Every October, baseball returns to its roots. The dirty work, however, finishes this week as contenders scrounge for the final postseason spots and more enviable seeding slots.
A year after everyone in the industry wanted to wash their hands of the division, the National League West is ground central for two fascinating races.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres can’t seem to shake each other, like mudders going nose-for-nose at Santa Anita. There have been flip-flops, upsets and palpable anxiety – and that’s just in Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti’s stomach.
“Most people don’t get in this amusement park, and we are sitting in the front seat of the roller coaster,” said Colletti, stifling a laugh when asked if he keeps the Tums within arm’s reach. “It’s been an amazing experience.”
Unfortunately for the losers over the next eight days, baseball does not work like a roller coaster. What goes down doesn’t necessarily come back up, unless it’s an executive’s lunch after missing out on the postseason.
The Dodgers and Padres are operating with a slight safety net. One will make the playoffs by virtue of a division crown. The other must fend off the phanatical Phillies, who have gone nuts since Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle were ditched, steamrolling on the turbo strength of Ryan Howard.
To understand how the Dodgers and Padres rescued the NL West from embarrassment, it helps to compare their opening-day rosters to their current lineups. Those teams, once defined by mediocrity, don’t exist anymore.
“Both got better,” Rockies first baseman Todd Helton said, “a lot better.”
The Dodgers don’t have one reliever from their opening-day bullpen. The Padres have become Red Sox West, importing catcher Josh Bard and reliever Cla Meredith, who went from disappointing to dominant when he changed uniforms, and adding former Red Sox infielder Todd Walker from the Cubs.
“Getting Meredith changed their whole season,” Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd said. “I think the division has really shown up well. Who’s going to win it? I have no clue.”
Most figured the Dodgers would be in the mix at this point but not with, um, this mix. At or near the July 31 trading deadline, Colletti, a first-time GM, acquired third baseman Wilson Betemit, utilityman Julio Lugo and 300-game winner Greg Maddux. Maddux was given up for mulch with the Cubs, another disappointing star on an underachieving club. The Dodgers are 7-3 in his 10 starts.
“I have known Greg most of his professional career. Both as a competitor and in the clubhouse, I knew he would help us,” Colletti said. “He’s already had a lasting impression on our young players.”
In a random sample of 15 players and executives this past week, 10 picked the Dodgers to win the division. Their response usually started with the words Penny, Lowe, Maddux and ended with praise of their lineup. The Dodgers don’t hit many home runs but they will work counts and grind out runs. Those traits have helped them go 22-10 against the Rockies and Giants, their opponents in the final week.
“I don’t necessarily think the division got a lot better,” Giants reliever Steve Kline said, “but I think the Dodgers are going to win it.”
The Padres are tough to figure out. Their lineup has few stars, yet they continue marching toward their second straight playoff berth. Adrian Gonzalez leads the team with 24 home runs and is tops on the team with 79 RBIs. Geoff Blum and Russell Branyan, bench players in a previous life, anchor the left side of the infield.
In searching for the smoke and mirrors, though, the fire surfaces. Those are the flames on the scoreboard when closer Trevor Hoffman trots into the game.
For 11 years, Hoffman has been registering saves with manager Bruce Bochy and GM Kevin Towers pulling the strings. If San Diego makes the playoffs, there will be a sigh for relief. The Padres’ bullpen ERA is 3.42, fourth-best in baseball.
“Obviously the bullpen plays an important role, but it’s going to come down to which team comes together,” Hoffman said, and plays their best at the right time,” Hoffman said.
Eight days, three teams, two spots. A week from today, one will come back to earth, their dreams buried until next February.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs. Every time you think someone won’t get up, they do,” Colletti said. “It should be fun to see who’s standing at the end.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
