It is not yet opening day. Therefore, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain on top of the world.
They are the defending World Series champions, and they are favored by oddsmakers to become the first team in two decades to win back-to-back titles. Success has become routine. The Dodgers have won their division for eight years running and have appeared in the World Series three of the past four seasons, a run that no other current team can touch.
While noting how difficult it is to slog through the regular season and prevail in the crucible of flukiness that is Major League Baseball’s playoffs, Dodgers executives remain cautiously optimistic they can win again.