastic series.”

San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler, middle, celebrates with LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) and Brandon Crawford (35) after the Giants defeated the San Diego Padres to clinch a postseason berth on Sept. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Pondering the Format

Longoria wishes these teams could play a bit deeper in October and not face an early exit.

“I feel like this may also be a series or a moment where baseball may have to think about restructuring the way that the playoffs happen — 106 and 107 wins doesn’t feel like a DS matchup,” Longoria said. “Especially because the season is so long, for two teams to win that many games and then one of them to have to go home this early.”

Told of his player’s take, manager Gabe Kapler stayed straight.

“We want to be good with whatever the rules are,” Kapler said.

Webb’s Prep

Right-hander Logan Webb takes the ball in Game 1 for the Giants in his postseason debut, though Kapler considered his gem during Sunday’s division-clinching 11-4 victory against the Padres the equivalent of a playoff game and atmosphere.

Webb went 10-0 since a May 5 loss at Colorado.

“Honestly, it’s crazy to me that this is the first time that we’ve played each other in the playoffs,” he said. “So to be a part, even a part of that is pretty cool for me.”

Los Angeles will counter in Game 1 with right-hander Walker Buehler, a 16-game winner over 33 starts.

Buehler went 3-1 against San Francisco this year but lost Sept. 5 in the season series finale after he had gone 7-0 with a 1.83 ERA over his initial 12 outings and 10 starts against the Giants.

Pujols’ Chance

Dodgers slugger Albert Pujols gets his chance on the postseason stage once more at age 41. Before Los Angeles worked out, Pujols spent a few minutes against the dugout railing taking in the scene.

This will be the slugger’s first playoffs since the 2014 ALDS with the Angels, who designated him for assignment in May before he landed with the other Los Angeles team later that month.

“It never gets old,” Pujols said. “This is what you play for, this is what you work hard for. Thank God for giving me another opportunity to open the door with the Dodgers and to be able to be in the postseason once again.”

Connections Galore

Roberts played his final two major league seasons for the Giants from 2007-08. He and Kapler were teammates at Double-A Jacksonville in 1998 and again on the 2004 Red Sox.

“Saw him steal one of the biggest bases in the history of baseball to some degree, but definitely in the history of the Red Sox,” Kapler said.

Farhan Zaidi, Giants president of baseball operations, was hired away from the Dodgers after the 2018 season, then he brought in ex-Dodgers farm director Kapler as manager in November 2019 following his firing by the Phillies after two losing seasons.

“We’re trying to win a series and they’re in our way,” Roberts said.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Corey Seager, right, hits a two-run home run as San Diego Padres catcher Victor Caratini watches during the eighth inning on Sept. 29, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

DON'T MISS

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

DON'T MISS

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

DON'T MISS

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

DON'T MISS

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

DON'T MISS

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

DON'T MISS

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

DON'T MISS

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

DON'T MISS

Most Trump Tariffs Are Not Legal, US Appeals Court Rules

DON'T MISS

New $250 Visa Fee Risks Deepening US Travel Slump

UP NEXT

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

UP NEXT

California Schools Reverse Truancy Trends. Improving Reading Scores Could Be Next

UP NEXT

High-Speed Rail Hits a New Snag as Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Expedite Construction

UP NEXT

Gov. Newsom Launches New Task Force To Clear CA Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Fresno Area Schools Prep for Football With Stout Security Measures

UP NEXT

Fresno State Coordinators Outline Bulldog Bounceback for Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

49ers Sign Former Clovis West Star as Their Third QB

UP NEXT

Second-Highest Unemployment Rate Still In California

UP NEXT

Commercial Vehicle Fire Closes Southbound I-5 Near Grapevine

UP NEXT

Taylor Ward’s Home Run Surge Fueled by Hard Work, Fresno State Roots

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

15 hours ago

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

15 hours ago

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

15 hours ago

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

15 hours ago

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

15 hours ago

Most Trump Tariffs Are Not Legal, US Appeals Court Rules

15 hours ago

New $250 Visa Fee Risks Deepening US Travel Slump

15 hours ago

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

15 hours ago

California Schools Reverse Truancy Trends. Improving Reading Scores Could Be Next

15 hours ago

High-Speed Rail Hits a New Snag as Lawmakers Reject Proposal to Expedite Construction

16 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

Matt Entz got his first victory as Fresno State football coach. He called it exciting. The Bulldogs’ offensive and defensive lines sho...

3 hours ago

No. 6 Bryson Donelson celebrates after scoring a touchdown for the Fresno State Bulldogs over the Georgia Southern Eagles on Aug. 30, 2025. (Fresno State)
3 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

Image of man being detained in Denver by ICE agents
12 hours ago

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

California lawmakers killed “Leno’s Law,” a bill to exempt classic cars from smog checks, despite Jay Leno’s support and bipartisan backing. (Shutterstock)
15 hours ago

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

A Visalia man was arrested Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, for DUI and other charges after a series of crashes downtown left a pedestrian with minor injuries. (Visalia PD)
15 hours ago

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

15 hours ago

Dollar Trades Lower With Fed Cut In View, On Course For Monthly Drop

An Amazon semi ran a red light and collided with another truck in Visalia early Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, seriously injuring the driver. (Visalia PD)
15 hours ago

Visalia Semi Crash Injures Amazon Truck Driver After Red Light Collision

Displaced Palestinians ride on a vehicle loaded with belongings as they flee from one area to another within Gaza City, amid an Israeli military operation, in Gaza City, August 29, 2025. (Reuters File)
15 hours ago

Evacuation of Gaza City Would Be Unsafe and Unfeasible, Says Head of Red Cross

Mell Garcia says a heartfelt goodbye to her dog Harriet after 13 years, cherishing their memories and celebrating the love they shared. (Special to GV Wire)
15 hours ago

A Goodbye Love Note to My Dog: Remembering My Best Friend Harriet

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend