Dodgers-Giants pregame words: Don Mattingly: ‘Stay humble.’ Bruce Bochy: “It could happen.’

In case you missed it, the Dodgers can clinch the National League West by beating the Giants today.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, in his pregame remarks to the media (above), was careful in choosing his words. After all, the Dodgers’ haven’t clinched the division just yet.

“It’s a good situation, obviously, that we’ve put ourselves in,” he said. “Anytime Clayton’s pitching, you feel pretty good.”

Giants manager Bruce Bochy seems to have embraced the possibility of losing the division with a slightly firmer handshake.

“We know it could happen,” Bochy said. “If it does, I’m not going to get caught up in what they do.”

Last year, the Dodgers celebrated the NL West title by jumping in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pool. This year, there’s no pool in sight: Just 24 cases of beer, 204 bottles of champagne and four cases of Martinelli’s sparkling cider — MLB doesn’t allow alcohol on the field — buried in the bowels of the stadium in case the Dodgers clinch.

In light of that, Mattingly had an interesting message to his players: Restrain yourselves.

“I know it’s a rivalry but in the situation, there’s a good chance if we’re able to do this tonight you want to stay humble because you have a chance of playing (the Giants) again,” Mattingly said. “They’re a championship team. They have a chance to move forward.”

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.