Dodgers poised to make history in 2015

The reset button has been hit, and 2015 is upon us, with 2014 now but a memory. This year figures to be memorable for the Dodgers, one way or another.

The new front office, after turning over half the 40-man roster in just two months, could see its plans go up in smoke, at least in the short term, with slings and arrows awaiting should the team fall short of October after back-to-back division wins.

But with the talent currently in place, it seems difficult to envision the Dodgers not contending again for postseason success, which in itself would make franchise history.

The Dodgers have never, in its 131-year franchise history, made the postseason three consecutive years.

They haven't won 90 or more games in three straight seasons since 1976-1978, which is even longer than the 26-year World Series drought.

Two years ago, we looked back extensively at the 1988 World Series-winning Dodgers, with profiles of every player, and week-by-week recaps of the season, plus a detailed look at every postseason game. This year, well there won't be that level of nostalgic minutiae, though there are a few candidates for historical audit:

• This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1955 Dodgers, the 'Boys of Summer' who won the first World Series in franchise history.
• It's the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Dodgers, who behind Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Claude Osteen and Lou Johnson beat the Twins in seven games in the World Series, the club's fourth championship in 11 years and third in eight years in Los Angeles.
• The 1985 Dodgers won 95 games and were fascinating in their own way, led by Fernando Valenzuela, the breakout season of Orel Hershiser, and especially the torrid summer of Pedro Guerrero, the first of two Dodgers in six years to fall victim to Willie McGee.
• In 1995 baseball returned from the worst strike in its history, and the Dodgers won the division behind Mike Piazza, an in-his-prime Eric Karros, and the introduction of Hideo Nomo and Nomomania on the world.

So look for smaller vignettes throughout 2015, looking back on moments from one of these four seasons peppered throughout the decennial anniversary year. And here's to making this year one worth remembering in future years to come.