Daily Madden: Giants And Dodgers Are Rebuilding The Rivalry
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- In their second straight one-run victory over the Dodgers Wednesday night, the Giants moved into first place in the National League West, one game ahead of LA. "We have some legitimate rivalries right now with Los Angeles," John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew.
"If they weren't good and you weren't good, it wouldn't make any difference. But now they're good and you're good, and you're playing relevant, meaningful games." Early in the season, the Giants have already taken two series from the Dodgers.
"That doesn't mean you have a parade and throw confetti on them," John said, noting the Giants have already lost three games to the 4-14 Diamondbacks.
"It's when you play that dog team -- you know that team that's two and ten and you're ten and two -- no matter what you say, you kind of have a tendency for players to think this is going to be an easy one. And when you think this is going to be an easy one, that's when you get knocked out. So the coach and his motivational techniques, whatever they may be, are a lot more important when you're a good team and you play a bad team than they are when you're a good team and you play another good team."
(Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM.)