Photos: Dodgers Opening Day
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants play each other 17 times, and Clayton Kershaw figures there's no better time than the season opener for Los Angeles to measure itself against the World Series champions.
The 23-year-old left-hander starts Thursday night against Tim Lincecum and the Giants, who dominated the headlines long after the Dodgers' season ended without a playoff appearance.
San Francisco's players will receive their championship rings in a ceremony before their second home game on April 9.
The Giants will be without two of their top players to start the season. All-Star closer Brian Wilson is on the disabled list because of a strained oblique, while Cody Ross, their best hitter during the playoffs, has a strained calf.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
