April 4

Sports

Torre vs. Torii: The Dodgers and Angels Step Up
By Tony Serri

I was listening to recap of the Dodgers opening day victory when a familiar voice intoned, "We will work hard, I can guarantee that, and we'll give the fans a show each and every night". That's when it really hit me.

Joe Torre is the manager of the Dodgers.

Yes, Joe Torre, whose integrity, passion, success and intelligence have made him baseball's version of Walter Cronkite. Torre spoke animatedly. This was not the beaten down and stoic Torre, of the past few years, the keeper of the Yankee asylum. Joe's words were quick and his enthusiasm as palpable as a mass on Roger Clemens' buttocks. I felt that he sensed he was with the right team at the right moment.

Everything about the Dodgers signing of Joe Torre has felt natural and familiar. Watch Joe and Tommy Lasorda together, and you know that he immediately and gracefully insinuated himself into the Dodger family without threatening Tommy's status as Dodger Godfather Emeritus. His Dodger blue uniform fits him as stylishly as his old pinstripes, and Joe, the former National League MVP, seems excited about playing the old brand of NL hardball again.

Last years "kids versus the old guys controversy"? Easily snuffed out. To the man who dealt with the Boss in NY, the Dodgers situation was like a cigarette butt to Smokey the Bear. Everything that Torre was supposed to bring to the Dodgers, he has brought. There is a sense of urgency, yet without the air of panic and mania some other big name managers, like Lou Piniella carry with them. He's here to win, for sure, but he won't sell his soul or bust a gut to do it.

His Dodgers are a talented team. Last year's lineup was solid, if somewhat lacking for power. The signing of Andruw Jones and the maturation of James Loney should close the power gap. The Jones signing not only gives the Dodgers a big bat and a spectacular glove, but most importantly, it puts Juan Pierre on the bench.

All around, things feel good for the Blue. It's not quite Fernando-mania yet, but if the Dodgers take this division, I suspect that Joe, like Lasorda, will never pay for a meal in this town again.

Down the 5 and across the 57, Arte Moreno landed his own little gem when he picked up perennial Gold Glove winner and big bat, Torii Hunter. Hunter was arguably the best off-season acquisition of any team, because he gives the Angels a much-needed infusion of star power. They play in the second biggest market in the U.S, yet the Angels have a small-town, mid-West feel to them.

They have been the Minnesota Twins, but with better tans.

And as successful as the Arte's Angels have been, they have been brushed aside in their last three post-seasons. In the American League it takes big, scary bats and lots of them to win it all. The Angels only big bat has been Vladimir Guerrero and as good as he is, Vlad can't do it alone. Hunter brings solid power numbers in support of Vlad and his presence in front or back of Guerrero will only improve Guerrero's production. Throw in his spectacular glove and Hunter is the player the Angels hoped they were getting when they signed Gary Matthews Jr. in 2006.

The Angels are as close to a lock to win their division as there is in baseball. They still seem to be one big bat away from scaring the other AL bullies, but that bat could develop in the form of Casey Kotchman or Howie Kendrick. Or it could rise from the grave in the form of Garrett Anderson.

For the first time in years, both the Dodgers and Angels are teams on the uptick. But there's a lot of baseball to be played before we start talking Freeway Series. Still, it's a tantalizing possibility. An Angels-Dodgers World Series would be quite a spectacle for Southern California fans.

Some of them might even stay past the 6th inning to watch it