Cue the Organ

It's almost time. The weather's changing and the days are growing longer. Scully's voice draws closer and I can almost taste my first Dodger dog of the season. Time to finalize the rotation and get the bench straight. So much work has been put into building the roster and soon enough we'll see if it at least brings us the west. On paper the 09 version of LA's finest looks to not only improve on its eighty four win season, and league championship highs from a year ago, but to move on and win this beloved franchise's seventh world title.

First the big news is we signed Mark Loretta. (Just kidding) We got Mannywood for this year at least and he brings that long overdue bat we have been trying to acquire ever since we let Tommy's godson away. As always, the big question with Manny is will he be worth the headache. His antics have been well documented in the media, his defensive skills are lacking and you got to wonder when he gets bored. Hopefully Torre can keep him in line and focused on winning a title. This year should be the year Kemp finally breaks through. He has the size, strength and potential to break 30/30 this year. Ethier should continue to improve and Martin returns behind the plate as the game's best catcher. Furcal should continue to be one of the game's best leadoff hitters and hopefully he can provide the organization a full and healthy season. Casey Blake will be holding down the hot corner this year and hit for average while providing the best beard in the majors. Taking him off the free agent market was in this opinion, the organizations best move this winter. Anchored by a supporting cast that includes the aforementioned Loretta , the newly signed starting 2^nd baseman O-dog, DeWitt, "Mr. Ronrey" James Loney, and various comers and goers from Albuquerque, this team shouldn't have a problem producing runs this year.

Pitching is another story. After losing two solid and very ungrateful starters in Lowe and Penny, this latest incarnation of the Dodger starting rotation is shaky at best. Chad Billngsley returns as the staff ace after a shaky 08 post season. Kuroda is being elevated to a number two while Wolf and last season's darling Kershaw round out the top four. The battle for the five hole is between Macdonald, another one of the heralded youngsters, a returning Jeff weaver, a rebuilt Jason Schmidt, and a cavalcade of rising stars and tired retreads. If anything this will be the weakness of this year's Dodger club. With lack of a star pitcher teams traditionally rely on a strong bullpen to keep them afloat. This year Broxton is being thrown into the fire as this season closer. It will be interesting to see if he can hold down that role over the entire season. Few doubt that he'll fail in this new role; it's more the path to Broxton that worries everyone. Uncertainty surrounds Kuo, and the newly signed Will Ohman. At least we got Joe Beimel. Oh wait…

In summation, the Dodgers should win the West this year. The rest of the division is weak with the Padres rebuilding, the Rockies losing Matt Holiday, and even though the hated ones have some pitching prospects the Giants have no bats in their lineup. (Ha ha!) The only real competition should come from the desert and those pesky D'Backs. After winning the West, the Dodgers should do some damage in the playoffs (when was the last time anybody said that?) and make their way towards the World Series. It's been twenty one years since the magic of '88, and it's high time the Dodgers take their place at the top of LA's sports landscape. Dodger dogs anyone?

Projected record: 98-64

World Series: Dodgers over Red Sox in 7

THINK BLUE