Letters: This Dodgers start is hard to believe

Who would have thought that as of April 26, the Dodgers would have lost 12 games and Clayton Kershaw would own one-third of the losses? If this keeps up, the Dodgers won’t have to worry about Kershaw opting out of his contract at the end of the season.

Jeff Hershow

Woodland Hills

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One Dodger hit and no runs in Kershaw’s latest five-inning stint, a typical outcome for all of his games except one, and typical of what little the Dodgers have done for him these past three years. He would never say or admit it, but I believe it’s much more likely that’s what’s bothering him and getting to him. I certainly don’t believe he’s lost it.

Look for him to find a good-hitting team to sign with next year: the Red Sox, Yankees, or Astros. Enough is enough.

Bob Murtha

Santa Maria

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Pedro Baez is the most reliable pitcher in the Dodgers bullpen. You can always rely on him, in a crucial situation, to blow the game. Everybody but Dave Roberts seems to know that.

Paul Kessler

Century City

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Unlike “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Buehler showed up Monday night, and then some. Vaughn Hardenberg

Westwood

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Sorry Cody Bellinger, record-holder for most strikeouts in a World Series, but the better team does always win. Losers make excuses and speak poorly of the other team for their victory. I mean victories, two out of three right? The better team scores more runs, makes more baskets, scores more touchdowns, than the other team. Kinda like the team that won the World Series a few months ago.

Alex Fernandez

Lakewood

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As Bill Shaikin wrote Sunday, spring training is especially important for pitchers to build up their stamina and techniques. Hopefully Kenley Jansen’s absymal start will serve as a lesson going forward to not take spring training off like he did this year.　

Ken Blake

Brea

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Kenley Jansen was often asked to pitch more than one inning during the 2017 march to the World Series. Management took the risk that Jansen could overcome working more than one inning at a time over a long season.　　

The trainers and coaches and Jansen himself have “no explanation for Jansen’s trouble.”

As an amateur pitcher I knew that a deliberate routine in preparation for and pitching in a game was very important. Clayton Kershaw manages his routine better than almost any professional in baseball.

Fans hope that Jansen, who is a very classy person and pitcher, finds his rhythm and command of pitches on the mound. We are rooting for him to succeed.

Tony Elia

Mission Viejo

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Bill Shaikin’s article “A Hall of Fame human” is a primer for aspiring athletes.

It should be required reading for professional hopefuls.

Dick Hotaling

Pasadena

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The fans who don’t get SportsNet LA are missing a mediocre baseball team and a TV broadcast crew that is like listening to paint dry. I mean, does anyone care if Orel likes sprinkles on his cupcakes?

D.G. Artis

Woodland Hills

The collegiate level

So Steve Alford fires his top recruiter in David Grace, despite a top-five recruiting class.

I think all the kids who signed their letters of intent should be able to transfer without penalty.

Wake up, NCAA.

Fred Wallin

Westlake Village

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During a period last weekend when you ran stories about a USC track athlete, a USC golfer, and high school baseball, you didn’t write one word about the UCLA-USC baseball series. So I will do it for you. UCLA swept the series 16-1; 19-2; and 7-3.

Alan Abajian

Alta Loma

What to do?

If superstar Zlatan “Legend in His Own Mind” Ibrahimović wants to endear himself to a wider L.A. fan base (read: non soccer fans like me) he can do us all a big favor: Personally recruit LeBron to play for the Lakers.

Stuart Weiss

Los Angeles

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The only thing worse than Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka running the Lakers is for them to take the advice of Bill Plaschke. Give up Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma for Kawhi Leonard? Great idea Bill, especially when Leonard has already stated that the only team he’s interested in playing for is the Lakers.

So show your hand early and lose two great players for a guy that can’t get along with one of the greatest coaches in the game? Makes sense, since Plaschke also said the Lakers must take Lonzo Ball, who can’t score and can’t go five games without getting hurt.

Note to all professional sports teams in L.A.: Do the opposite of what Bill Plaschke suggests.

Axel Hubert

Los Angeles

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In 1975, the Lakers made a blockbuster trade with Milwaukee that brought Kareem west. Hint, hint, Magic. Think Greek.

Alan Matis

Sherman Oaks

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This season the Clippers did not retain three star guards, Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick, but they kept the coach’s son. You could still see those first three in the playoffs, for three different teams.

The Clippers need new management.

Frederick Jacoby

Simi Valley

Draft daze

As a fellow UCLA Bruin, I was both disappointed by and ashamed of Josh Rosen’s post-NFL draft comments; and I think he owes an apology to each of the nine outstanding athletes selected before him.

There were not “nine mistakes” made ahead of him. There were, however, the conclusions of professional team executives that nine other talented players deserved to be chosen above Rosen. It’s going to be interesting

to see what the future will hold.

Irwin Zeke Warsaw

Marina del Rey

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I hope the New York Jets considered the history of USC quarterbacks in the NFL who were great in college and total busts as professionals, including the last one they selected. The list is long and distinguished: Leinart, Barkley, Sanchez, Booty, etc.　　 Obviously USC quarterbacks peak early, have short pro careers and then go into broadcasting or selling cars. Good luck, New York, with the latest one.

Jack Nelson

Los Angeles

I was on vacation

What’s happened to the sports letters? Two weeks in a row without UCLA alums sniping at USC followers, and vice versa. No attempts of irony or humor (by the way, adding an exclamation point to your message only shows you’re unsure we’ll get the joke). Not a single letter starting with the words “let me get this straight.” Just rational and intelligent commentary on the local and national sports scene.

Keep up the good work.

Robert Morton

Hawthorne

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