This is where the general Southern California-oriented blogger writes about the Los Angeles Dodgers, what with the club opening the National League Championship Series at home tomorrow versus the Chicago Cubs.

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days, and I’ve got only one contribution to make to the discussion:

If Clayton Kershaw pitches like he has for most of his Dodgers career, the club will play in the World Series for the first time in 29 years.

If, however, he pitches like the Clayton Kershaw who turns into a pumpkin in October, the Dodgers will go home after this round for the second-year running and third in five.

Kershaw’s struggles in the postseason are well-known. The 5-7 record, the 4.63 ERA in 19 games and 95 innings. The 25.00 ERA in the seventh innings of his playoffs career.

In the divisional round, Kershaw gave up four home runs to the Diamondbacks, two of them in the seventh inning. To Ketel Marte and Jeff Mathis, two of the weakest hitters in the playoffs.

Yes, more than a little scary, though the Dodgers won the game, 9-5. But if Kershaw lets the Cubs knock him around like that, the Dodgers probably will lose his two starts, and it is very hard to imagine them winning the series with their ace going 0-2 instead of 2-0.

Will the unhittable Kershaw of so many regular-season starts make an appearance? Or will it be the ace with the feet of clay who hemorrhages runs when the games mean even more?

Now, we wait to see.