Dodgers Dugout: There’s no better feeling than beating the Giants (except winning a World Series)

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and could you all please stop looking at Madison Bumgarner.

It’s over

Yes, I am saying it. The Dodgers have a six-game lead with 10 to play and will win the NL West. The best way to end the season now would be to sweep the Giants next week and stop them from making the playoffs.

In the meantime, let’s get to some random thoughts:

--I was a little worried about the offense after the first two games of the series, but they eased those worries by beating up on Matt Moore, a left-hander.

--Madison Bumgarner doesn’t want people looking at him. Don’t be too hard on him, because I had a friend who was the same way. Then again, we were in the third grade at the time.

--Since coming back from the minors, Yasiel Puig is hitting .206, but he does have four home runs.

--Kiké Hernandez is hitting .280 in September, but he has struck out 11 times in 25 at bats.

--ESPN did a fine job of paying tribute to Vin Scully on Wednesday, including having him call the fourth inning for them.

--The best part? Scully flashing the Johnny Manziel money sign to the guy sitting next to him when the inning was over. That’s why he’s the best.

--Speaking of Scully, The Times has a lot of cool stories ready to go this weekend to celebrate his final home games, but in the meantime, Jayson Stark at ESPN, interviewed a ton of notable people and put together this great story on Scully.

--I heard your pleas and am happy to announce that all of the “What Vin Scully Means to Me” stories I have run in this newsletter, plus quite a few I received that I won’t have time to run, will be collected into a book and presented to Scully after the season.

--It was also nice for ESPN to ask Jaime Jarrin to sit in for a while during the broadcast Wednesday.

--Adrian Gonzalez needs six more RBIs to give him at least 90 in 10 straight seasons. Since 1961, the only players with streaks longer than that are Alex Rodriguez (13), Albert Pujols (12), Miguel Cabrera (11), Carlos Delgado (11) and Tony Perez (11).

--The magic number is now down to five.

--According to Nate Silver’s fivethirtyeight.com, here are the teams with the best chance to win the World Series: Cubs (24%), Red Sox (21%), Dodgers (12%), Nationals (8%), Indians (8%), Rangers (8%). The Giants have a 2% chance to win the World Series. It might have been higher, but Silver and his crew weren’t allowed to look at Bumgarner’s stats because it would hurt his feelings.

--The best part of the three games against the Giants may have been this tweet. Click here to see it.

--There’s still a handful of you that email to say that this team is not very good. Those same people also complain about the noise at parties and tell all those kids to get off their lawn.

--Giants center fielder Denard Span has the arm of a 5-year-old boy.

--This team reminds me more and more of the 1988 team. And you know who agrees? Orel Hershiser.

The rest of the schedule

HOME (4 games): Sept. 22-25 vs. Colorado

ROAD (6 games): Sept. 27-29 at San Diego, Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at San Francisco.

What Vin Scully means to me

I asked you to tell me your best Vin Scully memory, and I got a lot of responses. I will publish selected ones in each newsletter. And keep emailing them to me. In case you skipped it above, I heard your pleas and am happy to announce that all of the “What Vin Scully Means to Me” stories I have run in this newsletter, plus quite a few I received that I won’t have time to run, will be collected into a book and presented to Scully after the season.

Jay Curlee: My parents usually left their bedroom door open at night when I was 10 years old. On Sept. 14, 1961, I was trying to hear Vin call the game between the Pirates and Dodgers from the transistor radio hidden under my pillow 400 miles away in Scottsdale, Ariz. Mom and Dad were not sports fans, but they humored my interest. KFI’s signal would go in and out and no Phoenix station carried the game. It was probably about 11 p.m. and the Dodgers trailed in the ninth by two with two on. Vinny announced Duke Snider coming to the plate. Duke was my first Dodger hero. I know my heart was racing. “Long fly ball, deep to right field, she .. is.. GONE!!!!” I jumped out of bed and ran screaming down the darkened hall, slamming face first into the closed bedroom door.

Dazed, I remember my frightened mom opening the door, looking down me on the floor and asking me what was wrong? “Duke Snider just hit a home run to win the game,” She said: “That’s great, Jay.” (I remember it being relieved in tone.) Thanks Vinny. You narrated great stories and painted unforgettable pictures. You made me love the Dodgers, baseball, beautiful language, and you. And remember my saintly mom.

The TV situation

If you would like to complain about the Dodgers’ TV situation, you have three options: The Dodgers, Time Warner Cable and whatever local cable or satellite provider you have that doesn’t carry the Dodgers. Here’s who to contact:

For the Dodgers, click here or call (866) DODGERS ([866] 363-4377). (I hope you like form letters.)

For Time Warner, click here.

For DirecTV, call (800) 531-5000 or click here

For your local cable or satellite provider, consult your bill for the customer service number and for the website.

In case you missed it

What our great crew of Los Angeles Times reporters are saying about the Dodgers”

Dodgers rotation for the playoffs isn’t easy to set

Blind Dodgers fan relies on Vin Scully’s narration and the roar of the crowd

Clayton Kershaw is completely efficient, but he isn’t completely Kershaw

What others are saying

Dodgers have an embarrassment of LHP riches for the postseason

A detailed look at the Dodgers payroll

Sandi Scully, the wind beneath Vin’s wings

And finally

Vin Scully calls the ninth inning of Fernando’s no-hitter. Watch and listen here.

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me and follow me on Twitter: @latimeshouston