Shaikin: How 'Beat L.A.' became entrenched in the Dodgers-Padres rivalry lexicon

SAN DIEGO —  I walked into the Dodgers’ team store the other day and asked whether I could buy any “Beat SD” merchandise. Of course not.I walked into the San Diego Padres’ team store Monday. I did not have to ask whether I could buy any “Beat L.A.” merchandise.The rack of “Beat L.A.” shirts stared me in the face as soon as I entered the store. There are no other words on the shirt: nothing about San Diego, or the Padres. It is a rallying cry at Petco Park, but it is also a civic mission statement. The San Diego Padres are selling “Beat LA” T-shirts in their team store. (Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times) Above the rack of “Beat L.A.” shirts: more shirts, with this message: “SD > LA.”Each shirt costs $49. On Tuesday, the Padres host the Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. In the hours preceding the game, a team store staffer said, the shirts would sell briskly.“Like grab-and-go,” she said.The…