The Dodgers are expected to be a contender again this season, and with the starting pitching expected to be a question mark once you get through the top three of Kershaw, Billingsley and Kuroda, the bullpen was expected to be a strength that would help alleviate the question marks at the back end of the Dodgers’ rotation.  That expected strength has turned into question marks early this season, however, with Sherrill struggling, Kuo hurt, Bellasario having off-field issues and a group of unprovens trying to get on track.  Heck, even Jonathan Broxton is said to be seeing a dip in his velocity, which for a power pitcher is never a good thing.  Its only the first week of the season, but so far the Dodgers’ bullpen has not inspired confidence.

NOTES:  Andre Ethier celebrated his 28th birthday with a key hit to plate 2 runs in a key eighth inning pinch-hit appearance to put the Dodgers ahead by a run (a lead they would later surrender due to Sherrill’s ineffectiveness).  Manny Ramirez got his 2500th career hit on a little check swing dribbler down the third base line that intially went foul but then crept back into fair play as pitcher Josh Johnson picked it up off the chalk.  Ironic how one of the most prolific power hitters the game has ever seen in Manny Ramirez ends up getting his 2500th hit on an 8 foot roller down the line.

1. Vernon Wells:  A former top 20 fantasy player who has battled injuries over the past year and a half, Wells is finally healthy and off to a blazing hot start with four home runs and 7 RBI’s through 3 games.
2. Garret Jones:  The 28 year old outfielder for the Pirates has three home runs and six RBIs in his first three games against a Dodger’s pitching staff that was one of the best in 2009.
3. Chris Young:  The padres hurler who had a miserable and injury filled 2009 campaign, pitched six 1-hit innings and notched 5 strikeouts in win during his first start of the season.  The former 167 k performer with a career average ERA in the 3′s should rebound nicely from his miserable 2009.

The Dodgers take a rested group of regulars (but an overworked bullpen) to Florida for the start of a three game weekend series before heading home for next Tuesday’s season opener against the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks.

• Gasol to be out until Christmas?  Just kidding…ha ha…maybe (Link).
• Bosh, Wade and Lebron on the same team in 2010?  Don’t count on it thanks to our failing economy (Link). Plus, Kobe tells Lebron to stop talking Free Agency (Link).
• Speculation that its not Stephen Jackson that is going to be out of Golden State soon but rather Don Nelson (Link).  Are Clippers interested in Jackson? (Link).
• Mike Dunleavy as good as gone? (Link).

MLB:

• Returning Home? Dodgers may move Sherrill for Edwin Jackson (Link).
• Wolf could be back in Blue (Link).
• Dodgers after Vazquez? Noooooot (Link).
• MLB.com confirms that Red Sox meeting with Lackey (Link).
• Orlando Hudson to New York? (Link).

For spending so much time talking about the biceps, abs and calf muscles of our athletes, its amazing that not much time is spent talking about the single most important attribute for men in choosing their mate…..physical looks.  Athletes are dissected and analyzed down to the most minuscule details, but we often pay little attention to their overall looks.  Well no more we say as we set out to anoint the ugliest athletes of our day.  There have been some doozies in the past, Dennis Rodman and his cross-dressing displays and A.C. Green’s ridiculous jheri curl come to mind.  In order to keep the article relevant, however, we’ve narrowed down our discussion to modern day athletes that are still lacing them up.

And, with the number one pick in the competition, the winner of this top 5 ugliest athlete contest goes to:

#1. Greg Oden.  The number one overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft has yet to display as much skill on the court as he displays ugly on the cover of sports magazines.  Mr. Oden proudly claims the number one slot on our list of ugliest athletes.

#2. Randy Johnson.  The man who failed in his attempt to revolutionize the mullet, Randy Johnson hits #2 on our list.  Johnson, known for his blazing fastball is rapidly approaching his 300th major league win…..which will give him one win for every acne scar on his lovable face.

#3.  Sam Cassell.  Often referred to as “the Alien,” the only uglier thing on Sam than his trash-talking mouth is his ridiculous dome.  At one point, Sam and #4 Ugliest Athlete selection Chris Kaman helped the Clippers put fear into the league for the first time in that franchise’s history…and no, it wasn’t because the team was a threat to win the game.

#4.  Chris Kaman.  Proudly dons the name “the Caveman,” Kaman has the straw thin long hair and asymmetric face to be number one on almost any Ugliest Athlete list.  We gave him a slide down to number four on this list because he’s been injured a lot over the past two seasons.  Another healthy season should help his stock rise to the top of our list.

#5. Ronaldino.  This guy is a soccer player so most sports fans in the United States wouldn’t even know who he was but for his horse-face and ESPN’s below the fold coverage of the World Cup a few years back.  Unfairly complimented as resembling Jar Jar Binks……..me thinks Jar Jar bes better looking yes yes.

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