Opening Day: #CapsOn Dodgers Opening Day Gets Early Reminiscing Started

Happy Opening Day! From San Pedro to Porter Ranch, Palos Verdes to Whittier, all is well in Los Angeles as the first pitch for the Dodgers is set to take place at 1:10 pm PDT versus the San Diego Padres.

Opening Day is a phenomenal time for baseball fans – every team is optimistic, the crack of the bat and the smell of grass shavings signify that its time to get those beach bodies ready and baseball caps on.

It’s also been a successful time for the Dodgers in recent years, as they are currently in the midst of a six-game winning streak. Perhaps not a coincidence, all six were started by Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is slated to take the hill today with an unthinkable 0.93 ERA in his previous six starts. For me, personally, it is a time filled with joy and great Dodger memories:

I was there in 1988 when Steve Sax led off the Dodgers season with a home run. That was the Opening Day that I fell in love with baseball. That was also the last year that the club won the World Series.

I was also in the stands in 2009 when the “O-Dog,” Orlando Hudson, legged out a triple to complete the cycle, only the second in the history of Dodger Stadium and the first Dodger to do so in 39 years.

I was lucky enough to be in attendance in 2013 when Clayton Kershaw dominated the Giants with a shut out. Even more memorably, he provided the difference on offense with a home run of his own, in what still stands as the only bomb of his distinguished career.

The last time Kershaw was not the Opening Day starter was 2010 when the eminently forgettable Vicente Padilla received the assignment from manager Joe Torre. The Dodgers fell to the Pirates that day, 11-5. Though the year was a borderline disaster, it was the year Clayton Kershaw started to turn into the Best Pitcher on the Planet.

Since then, he has taken the ball and never looked back – not even in 2012, when he nearly vomited after legging out a double and had to be removed from the game after three innings. The Dodgers still won the ballgame, 5-3.

The Dodgers have the NL's longest active Opening Day winning streak at 6, corresponding with Clayton Kershaw's first Opening Day start.
— Joe Davis (@Joe_Davis) April 3, 2017

I remember opening days started by Derek Lowe, in the midst of Barry Bonds’ fantastic run. The surly Kevin Brown nabbed the ball three times, following up Ramon Martinez’ run as four-time Opening Day starter. Martinez allowed a majestic bomb to Mark McGwire, foreshadowing the red-headed slugger’s march toward 70-home runs.