Giants/Dodgers Series Could Change The NL West Picture

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

At the All-Star Break, every analyst and fan believed the NL West to be a foregone conclusion. The Dodgers will win the division.

They had an eight game lead, no guarantee the Rockies and Giants could continue their early success, and hell, they got Manny Ramirez back at the beginning of July. Nothing can stop them.

A little less than a month later, this one series could change the outlook of the NL playoff picture.

The Giants trail the Dodgers by five and a half games and have taken the last two series against the Dodgers. They also have the Majors' best home record.

Colorado will be welcoming the bottom-dwelling Pirates tomorrow and, if the Giants take care of business, could gain ground on Los Angeles as well.

Theoretically, the Giants and Rockies could be two and a half games behind the Dodgers after this three game set. If the Rockies take their final game against the Cubs and sweep the Pirates, they could be only two games behind the Dodgers by Friday.

But on the flip side, the Dodgers can put a dent in the Giants' hopes for the postseason. The Giants could be left eight and a half back if the Dodgers sweep in San Francisco. Best-case scenario for Colorado is remaining five and a half behind if the sweep happens.

This will be the first Giants/Dodgers series with meaning for both teams since 2004 when the Dodgers' Steve Finley won the division with a walk-off grand slam.

Starting tonight, the Dodgers and Giants play each other nine more times this season, six of which are in San Francisco. The Rockies and Dodgers still have six more games with each other. San Francisco and Colorado will meet 10 more times, six at AT&T Park.

This series will not decide the division, but it will change how it will be played. The key stretches for all three teams are described below.

<b>Dodgers</b>

The Dodgers are hitting a bad stretch of games at the wrong time. Los Angeles is 6-11 over their last 17 games, all against teams with winning records. Thirteen of their next 16 games are against playoff contenders, including the Giants and Rockies.

<b>Giants</b>

The Giants' big test will be at the end of August as they begin a stretch of nine games with the Rockies, Phillies, and Brewers. The Giants took three of four from the Phillies a week and a half ago. They have not seen the Brewers since June and lost two of three.

<b>Rockies</b>

Colorado will end the regular season with St. Louis, Milwaukee, and the Dodgers. The Rockies are 2-10 against the Dodgers this season.

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