• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brewers, Dodgers face higher expectations

Apr 2, 2007 - 2:38 PM LA Dodgers (0-0) at Milwaukee (0-0) 2:05 pm EDT

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Milwaukee Brewers hope to end a 24-year playoff drought. The Los Angeles Dodgers would like to win a postseason series for the first time in 19 years.

Hopes are high for Los Angeles this season as general manager Ned Colletti turned over the roster for the second consecutive year, picking up three-time All-Star pitcher Jason Schmidt, speedy center fielder Juan Pierre, and former 50-homer outfielder Luis Gonzalez.

The Dodgers earned a wild card last season, but were swept in the National League Division Series by the New York Mets.

Milwaukee also is being taken seriously as a postseason contender for the first time in years. The offseason additions of catcher Johnny Estrada and pitcher Jeff Suppan along with the development of emerging stars Bill Hall, Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks will go a long way in determining just how far this team can go this season.

The main issue for the Dodgers entering this season is whether the team can continue to score runs at the clip they did last season without a legitimate power hitter in the middle of their lineup. Despite finishing second-to-last in the National League in home runs (153), the Dodgers managed to score the fourth-most runs (820).

Perhaps the biggest key for the Brewers remaining in contention all season will be staying healthier than they have in past seasons. Being able to count on their ace taking the mound every fifth day will be instrumental in the team's quest to play meaningful games in late September.

Also keep an eye on Hall in center field. If he is able to remain in the outfield full-time, it will mean injury-prone players such as Weeks, J.J. Hardy, and Corey Koskie are staying healthy, stabilizing what can be an inconsistent defense.

For the visiting Dodgers, Derek Lowe gets his third consecutive Opening Day start. The 33-year old righthander has pitched at least 200 innings in four of his five years as a starter and was masterful against the Brewers in 2006, possessing a 1.17 ERA in two starts. Lowe was 16-8 with a 3.63 ERA last season.

Ben Sheets will make his fifth Opening Day start in the last six years for the Brewers. He has struck out at least eight batters in a game 32 times - in 73 starts - over the last three seasons. However, he has been plagued by a variety of injuries over the last two years, managing only 39 starts in that time.

Last season, Sheets went 6-7 with a 3.82 ERA.