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Dodgers: Magic beyond the magic number

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The Dodgers could enter the postseason with the worst record of any playoff team -- and the best draw.

Here’s why: The Dodgers are on the verge of clinching the National League West, with a magic number of three and champagne in the forecast as soon as Thursday. If the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets both qualify for the playoffs, one as the National League East champion and one as the wild card, the Dodgers would play whichever team was the NL East champion. If the Phillies and Mets can jump a few games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the next few days, they can set up their starting rotation for the playoffs.

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But the Brewers start CC Sabathia today, and they’re just one game behind the Mets, 2 1/2 games behind the Phillies. If the Brewers catch up -- and if the races for both the NL East and NL wild card extend to Sunday -- then the Mets would be scheduled to start Johan Santana and the Phillies would be scheduled to start Cole Hamels.

That would preclude Santana and Hamels from starting Game 1 of the playoffs, and then the Mets and Phillies would have to decide whether to use their ace on short rest in Game 2 or hold him for Game 3. In the meantime, the Dodgers would be sitting pretty, with Derek Lowe rested and ready for Game 1 and Chad Billingsley set for Game 2.

So Dodgers fans ought to be rooting for the Brewers to play well enough to force a Sunday that matters for the Mets and Phillies -- but not so well that the Brewers actually win the wild card. That would send the Dodgers to Chicago to open the playoffs against the best team in the NL -- the Cubs, with Carlos Zambrano rested and ready for Game 1.

--Bill Shaikin

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