Last game of the regular season, and it has some importance for the home team Giants.
The Giants can claim the second wild-card spot in the National League and a one-game showdown with the New York Mets in the Big Apple on Wednesday with either a win Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers or a St. Louis Cardinals loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Cardinals can still force a one-game wild-card tiebreaker against the Giants on Monday in St. Louis with a win Sunday and a San Francisco loss.
As a result of Saturday’s loss the Dodgers locked themselves into the No. 3 seed in the NL playoffs. The second-seeded Nationals, winners of the NL East, have the home-field advantage in the best-of-five series. (The Cubs have the first seed).
Dodgers at Giants, 12:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, KTLA, CS-BA, MLB.TV free game (out-of-market)
Kenta Maeda (16-10, 3.28 ERA) hopes to cap off an excellent MLB rookie season with his 17th win. He’s done very well against the Giants this year: 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA in three starts. He’ll face lefty Matt Moore (12-12, 4.21 ERA), who faced the Dodgers on September 21 and did not fare well: he gave up six runs on seven hits in one-plus innings.
Vin Scully will do all nine innings of the game, which will be simulcast on radio and TV in LA and in the Bay Area. It’s also going to be streamed live on MLB.com.
Lineup when available.
NPUT
So who,won the guess our record contest?
Bob Hendley was right on the nose 91-71. But it’s bittersweet because to beat me out (92-70), he would have had to be rooting for a loss.
Just kidding Bob. Congrats on your prognosticating skills. We were all pretty close but this ain’t horseshoes or hand grenades – here you need precision.
All honors go to you and Bumsrap, I just split the difference between your two learned guesses.
There’s a Vin-esque response if I have ever heard one.
Well done, I guessed one less at 90
I wish the schedule had allowed the Dodgers to play at home for the season finale. We still could have played SF but then Vin would have had the Dodger fans as the last roar of the crowd to go out on.
Yes, but I’m glad they got to celebrate at Dodger Stadium, with Vin taking part in that.
I think Vin was quite happy to be in the home of his childhood team, which he is now free to root for.
Thank you, Vin Scully. Lucky lucky us.
Amen!
That was beautiful from Vin.
Part of me wanted it live, to hear the emotion — but he probably didn’t want to do it that way, for the same reason.
Let’s go Mets! Let’s go Mets!
Yep, although I wonder whether I’d rather face the Mets or the Giants for a best-of-five series.
First of all, I hope the Cubs beat whoever they face (other than the Dodgers).
Secondly, get Bochy and the Giants out of the playoffs ASAP, especially in an even-numbered year! . . . they’ve proven they can win now.
No, they haven’t.
I meant “now” for postseason.
But now most definitely means this weekend.
Bah.
Yuck.
That Joc long fly ball could have changed this game, but it was not to be.
Dinger in Nats Stadium, so there is that.
Finger?
Mine slipped.
What was it supposed to be?
Dinger!
Ah! Of course!
Not the most auspicious finale.
Vin will call two clinchers on consecutive Sundays.
Unfortunately.
The first one was fortunate, and the one to remember him by.
Absolutely!
Well, one more out to go.
Span is single handedly killing us.
Barnes instead of Seager? Huh?
Dré!
A loss is a loss, but boy do they sound bad!
If I were the Nats, I’d be feeling pretty positive right now.
Hopefully they can shake off this past week, especially the weekend.
They should probably burn the uniforms.
Let’s at least make their ninth inning pitcher look bad, to remind them that their bullpen stinks.
I can’t wait to be done with these Gnats. Vin or no Vin, I’ve had it with them.
Darn it! Joc looking banged up by that.
Vin’s being so funny about Pence this game. Pence makes me think of Matthew McConaughey on steroids.
Ha!
Alright, alright, alright!
I loved the Solomon Torres game, Vin.
Well, we certainly have the better bullpen…
The minute I said that…
Bottom of 8th, Giants handily leading, no sign of life in Dodger bats = the end is near for Vin. 🙁
Bad to worse.
The bats have been consistent: just three hits in both of the last two games.
Keeping the lefty in.
Over under on Kiké making the roster? I’m thinking no…
I heard Andre’s on it, which wouldn’t bode well for Kike.
