Major League Baseball

Giants fans pitching in for bold banner

Published Jan. 31, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Pitchers and catchers are still a couple weeks away from reporting to spring training, but the trash talk for Major League Baseball's Opening Day has already begun on the west coast.

Fans of the reigning World Series champions, the San Francisco Giants, are raising money to pay for a banner that will read: "Giants 2010 Champs: BEAT LA" — to be flown high above Dodger Stadium, NBC Los Angeles reported Monday.

The longtime rivals, dating back to their early years in the New York area, square off in a three-game series starting March 31 and a group of Giants fans want to make their presence known with the message circling above the enemy's turf.

Giants fans have been encouraged to donate online in the effort to raise the $8,000 needed to get the banner airborne for 80 minutes per day. The group is reportedly 45 percent toward reaching its goal.

The Dodgers finished 12 games behind the Giants last season in the NL West.

San Francisco carried its division-winning momentum into the postseason on its way to the franchise's first World Series championship since 1954 — four years before the team left New York to settle in the Bay area.