Giants Send a Message: Look Out, Dodgers

By Mitch Chortkoff

Sports Editor

The Dodgers have been favored by numerous media outlets as favorites to win the World Series.

Their off-season spending spree, totaling a record $240 million, is the primary reason.

But championships are decided on the field, and on the Dodgers' home-opening weekend they got all they could handle from the long-time rival San Francisco Giants.

As the Giants won two of the three games they proved to be a worthy opponent for the Dodgers.

A very worthy opponent.

I'm impressed that the Giants, who won the World Series in 2010 and 2012, have added power hitters Hunter Pence and Mike Morse to an already potent lineup.

Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval are the Giants' biggest name talents on offense but having new backup help adds to their credibility.

I recognize the vast potential of this Dodger roster, but I'm waiting to see how the parts will fit.

There are certainly questions, like will there be enough work for the multitude of closers the Dodgers have assembled.

Chris Perez, a closer with Cleveland, now appears to have the job with the Dodgers of pitching the seventh inning. Will he be satisfied with that?

There' so much uncertainty right now. Matt Kemp hit two home runs Sunday when the Dodgers got their first win over the Giants. Is that something the Dodgers can expect to happen often? We don't know.

Dee Gordon is trying to win the second base job but he's a converted shortstop, so again we don't know.

Clayton Kershaw is recovering from an injury that seems tricky. No timetable has been announced but it wouldn't be a surprise if he misses two months. That's two months without baseball's best pitcher.

And catcher A.J. Ellis has been injured and may miss a month.

So the Dodgers will try to become the team many experts are praising. And the Giants will do their best to be right there at the finish along with the Dodgers.

The Giants have a proven manager in Bruce Bochy and they came to L.A. prepared to ignore the Dodgers' hype and bring on the battle.