Guaranteed, They’ll Remember Tommy

When they pass out credit for baseball’s recovery from the moribund 1960s, Tom Lasorda’s arrival will be listed along with Carlton Fisk’s home run, Mark Fidrych, double-knit uniforms, the retirement of Curt Gowdy, the rise of the Yankees and the fall of Charlie Finley. Walter Alston won five pennants in this town, but Lasorda made Dodger baseball hip.

Has Lasorda been a great manager? I’m sure half the knuckleheads who called for his scalp after the 1985 playoffs would have pitched to Jack Clark. And I doubt Lasorda will ever receive proper credit for making all the right moves during the 1988 playoffs and World Series.

Baseball, the game of inches, is also a game of people. And Tommy Lasorda will be remembered long after Tony La Russa, Jim Leyland and the other managerial geniuses have retired.

Get well, Lasorda. And someday, Peter O’Malley, when you choose a successor, please, think personality.

MEL GRIFFIN

Altadena

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Over his 20 years as manager of the Dodgers, the media and fans have loved to bash Tommy for his occasional dugout naps, questionable use of the bullpen, overworking starting pitching and other strategic blunders from foul line to foul line. But all of that is just a kids’ game of baseball. Get well soon, Tommy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

SCOTT PIAZZA

Shadow Hills

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Mother Nature did what Peter O’Malley didn’t have the guts to do: Take Tommy Lasorda out of the ballgame. Lasorda may be good for baseball, but he isn’t good for the Dodgers. His fading motivational abilities don’t balance the fact his teams are underachievers, among the worst defensively in baseball, year in and year out. Put him behind a desk, or out in the country, but give him the golden handshake and send him on his way.

ELLIOTT MANTELL

Los Angeles

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Jo Lasorda and Geoff Witcher, the thoughtful talk-show host on KABC, were somewhat outraged at those insensitive fans who want to see Tommy hang it up. Well, the insensitivity belongs to Witcher and Jo Lasorda. Tommy is approaching 69 and has suffered a heart attack. There is nothing left for him to prove. He is an obvious first-ballot shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. Tommy doesn’t need to jeopardize his life by going back to the pressure pit of a bench manager during a pennant race.

Tommy should become an active ambassador for baseball, which it desperately needs, or on another pressure level, he would make a wonderful commissioner, replacing the silly Bud Selig.

It’s because we have such affection for Tommy that we urge him to step down.

GENE COFSKY

Tarzana