Hiroki Kuroda turns out to be a...

Hiroki Kuroda turns out to be a bargain at $35 million and Jason Schmidt makes a strong return from shoulder surgery, making the rotation one of the best in baseball. The team’s promising young players, including Matt Kemp and James Loney, continue to progress. Andruw Jones returns to his old form (51 home runs in 2005, 41 in 2006) and provides much-needed power in the middle of the lineup. The competition for playing time at third base and left field leads to increased production from those positions. The calming presence of Manager Joe Torre helps create a unified clubhouse.

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WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG

Age catches up to Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent and Takashi Saito, forcing them to battle injuries that weaken the club in key positions. Jones fails to live up to his $36-million contract by extending his season-long slump of 2007, when he hit .222. Middle relievers carry their struggles from the spring into the season, resulting in several close losses. The fifth spot in the rotation becomes a weak spot because of the health issues of Schmidt, Esteban Loaiza and Chan Ho Park. Disappointing results cause clubhouse tensions from last season to resurface.