Even on Disabled List, He’s Not Forgotten

During the 1970s, I managed girls’ softball teams. Each season, we would draft new teams after the normal tryouts. Being involved in the local organization, I became well aware of who the “problem” girls were. They had a bad attitude, lazy performance and a total disregard for discipline or team effort. A couple of the problem girls were great players, but I refused to touch them with a 10-foot pole. I figured I would rather draft a player who wanted to play and let another team put up with the bad behavior from an otherwise exceptional player. My theory worked for us, as we fielded championship teams year after year.

So what about the Dodgers and their “problem” player, Darryl Strawberry? Why are they paying this person $20 million or so to be a pain in the backside? I am hoping that we Dodger fans won’t have to be subjected to this kind of behavior much longer. Wake up, Fred Claire! Get rid of your problem player.

CHERYL BELL

Los Angeles

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So, Darryl Strawberry can’t make it to work on time and he’s fined a day’s pay of $19,230. Bummer.

All of the Dodger talk-show announcers claim Disabled Darryl isn’t playing baseball for the money. They claim it is his love for the sport that keeps him playing (sitting?). I’ve got a great idea. Since Darryl is not playing, he should donate some or all of his salary to one of the deserving charities in town. Others should do the same.

I can hear Vin Scully now. “And on that strikeout, Eric Davis has donated a $50 book of Unocal autoscrip to the Boys Club of outer Azusa.”

TIM HANSEN

Encino