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Dodgers: Ranking the best Opening Day lineups in Los Angeles history

By Jeffrey Bellone

LOS ANGELES, CA - 1958: Ex-Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella meets with Pee Wee Reese at the batting cages in 1958 in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - 1958: Ex-Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella meets with Pee Wee Reese at the batting cages in 1958 in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo Reproduction by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1994: Mike Piazza #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs the bases against the Philadelphia Phillies during a Major League Baseball game circa 1994 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Piazza played for the Dodgers in 1991-98. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1994: Mike Piazza #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs the bases against the Philadelphia Phillies during a Major League Baseball game circa 1994 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Piazza played for the Dodgers in 1991-98. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

4) 1994: The Rookies of the Year

If you grew up a fan of this team in the nineties, you probably had a poster of Eric Karros or Mike Piazza in your bedroom. The Dodgers were in the midst of dressing a Rookie of the Year every season back then, with Karros handing the award to Piazza who handed it over to Mondesi (who eventually handed it over to Hideo Nomo in 1995). The 1994 Opening Day lineup featured three of these young stars.

Los Angeles Dodgers
1994 Opening Day
Batting
Delino DeShields 2B
Brett Butler CF
Mike Piazza C
Eric Karros 1B
Tim Wallach 3B
Henry Rodriguez LF
   Mitch Webster PR-LF
Raul Mondesi RF
Jose Offerman SS
Orel Hershiser P

Piazza continued to amaze with his second Silver Slugger award while smashing .319/.370/.541 from the catcher position. Erik Karros had a down year, but still provided protection in the middle of the lineup with a .426 slugging percentage.

With a core of young talent, the ’94 lineup also received production from two veteran players in Brett Butler and Tim Wallach, both proving one of their best years was ahead of them at advanced points in their careers. Wallach cracked 23 home runs, his most since 1987, and even received a few MVP votes. Butler helped set the table at the top of the lineup, hitting .314 with a .411 on-base percentage. He still had his speed, too, as he led the National League in triples with nine.

Of course, this opening lineup was made complete with the Bulldog, Orel Hershiser, on the mound. At this point of his career, he wasn’t the pitcher he once was , but he was still effective during his final season with the Dodgers.

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