Now that Dodgers fans got what they wanted most during the off-season, they find themselves in a truly interesting situation; one unfamiliar to younger supporters of the Blue Crew.

They all want to believe: the Dodgers have a legitimate shot at the World Series.

After last season’s surge to the playoffs, it’s easy to get excited about L.A.’s chances. After all, if one or two pitches would have gone the Dodgers’ way maybe Philly would have never been able to change the momentum of the National League Championship Series in Game 4.

Despite losing to Philly, there was a buzz among Dodgers faithful not felt in 20 years. And, at the center of it all, Manny Ramirez soaked it all in, giving a performance that will never be forgotten.

Although several familiar faces have departed, the Dodgers have been able to retain most of their promising young starlets, added proven talent and retained their big bat.

But, as we approach the beginning of the season, several Dodgers fans were polled and voiced concerns about their beloved Bums. Interesting to note is that while so much attention has been focused on Manny, the most pressing matter is pitching…

1) Starters – The rotation begins with Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw, two young guns that impressed last season. Hiroki Kuroda seems like a solid third (and may turn out to be the most consistent of the bunch). Then, everything goes downhill. Did you hear Randy Wolf is back? Uh…did you know that, in 2007, Wolf purchased a house in Hollywood Hills from former Guns ‘N’ Roses guitarist Slash? Don’t know what to expect from Wolf. Jason Schmidt seems to have contracted Darren Dreifort disease the moment he donned a Dodgers jersey and might fall apart halfway into his first game. Lately, Claudio Vargas has emerged as a possible fifth. Who? Exactly…

2) Bullpen – With Jonathan Broxton taking over as the closer, no Dodger lead is safe. He has shown periods of brilliance and domination, but, then and again, he breaks down in glorious fashion. If Broxton can’t handle the job, Hong-Chih Kuo is a prime candidate, having proven to be quite reliable as a setup man. Cory Wade has shown he’s got some good stuff and hopefully continues to mature in ’09. The rest of the bullpen is a grab bag of young guys and veterans with no one really standing out. With a thin rotation, it’ll be traumatic for Dodgers fans to see how the bullpen performs with the heavy workload ahead for them this season.

3) Manny’s Health – With so many concerns about pitching, Manny needs to stay healthy. While Manny isn’t the whole team, he is the spark that lights the Dodgers’ bats, hopefully overcoming any pitching woes. However, when he complained of a sore hamstring in only his second spring training game, Red Sox fans called up their Dodgers buddies and began yelling, “I told you so! It begins with the hammy! Don’t trust him! Bah! Manny being Manny!” However, what people forget is his work ethic, which has raised many eyebrows among impressionable Dodgers youngsters. Don’t listen to all the Red Sox Chicken Littles of the world. Manny should be fine and the Dodgers bats will give many National League pitchers restless nights.

Team/Player Photos: Chicago Cubs v Los Angeles Dodgers on Jul 09, 2010

4) Beer and Restroom Lines at Dodger Stadium – Seriously, guys? You’re all a bunch of alcoholics! Yeah, it’s all good to get your drink on, but what do you expect after that third stale Bud Light? Seriously, though, this is one of the biggest perennial pet peeves of Dodgers fans. Unless you can afford seats in the lower sections of Dodger Stadium, you’re going to have to deal with long lines full of unnerved fans demanding relief…now! While the McCourts did a fine job redesigning the lower sections of Dodger Stadium, why not do it for the rest of the park? How about adding more concession lines? How about adding two or three more restrooms? Why must we deal with that trough? Enough with the trough! We demand solutions!

So, there you have it. If the Dodgers can address these concerns, then get ready for that parade in early November. It’s time to don those Manny wigs and animal skins. It’s time to unwrap that first DodgerDog of the season. It’s time for Vin Scully to croon us during those long hot summer nights. It’s time for Dodgers baseball.