Dodgers pregame notes: Shane Victorino reportedly drops agents

As the Dodgers prepare to fight for their playoff lives in their final regular season series against the Giants, here are some pregame notes before Monday's opener.

Looking ahead a bit, should the Dodgers get through these next three days still alive, they could have a one-game playoff at Dodger Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals. Joe Blanton would be in line to start if the Dodgers remained on rotation, but manager Don Mattingly is at least considering pitching Josh Beckett on three days rest.

"We probably talk about it, but our guys have all thrown the ball pretty good," Mattingly said.

Shane Victorino, a free agent after the season, is currently without an agent. The outfielder has left Seth and Sam Levinson of ACES, Inc., as first reported by Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal. Jon Heyman at CBS Sports has details of the problems that ACES is dealing with.

Someone on the Dodgers got a hold of the tribute video for Mark Ellis created by the A's and played in Oakland when the Dodgers were in town in June. The video played on the left field scoreboard suddenly during batting practice, causing most of the players to burst out in laughter.

The Dodgers need to sweep the Giants not only to keep their playoff hopes alive, but to finish with a .500 record in divisional play. Los Angeles is 33-36 against the NL West this season. San Francisco is 10-0-1 in their 11 road series since the All-Star break, including a three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 20-22.

The pregame discussion with Mattingly somehow veered into talk of the American League MVP and Mike Trout vs. Miguel Cabrera. "I would pick Cabrera. The guy is going to win the triple crown," Mattingly said. "I think he's the best hitter in the game."

Mattingly didn't offer his pick for NL MVP, but when asked about Giants catcher Buster Posey he had nothing but praise. "You look at the value of that position a little differently, because it's hard to find a catcher who does things like he does," Mattingly said.

On this date in 1990, Ramon Martinez won his 20th game of the season with a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres, his MLB-best 12th complete game of the season. Martinez, 22, was the youngest Dodger to reach the milestone since Ralph Branca in 1947.

On this date in 1993, Mike Piazza drove in a run against the Giants to give him 107 runs batted in on the season, to set a new Dodgers rookie record. The previous record was set by Del Bisonette in 1928. Martinez also happened to start that game for the Dodgers, but suffered the loss.

Starting Lineups

Giants (93-66)

Pagan CF (S)
Scutaro 2B
Sandoval 3B (S)
Posey C
Pence RF
Belt 1B (L)
Nady LF
Crawford SS (L)
Cain P

Dodgers (84-75)

Ellis 2B
Ethier RF (L)
Kemp CF
Gonzalez 1B (L)
Ramirez SS
Victorino LF (S)
Cruz 3B
Ellis C
Harang P

Game Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

MLB Gameday

Reds at Cardinals (in progress)