Dodgers Are The Best Against The West

by Eric Stephen on Sep 19, 2009 9:39 PM PDT in Dodgers History & Records

The Dodgers' 12-1 win over San Francisco today clinched the season series over the Giants, meaning the Dodgers have won the season series against all four National League West opponents. Since the birth of the five-team NL West in 1998 (the Diamondbacks' first season), the only other year the Dodgers have won the season series against all four divisional opponents was 2004, a division winning year.

The Dodgers are 43-23 against the NL West, with six games left against divisional foes, not surprisingly the best mark in the division. Its also the best intra-divisional record in the National League. Since the advent of the unbalanced schedule in 2001, NL West teams have played between 18 and 19 games against each team in their division, meaning between 44-47% of the schedule is played with familiar foes. It seems logical that having success in your own division will lead to success. Here's a look at the last nine seasons of the NL West:

Year	Best Div Record	Division Winner
2009	Dodgers	I think we know
2008	Diamondbacks	Dodgers
2007	Rockies*	Diamondbacks
2006	Dodgers*	Padres
2005	Diamondbacks	Padres
2004	Dodgers	Dodgers
2003	Giants	Giants
2002	Giants*	Diamondbacks
2001	Diamondbacks	Diamondbacks
*made playoffs as Wild Card

If the Dodgers hold on to win the division, that will mean that the team with the best intra-divisional record in the NL West has made the playoffs seven times in nine seasons. If they win their final six games within the division, the Dodgers will match the 2003 Giants' 53-23 divisional record. Every game on the schedule is important, but good things happen when you beat your direct competitors.

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Wouldn't it be awesome

If we won the World Series?

by PHAT JULIO on Sep 19, 2009 10:09 PM PDT reply actions

and the Super Bowl in the same year. We’d be the first.
vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Sep 19, 2009 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions

well we all know lakers won it all this year…
if the dodgers won it all…it would be the first time 2 pro sports teams in LA won it all in the same year since 2002…lakers and angels (technically the anaheim angels at the time but theyre in the LA region, well u get the point) the last time before that was 1988 when the lakers and dodgers won…

too bad we dont have a football team, least we got USC, but u know what happened today…

"That is not how you play the game!!!" -Jack in the Box

by shaqfor3 on Sep 19, 2009 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions

haha all doesn't matter

only a World Series would be an impressive achievement

http://duckdodgersbatscleanup.blogspot.com/

go Duck Dodgers!

by Kenchanayoh on Sep 19, 2009 10:28 PM PDT reply actions

Really? You wouldn’t be impressed with anything less than a World Series? That is a plan destined for disappointment.

by Eric Stephen on Sep 19, 2009 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions

The Cubs had the same thoughts last year

and look where it got them. Let’s take this on a day by day basis, and if it ever reaches that point, we can talk then.

"I haven't even finished breakfast and that boy ain't right."

by Mr. LA Sports Fan on Sep 19, 2009 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions

yep

we just need to take this one game at a time
and hope things go our way
if we get there we get there….

but its cool to fantasize about it…just outlook of world series or bust
is not the right way to think…

"That is not how you play the game!!!" -Jack in the Box

by shaqfor3 on Sep 19, 2009 11:56 PM PDT up reply actions

If the Dodgers win the West, which it appears they will, then I’m a happy man. The Cardinals and Phillies are both such good teams who knows what happens in the playoffs. The difference between a pop up and home run is less then a second in timing or an inch on the bat, any team can beat any team in a five game series. I sure wouldn’t mind a repeat of 88 though, where the Lakers and Dodgers are the champs in the same year :)

by KSeal on Sep 19, 2009 10:57 PM PDT reply actions

This is a test

"I haven't even finished breakfast and that boy ain't right."

by Mr. LA Sports Fan on Sep 19, 2009 11:38 PM PDT reply actions

Dammit

picture fail

"I haven't even finished breakfast and that boy ain't right."

by Mr. LA Sports Fan on Sep 19, 2009 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions

If you want to know what I tried to post

here it is. I thought it was funny.

"I haven't even finished breakfast and that boy ain't right."

by Mr. LA Sports Fan on Sep 19, 2009 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions

by Mr. LA Sports Fan on Sep 19, 2009 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions

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Pos	No	Player	2012 Salary
C	17	Ellis	$490,000
1B	7	Loney	$6,375,000
2B	14	Ellis	$2,500,000
3B	5	Uribe	$8,000,000
SS	9	Gordon	$485,000
LF	23	Abreu	$401,311
CF	27	Kemp	$10,000,000
RF	16	Ethier	$10,950,000

OF	10	Gwynn	$850,000
IF	12	Sellers	$481,000
OF/1B	33	Van Slyke	$388,197
2B/3B	3	Kennedy	$800,000
C	18	Treanor	$850,000

SP	22	Kershaw	$6,000,000
SP	58	Billingsley	$9,000,000
SP	29	Lilly	$12,000,000
SP	44	Harang	$3,000,000
SP	35	Capuano	$3,000,000

CL	74	Jansen	$491,000
RHP	52	Lindblom	$483,000
RHP	51	Belisario	$414,426
RHP	54	Guerra	$488,000
RHP	28	Wright	$900,000
LHP	57	Elbert	$488,500
RHP	60	Coffey	$1,000,000

DL	55	Guerrier	$4,750,000
DL	6	Hairston	$2,250,000
DL	21	Rivera	$4,000,000
60DL	36	Hawksworth	$495,000
60DL	41	De La Rosa	$485,000

AAA	13	DeJesus	$86,648
AA	50	Eovaldi	$7,885
AAA	56	Antonini	$7,869

		Manny	$8,087,432	deferred
		Andruw	$3,375,000	deferred
		Pierre	$3,050,000	deferred
		Furcal	$3,000,000	deferred
		Kuroda	$2,000,000	deferred
		Garland	$1,500,000	option buyout
		Blake	$1,250,000	option buyout
DFA	66	MacDougal	$650,000

Totals			$114,830,268
For more detailed information, click here.
Current 40-man roster count: 42 (incl. De La Rosa & Hawksworth)

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Dodgers Are The Best Against The West

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