Clayton Kershaw, The Arrival

Here's what the boys at Baseball Tonight had to say about Sliced Bread's debut last night. As you probably already know, this was an event that not only us Dodger fans but fantasy dorks worldwide were pretty excited about, and something that makes sports so fantastic. Let's be honest with ourselves, the Dodgers are not a good baseball team. The top two in their rotation have won a grand total of 1 game this month (and that coming on May 2nd). Jeff Kent looks to be just about cooked. James Loney hasn't hit for about two weeks. The highest paid player in team history is on the DL (which may not be such a bad thing, obviously). Today they left 12 men on base in a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Cubs and very nearly caused me to throw my remote at the TV.

Someone like Kershaw gives us hope for a better tomorrow. I opted to wait 24 hours before writing about the fastball he blew past Schumaker and the jelly-leg he gave Troy Glaus in the first. Whether he ends up in Cooperstown or goes the way of one-time-prospect Edwin Jackson, having a prospect like Kershaw gives us a reason to believe. When was the last time you heard Dodger fans applauding pitches in the first inning? It's why we follow the box scores of AA teams on the other side of the country. It's why we send taunting emails to our friends who have the misfortune of being Giants fans. It's why we write blogs like this.

Photo via Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press