The state of the LA Dodgers heading into Spring Training 2018

GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 11: Joc Pederson (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 11: Joc Pederson (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

The Road to October Begins in Arizona

January is almost over. Clayton Kershaw and Alex Wood will be en route to Glendale, AZ in two weeks. Austin Barnes will be catching Kenley Jansen’s cutter in no time.

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The Dodgers are just 16 days shy of embarking on the road back to the World Series.

LA shares Camelback Ranch in Glendale with the Chicago White Sox. Pre-season exhibition games begin on Feb.23 and end on March 25, four days before Opening Day in LA vs. the Giants.

In the grand scheme of things, these games don’t mean much at all. But the Dodgers can’t just jump back into July 2017 form. They need to regroup and move past Game 7 as a team.

The purpose of Spring Training isn’t simply to play small games in front of far smaller crowds. The purpose of it is to recognize the team you were the previous year, and either be that team again or move on from it completely.

The Dodgers have work to do.

Next: A First-Timer at Dodgers Fan Fest: My Review

That in mind, the joyful moments that accompany the sound of “California Love” in the 9th inning are almost here.

Are you ready?