When is it finalized?
Wondering the same thing.
Jon’s guessing and thinks Culberson may have an edge over Kiké.
Actually Jon says Kiké is on the roster.
Culbertson or another pitcher is what Jon said today.
Kiké should have had that. Slow on the throw.
I usually don’t care what Cards fans feel, but I was hoping the Dodgers would’ve been able to help them out.
My favorite football team is the Cowboys (yes, i know they’re one of the most hated).
They’re also playing in SF today and their offense is even worse than the Dodgers — they’re being shutout right now, 14-0.
I dislike all handeggers equally. By the way, they’re playing in Santa Clara, not SF.
Tomato tomato.
Go Niners! They’re my guys anyway, but beating Dallas makes it extra special.
They used to be my team.
When Joe Montana retired, I thought — for some reason — that it was time to pick another team. Dallas had beaten them that year and they had the classy Landry & Staubach, so i switched . . . and stayed thru the less-classy guys.
Speaking of changing teams, I always said I would be a Dodger fan as long as Vin was with them.
Not that I’m thinking of changing, but he was always THE Dodger for me.
Have always gone for the Cowboys. A friend of mine went over there when I was young and bought me back a random shirt which happened to be a Cowboys one
I was a Staubach fan since he went to Annapolis and we were a Navy family, but we lived in Washington and the Cowboys were the enemy, so when he got out and went there I had mixed feelings.
Quite a comedown from Landry to Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. Jimmy Jones is a loudmouth and a poor GM, in my opinion.
Without a doubt. He said at one point he should fire the GM — we all said Yes, please! PLEASE!
My team is the Raiders so I stopped following football altogether about 20 years ago.
They are really bouncing back lately, especially this year.
And perhaps bouncing as far away as Vegas — the Nevada Legislature will be called back into session next month to vote on a new stadium, for which the Raiders are pledging $500 million.
As an Oaklander, I’m hoping the Davis Crime Family decides to move to Vegas. We’re tired of paying extortion money.
I watched that game, and the announcers did a little tribute to Vin going into their half time report.
Neat!
And neat that the Cowboys came back, so at least one of my teams knew how to beat a SF team.
WHo’s that “singing”? Nice tribute.
Dave Fleming, I think. The radio guys (Jon Miller and Fleming) are to Vin’s right and Krukow/Kuiper the tv guys are to his left. It was the radio guys leading it, and it certainly wasn’t Miller.
Thanks.
I heard Vin’s nice tribute to them.
Miller can mimic Vin brilliantly.
Yep.
I like listening to Miller the few times I have . . . never for a Giants ‘cast, tho.
Enjoyed him when he used to do the O’s.
I soo want this to be over . . . but because of Vin, I don’t.
Economic changes since Vin started in 1950.
Does Brandon Crawford use bear grease on his hair? It’s always so, well, greasy.
It’s Gnatcream™.
A little dab a do ya?
With Crawford, it’s saturation.
Jeeze, guys. Make the pitcher work a little bit!
Love Vin’s giddiness and his revelation that after 67 years he finally gets to root for his favorite team!
Bad day for the Cards.
Pence worries me this inning.
Wet grass kept us from getting the DP.
So close, Joc!
Almost got your wish!
But at least they’re on the board!
Maybe next inning…but first we need to get out of the fourth cleanly.
Seager pressing.
Nice, classy gestures by the Giants for Vin.
A “Kilroy” reference! And Vinnie saying he will root for the Giants in NY against the Mets. Not me.
Nor me.
If not LA, I’m a Cubs fan . . . and the Giants can’t work their postseason magic if they’re out of it.
Me, too.
On one level, it would be a shame for the Cubs to dismantle their narrative. On the other hand, the Gnats simply do not deserve to advance any farther than they already have.
I want a huge inning. Not expecting, but hoping.
84, just a kid. (Vinny about Maury.)
Get Span, please?
Thank you.
Meanwhile, Nats, who should be limping with all the late injuries, steaming across the finish line.
Players say they have to be able to forget bad games.
The Dodgers need team-wide amnesia to prepare for Friday.
‘Blue canopy pulled over the stadium’ isn’t Dodger blue . . . but it can be!
