WRITE ON! DODGERS COLUMNISTS.

We're looking for a diamond in the rough, so to speak.

If you've got strong opinions about the Dodgers and the rest of Major League Baseball, here's your chance to tell the world what you see and what you think.

Compile a column no longer than 300 words (we'll count them!) on the Dodgers or the major leagues and e-mail it to [e-mail] by 9 a.m. June 5. Be sure to title your entry and include your name and daytime phone number. Employees of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and professional journalists are ineligible to participate.

Entries will be narrowed to a field of 16 finalists who will then compete head-to-head, March Madness-style, and all entries will be posted at dailynews.com unless they are disqualified because of inappropriate, vulgar or potentially libelous content.

Two pairs of finalists will go one-on-one on an assigned topic each week, with submissions running in Sunday's sports sections beginning June 18. Four more finalists will appear each Sunday until a winner emerges in early August.

Judging will be done by columnist Steve Dilbeck, Sports Editor Jon Clifford and by readers via dailynews.com. Online votes will serve as a tiebreaker only.

First prize is a credential and an assignment: Write a live column from a Dodgers home game later this season.

So keep it clean, be accurate with the facts. Entries will not be edited for grammar, spelling or style. Mistakes and inaccuracies will be held against you. Be on time, meet the deadline or you won't stand a chance. And lastly, have fun sharing your opinions. We want your thoughts on the boys in blue and the rest of the majors.

Write on!