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In the myriad season previews and predictions posted by baseball pundits, the Dodgers' fate in 2011 is seen as a factor of rookie manager Don Mattingly's learning curve almost as much as of the dodgy roster of aging veterans, rookies and question marks (plus really good pitching.) But today at Dodger Stadium, all was sunshine and warm breezes. Vin Scully was back behind the mike, Davey Lopes was back in the first-base coaching box, and Mattingly wasn't challenged. Clayton Kershaw rolled a nice 7 innings — so nice an Opening Day job that you have to wonder if stardom has finally arrived — and the Dodgers beat the Giants 2-1. Ladies and gentlemen, the box score.
Festivities: Fernando Valenzuela threw out the first pitch, Placido Domingo sang the anthem, and the Dodgers unveiled a uniform patch honoring Duke Snider. There was also a moment of silence for victims of the Japan tsunami.
Media note: Janet Clayton, who for a few years had run the Dodgers' ThinkCure charity, joins Edison International on Monday as Senior VP of Corporate Communications.
* Morning update: A Giants fan was severely beaten in the parking lot after the game, and police are looking for two men who were wearing Dodgers garb. So not all sunshine.
Photo of Mattingly: MLB.com screen grab