Vinny is so gracious. I should take a page from his book.
He is an inspiring and intimidating role model — soo want to be like him, and realize how far away I am.
Maybe when and if I make it to 88!
Dave moving around the outfield.
The question is, can we catch the magic of last Sunday in the post-season?
The magic of September.
To be honest, before August, I didn’t think the Dodgers had a chance vs. the Cubs in the postseason — or any other “winning” team. LA had a winning record but they seemed dysfunctional — if pitching was good, hitting wasn’t.
After that, there was the feeling that anyone could help at any time, culminating in the great September run.
Pendulum swings both ways – could swing back our way after this terrible series?
–and vs. Padres . . . but yes, you’re right.
Such very mixed feelings right now.
This game means very little, but it’s still not any fun.
I can see that reasoning, but I also think it DOES mean a lot.
The Dodgers haven’t been able to beat the Giants at home (on its way to being 4-16 in two years). They had a chance to knock them out of the playoffs. Not only haven’t they, they haven’t look good at all in these games. (Tho Kersh looked good and Rich after the 1st — even then, it was only 2 runs.)
Yes, i know anyone can win at any time . . . but don’t you want to knock out a nemesis when you have the chance?
Do you even let Maeda hit?
The bullpen might as well get work.
The only reason I can see to keep him in is if they think he needs to work something out.
This is Maeda on four days rest. He started on Sept. 27. Maybe they need to go back to a week between starts at this time of year.
Finally, that half-inning is over!
Unfortunately, we’ll probably be going through it again shortly.
Still, I’ll channel Dave — couple of runs each inning and it’s tied!
C’mon, bats . . . c’mon, Dodgers — win for Vin!
Ironic . . . if Vinny was coming to this game 80 years ago, he would take pity on the Dodgers and root for them.
Ha! So true.
“The sky is gray, but for Maeda it must feel like it’s falling.” Classic Vin.
SF has more runs in two innings than the Dodgers have HITS in two games.
It’s enough to make a Dodger fan grumpy.
The darker dwarf . . . Depressed.
This is torture.
I’m not a masochist, but I want to listen to it all because it’s all we’ll have of Vin.
I agree. But hard to hear him calling this particular game.
We’ll always have last Sunday . . .
Get the K!
Quite the opposite.
They say poor dress rehearsal = good opening for theatre.
Gotta hope the same holds true for the Dodgers . . . it’s only the 2nd inning, but can’t get much poorer play than 5 of these last 6 games.
Some good news for you, RBI — Andre making the roster.
Almost picked off Gillaspie.
Bad squeeze play. Good.
Something goes well for LA.
Finally.
It does feel like they are playing with the wind at their backs. Us? Not so much.
Spitting into the wind.
DP, please.
I’ll have what she said.
Wake up, Dodger bats!
Maybe they’ll listen to you — haven’t to any of us . . .
Beware MLB, the even-year Giants are awake, ready to wreak havoc . . . .
I feel sick.
Dodgers couldn’t put them down — yet — gotta hope the Mets or Cubs can.
Both have a real shot.
Didn’t the Padres sweep them in SF?
Dodgers are 4-15 at AT&T. If they DO face each other in the playoffs, there may be three played there.
Oh man. Really, Gnats?
Well friends – I got to hear Vin’s opening but will be out this afternoon and will miss most of the rest of the game. Hope it’s one I will want to watch later for more reasons than it being Vin’s last!
Ugh. We need to win one here, for so many reasons. I was in Vancouver for a few days, and was spared the previous two.
Lucky you.
They reverted to their pre-All Star break “offense.”
Vancouver? Nice!
Went to a VIFF gala premiere of the film Milton’s Secret. I was asked to write a YA film novelization, which will come out in the next week or so! I love Vancouver.
Sounds wonderful!
It was. If things go south this November, I have my eye on Vancouver as a nice place to live for a few years. Say, four.
It’s good to have an exit plan . . . the problem is, the problem will be far-reaching.
Good start, Howie — wear him down, get on base.
Remember that the game is available at http://livestream.com/KTLA/
While you’re waiting for the Dodgers to start, tune into http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2016/webcast/sun-swantower.html (the banjoist is wearing a Dodgers cap).