SI.com posted Athlon Sports' 2007 Team-By-Team MLB Preview, and the Dodgers' entry is a great "jumping on point" for those of you who haven't been maintaining daily recaps this offseason. What's more, they also speak highly of the Dodgers. It's worth a read but here's the cliff notes:
Final Analysis
There was a time when the Dodgers' farm system was the envy of the major leagues. From 1992-96, Los Angeles produced five consecutive Rookie of the Year winners, including Mike Piazza and Raul Mondesi. But then the tap ran dry for the better part of a decade. In recent years, however, the drafting and development side of the organization has been rejuvenated (even as the front office went through five general managers in a six-year span) and the products of that rebirth have begun to reach the majors. Last year's 25-man playoff roster included seven rookies, and more homegrown talent is on the way from an organization now ranked as the deepest in baseball. GM Ned Colletti has adeptly built a veteran lineup around that developing talent, and the Dodgers could be the team to beat in the National League West for years to come....
It has been a long time since the Dodgers were more than bit players in the postseason. They haven't won a playoff series since their 1988 World Series victory and have won only one playoff game in that time. That could change soon. The additions of Schmidt and Wolf have given the Dodgers the kind of pitching that takes a team deep into October, and the emergence of young talent like Martin provides a foundation for continued success. In an NL West where everyone else seems to be treading water, the Dodgers have the look of an emerging power.
Almost as if Colletti himself wrote this! Still, it's nice to hear...let's hope we live up to the hype in 2007.
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