Dodgers Need More Trades Than Tricks

Mike Piazza and other “adult” Dodgers should be ashamed of themselves for acting in such a juvenile manner toward Chan Ho Park. Hazing a person as part of a team building ritual, common in sports and fraternities, has no place, none whatsoever, in modern society. It is evil and an archaic holdover from another era. Park deserves an apology from everyone involved. Team spirit can be created in more positive ways.

JEFF HAMILTON

Cypress

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If my informal little poll over the last month or so is any indication, a vote of Angels season ticket holders would reject recent attempts by the new owner/manager to turn Anaheim Stadium into a Disneyland East. The message: Disney is confusing a ballpark with an amusement park; it’s not necessary to put on a show every half-inning for three hours during a major league ballgame.

The new owner should pay attention to the attendance figures for Coors Field, Camden Yards, and other new “old” ballparks, or or even attendance figures for “Field of Dreams” (the movie and the site): fans are seeking more (not less) tradition from the game.

If Disney proceeds on its present course, it will be making a serious miscalculation of fan reaction because it is confusing generic entertainment with the game of baseball. Ear-splitting [music], dancing bears, cheerleaders, bands on the dugout, and other antics are a turnoff and superfluous.

J.C. GARRETT

Newport Beach

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My guess is that the reason Bill Russell has yet to become a successful interim manager is because he probably has a long way to go before he masters the Lasorda method of communicating with the players. Doesn’t he bleepin’ know that every other bleepin’ word out of his bleepedy-bleep mouth has to be a bleeping swear word?

GENE MILLER

Huntington Beach