Settling the score.

So, we're two days into the MLB season and the league showed off a brand new Los Angeles Dodgers team by leading off their season with their west coast rivals, the San Francisco Giants. The young Clayton Kershaw, often touted as the next Sandy Koufax, was the grand opening. The 2011 Cy Young award winner has been considered a golden goose for the boys in blue as they have struggled over the last couple of years amidst ownership and team turnover.

The golden goose didn't disappoint, giving the Dodgers their first win of the season. A first win that meant more than just a 1-0 standing. A win that proves this team has really had this all along, but just hasn't been nurtured properly. Hopefully that is all changing this year with the new wind beneath their wings, and a payroll that rivals that of the New York Yankees.

The Dodgers went on to be defeated in their second game, but not without a fight. So, we're 1-1. We have 160 games to go in the regular season, and the third game in the season, the third game of this series, is really the one that I'm watching.

The always-dreaded Giants starter, Tim Linsecum, returns to the Dodgers mound tonight, and fans from Northern and Southern California will be paying close attention. Although Linsecum had a shoddy 2012 season with just 10 wins and a 5.18 ERA, the kid still shut out super star slugger, Matt Kemp. Kemp went 0-8 against Linsecum with four strikeouts. He was pretty much the only pitcher he couldn't get a hit off of.

With a shoulder injury in the not so distant past, and a slow start in the first two games, Kemp may show Linsecum what he's been saving his energy for. A true blue Dodgers fan can only hope that he comes out of the clubhouse swinging for the fences, but this time actually makes a connection with the ball.

We've got about an hour before we find out...

(image courtesy of baseballanimals.com)

Dodgers blowing their lead.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took one in the rear in the 10th inning when Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who went 2-5 with 2 RBIs, lined one into center field with one out and the bases loaded.

Another blown save by the crumbling Dodgers after starting strong from the get go. Matt Kemp scored on a single by Andre Either (3-4, 1 RBI) at the front of the first inning, and my hopes were up. Casey Blake homered out to deep left center field, and we were rockin'. But our dear, sweet child of a pitcher, Clayton Kershaw allowed two runs on 4 hits before being yanked from the mound after 6 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers relief pitching and game changing errors have narrowed their lead in the NL West to just two games. I'm getting tired of being let down by my team late in the game, although Los Angeles manager Joe Torre remains hopeful that the boys in blue will hold on to their #1 slot. I recall us kicking some major ass with a killer offensive lineup sans Manny Ramirez a few weeks ago. Hint, hint.

Get it together, boys. And tell Frank I said to pony up a little more in the budget for some real pitching.

First of the year.

Every day gets a little more exciting for me as we creep closer to opening day. Today, I met up with some friends to watch the first televised game of the year for us Dodger fans. We played the Chicago White Sox in a pretty uneventful game. Half the time we were wondering who the hell was pitching, and I think I missed every single run scored because it was also a birthday celebration that included some non-baseball fans.

Regardless, the Dodgers took a loss 3-2 in one of the lowest spring training scores we've seen so far. I'm still just waiting for Kershaw to come out throwing gas. He's definitely not a favorite of the three in the running to be our season opener. Although that would be my choice.

Anyway, the Lakers took a loss to Shaq and his Phoenix Suns. We caught the last 2:48 of the game once we were done with baseball. Poor Kobe. He's probably crying himself to sleep.