With Fernandez, It Was a Question of Leadership

Face it, Sid Fernandez is a very successful reclamation project of Mets’ Manager Davey Johnson, not necessarily a trade gaffe for the Dodgers.

Tommy Lasorda has offered no evidence that he has the leadership qualities that could have influenced Fernandez to lose enough weight to become an effective pitcher. Many fans remember the former UCLA and pro basketball player, Willie Naulls, who was an under-performer known as the Whale with the Knicks, but improved dramatically when he lost tonnage for Red Auerbach.

That’s what great leadership accomplishes.

JIM GOLDEN

Westwood