Opening Day! My Quick Preview

The best day of the year is finally here! All baseball fans should agree on that. Today gives every fan the chance to see the new faces on their team, the familiar faces we enjoy watching season after season, and best of all, a clean slate. Every team is 0-0. No chance for heartbreak or frustration yet. Today is a celebration of baseball.

I am an avid Dodger fan and will make my way to Chavez Ravine in a few hours to take in batting practice  and enjoy all the festivities. My dad, my sister, and I are regulars to Opening Day and this year my mom will finally be joining us. She's an accountant and Opening Day always falls during tax season so she usually can't break away from the office. But this year I got her and my dad tickets for their birthdays (greatest son ever) so she has to come :)

I will be documenting our day via my Facebook page and then will post on here later on to sum up our day. Stay tuned for that! But as for today...

The Dodgers take on the Hated Ones. For those non-Dodger fans, that is the San Francisco Giants. The defending World Series Champions. Still hurts to say that. One of the best rivalries in all of sports. If you've been to a Dodgers-Giants game, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The energy at these games is unbelievable.

My predicted starting lineup for today's game vs. Tim Lincecum (SF):

Dodgers vs. The Hated Ones (5:05 pm)
1. Rafael Furcal SS
2. Tony Gwynn Jr. LF
3. Andre Ethier RF
4. Matt "The Bison" Kemp CF
5. Juan Uribe 3B
6. James Loney 1B
7. Jamey Carroll 2B
8. Rod Barajas C
9. Clayton "Public Enemy No. 1" Kershaw P

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this lineup will fare against Lincecum. It's a really tough way to start the season, but the Giants are thinking the same thing. I expect (and hope for) a breakout season from Clayton Kershaw in 2011. If he pitches to his potential, he'll be in the Cy Young consideration by season's end. He needs to start off right today.

For those of you making your way to the game today, be safe! It's going to be wild at the Stadium and people can get out of control. See you at the game and Let's Go Dodgers! Think Blue.