Dodger fans keep wanting to relive Kirk Gibson and 1988 -- and this year might be their chance. It all started when GM Ned Colletti got in a nice left hook on the rival Giants through the process of "Addition by Subtraction," signing ace Jason Schmidt to a three-year deal. The signing gives the Dodgers a true #1 and adds more depth to a strong rotation that includes Derek Lowe, Brad Penny, Randy Wolf, and most likely Chad Billingsley.
Despite the strong pitching, the lineup packs as much punch as limp-wristed Melo (first player to 20 home runs leads the team!) so expect the Dodgers to make up for it with a lot of speed on the bases. The Juan Pierre/Rafael Furcal combo at the top reminds me a lot of the '03 Marlins with Pierre and Luis Castillo wreaking havoc, and we all know how that turned out. Between the two of them, they'll probably steal about 400 bases. Each.
A few more reasons to watch the Dodgers in '07 come courtesy of the bullpen. Takashi Saito is the best closer you've never heard of while setup man Jonathan Broxton is probably the only pitcher in the league who could strike out Barry Bonds one day, and play O-Line for the Packers the next. Lastly, don't you at least want to find out how many racoon, leather, meat hot dogs the population of Los Angeles can consume?
