Giants, Padres open three-game series

SAN DIEGO -- While the Dodgers, Rockies and Diamondbacks are spending the final two weeks of the regular season battling for the National League West title and possibly a wild-card berth, the division's other two teams will be meeting each other six times for absolutely nothing.

Half of the San Francisco Giants' final 12 games will be played against the San Diego Padres, starting with a three-game series opening Monday at Petco Park. The bottom two teams in the NL West will then meet again at AT&T Park on Sept. 24-26.

Both the Padres and Giants could still play a role in deciding who goes to the playoffs. The Padres have three games remaining with the Dodgers in Los Angeles and host the…