Hitting. What A Concept!

Let's not get too excited only 2 weeks into the season. In 2005 the Dodgers started the season 12-2 and finished in 4th place at 71-91. The difference between this 10-3 start and 05's 12-2 start? The '05 team had no business bieng 12-2. They were awful. This team is not awful. In fact, if Ramirez continues to heat up, if Hudson, Ethier (NL Player of the Week) and Kemp stay reasonably hot, if Furcal hits like he always does, if Loney and Martin step it up just a notch (which they will) and if Casey Blake can hit at least .260, this team will be impossible to outscore. But the pitching ... If Billingsley and Kershaw become Koufax and Drysdale, the Dodgers will win the World Series in '09. However, that seems rather unlikely. My guess is they'll still be in need of an arm come mid-season. But so far, they've allowed the fewest runs in the NL and their bullpen has been solid. Now it's time to see what happens when they play teams outside their division, ie, real teams. The LA Times described the Houston Astros as woeful, at 4-8, but any team with Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Miguel Tejada, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence is far from woeful. I think they'll improve and they may give the Blue a little bit of trouble. There are still many questions: Every one of Kershaw's starts will be so telling. Can he put together 4 or 5 good starts in a row? James McDonald, meanwhile, suddenly can't get the ball over the plate and has thrown way too many pitches in his 2 starts. Bit of a disappointment. Will he bounce back or is he destined for Albuquerque? Will Eric Stults still be able to adequately repalce Kuroda while we wait for his oblique to heal? Will they be able to replace the injured Corey Wade in the pen? Will Hong Chi Kuo continue to struggle as he has his last 2 outings? This is why the season is 162 games long. The one question other teams should be asking about playing the Dodgers is, "How the hell do we get through that lineup?"

I played in my first organized game since 2004 on Saturday. There's something very wrong with my arm. I used to have a hose. Now I have no idea where the ball is going to go and my elbow is killing me. And I played 2nd freaking base. Also, I managed to pull a hammy but simply taking a step back and to the right on a liner to center. I MUST NOT BE OLD!! We played a team of 20 year olds and lost 6-1, but it was our first game as a new team. Offensively, I was 2 for 3, but the first hit - a hard grounder down the 3rd baseline on a first pitch fastball - would've easily been a double a few years ago. I'm in pretty good shape - lift weights 5 days a week, do an hour of sustained interval cardio on the treadmill and Arc Trainer 3 times a week, but in sprinting around the bases I almost passed away. Still, sore back, pulled hammy and sore elbow, it felt great to play again. I feel rejuvenated. I've momentarily forgotten my malignant troubles and can look forward to more at bats. And I gotta tell ya, right now, you can't get a ball by me. I just hope I can make the throw from 2nd to 1st and not channel Steve Sax.