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)

The Rebirth...

I saw the Dodgers make a great post on their Twitter feed today.

30 days until we head to Camelback Ranch. 30 days until that threaded ball gets tossed around in the glistening Arizona sun. 30 days until baseball.

If you're new to me, you should know that I believe baseball to be the best six months out of the year. It's my church, my serenity, my favorite pastime. There's numbers, statistics, and explosions. There's always some sort of calm before the storm. A pitching game can turn into a four run lead in a matter of seconds. There's the thrill of that pennant chase. And as much as the guys on TV like to tell us who is looking to make into October, there's just no telling what could happen over summer.

With every burst of new talent, there are old horses waiting to go out to pasture. There are injuries. Sometimes there are scandals. The Dodgers have seen it all, and I am sure they are not through.

Regardless of the drama, we welcome the 2013 season with open arms, big hearts, and wide eyes. Because this year is finally shaping up for our boys in blue.

I know I'm hoping to see Matt Kemp, Chad Billingsley, and Ted Lilly all coming off of injuries feeling stronger than ever. If Kemp can drag Ethier up the rungs with him, I think the rest of the batting lineup will follow suit. Adrian Gonzalez had an outstanding 2012, and Hanley Ramirez is hoped to raise the bar as a wild card in this lineup. Newby, Carl Crawford aka "The Perfect Storm," completely rounds out this hurricane of a team.

Our pitching game is what finally looks glowing. The Dodgers have not had a pitching lineup like this in quite some time. Josh Beckett and Matt Greinke are expected to be quite the fire starters, but Clayton Kershaw and new Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will presumably have an exceptional season as well.

This team didn't come without a hefty price tag, but under new ownership and at the brink of a fresh year, there are finally worlds of possibilities for these guys.

Hey, MLB, watch us go. Go Blue!

Let the countdown begin....

Pre-season action for Kemp

Rumor has had it that Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp had been running around with none other than our beloved Princess RiRi. Looks like the above pictures are worth a thousand words. The two were recently spotted really enjoying one another's company in Cabo San Lucas.

I just hope he can hold his A-game on the field in the coming weeks as pre-season training kicks off. I think he might be the only player left on the Dodgers this year...but that's another story.

I will give credit where credit is due - that is one sexy couple. Rawr!

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.