Early season schedule demands quick start for Dodgers

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

OK, that’s enough of that. Enough of messing around with completely outmanned teams. With letting them think they can compete.

You know when the Dodgers need to step up and act like a championship team?

Right now.

Yeah, I know. It’s Game 2 of 162. A baseball season is full of ups and downs, streaks good and bad. Useless to get too excited about any single period or stretch.

Except . . . for a team that has undergone precious little upgrade, this early part of the season could prove significant. Maybe even pivotal.

The Dodgers’ early schedule appears very favorable. And they need to take advantage of that.

Eleven of their first 14 series will be against teams that had losing records last year . . . only nine of their first 41 games against teams that were over .500 . . . and just one series against a playoff team (Colorado)

That’s over six weeks of highly winnable baseball. Games they need to excel at, because it’s only going to become more challenging after that.

Later come games against the Cubs, Phillies and Cardinals, against the Angels, Red Sox and Yankees.

By then, the Dodgers need to have established themselves as a championship-caliber team. Which means these April games are key. Game 2 of the season is Wednesday, and it’s time to get after it.

--Steve Dilbeck