Los Angeles Dodgers: Andre Ethier Rides the Wave of Good Karma in Dodgertown

Last year wasn't the best one Andre Ethier has ever had.

Yes, he had a 30-game hitting streak. And his batting average was a solid .292 for the second straight season.

But Ethier's OPS dropped .857 to .789, mostly due to a decrease in power. His slugging percentage went from .493 to .421, with his home runs plummeting from 23 to 11.

Playing hurt may have factored into that, however, as Ethier struggled with elbow and knee injuries. That right knee required surgery in the offseason. 

But toward the end of last season, Ethier acted like someone who would rather play for any other team than the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In late August, he complained to the Los Angeles Times' T.J. Simers about being put in the lineup when his knee was bothering him. That led to general manager Ned Colletti to grouse that Ethier was a chronic complainer who may not have really been hurt. 

Nasty stuff. But hard feelings can develop when a player wants a contract extension while the team isn't willing to give him one. 

But fast forward to 2012, and everything seems to be copacetic in Dodgertown. 

On Tuesday, the Dodgers had their home opener. And the occasion was even more special than usual, as the team and fans celebrated the 50th anniversary of Dodger Stadium.

That milestone, along with the wave of euphoria that came with the Magic Johnson ownership group buying the franchise from the dastardly Frank McCourt, elevated the mood around Chavez Ravine for the Dodgers' first home game of the season.

(However, Vin Scully's absence due to a cold cast a bit of a downer over the day, as Dodger Thoughts' Jon Weisman wrote.)

"You definitely feel a change, a more positive energy," Jose Legaspi told the L.A. Times.

Ethier apparently got swept up in all the positivity. His home run off Jason Grill with two outs in the eighth inning was the difference in the Dodgers' 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. What a nice present to himself on his 30th birthday. (The birthday serenade from the fans in right field was nice, as well.) 

And though it's surely too early to mention such things, that victory kept the Dodgers a half-game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West. 

Of course, pitching is a big reason for the Dodgers' early success. Clayton Kershaw was typically outstanding on Tuesday, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings. That was followed by one scoreless inning each from Kenley Jansen and Javy Guerra. 

But the Dodgers might have a cleanup hitter again.

Ethier is off to a great start, batting .316/.381/.842 with two homers and nine RBI in five games. Right now, he's keeping pace with Matt Kemp. While Ethier might not maintain that level of production, if he's able to return to his 20-homer, 85-RBI output, the Dodgers' lineup will provide some solid run support for the pitching staff. 

Putting up good numbers wouldn't hurt Ethier's pocketbook, either. He's a free agent after the season, and as already mentioned, contract extension talks haven't gotten very far.

Of course, that could easily change if Ethier stays healthy and shows he'd like to stay in Los Angeles. He's already playing for the team most expect to spend big money with the new $2 billion ownership. 

Hitting might not be the only area in which Ethier displays good timing.