A Quarter-Billion Reasons Why Fans Are Incensed

Somebody notify the Sultan of Brunei. Baseball has just superseded him as the gaudiest, most laughably disproportionate show of opulence and greed on the face of the earth.

Will Scott Boras please turn out the lights after he closes down the show?

GARY DURRETT

Glendale

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This sort of thing has happened before. Check out what the gladiators were making--just before to the fall of Rome.

FRANK WALSH

Santa Monica

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At $170,000 per game, Alex Rodriguez gives new meaning to the phrase, “Let’s play two.”

JIM FREED

Santa Monica

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With regard to the Alex Rodriguez signing and salary, I have two words that sum up my feelings:

College sports.

BRIAN HAUETER

Ventura

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Alex Rodriguez received a 10-year, $252-million contract . . . or as Tiger Woods would call it: “pocket change.”

GARY A. ROBB

Los Angeles

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For the love of baseball, can’t somebody stop Scott Boras?

GREG GARNET

Canoga Park

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I give up! I’ve cheered the Dodgers for 50 years. I have poured countless dollars into tickets, Dodger Dogs and souvenirs. My sons and I have spent wonderful evenings watching the games, laughing and cheering. Baseball has been a big part of my life. But I won’t be renewing my season tickets this year. Somehow, someway, we all have to do something to bring baseball back to reason. $252 million? No, I just can’t participate in this insanity any longer!

EDWARD C. MARTIN

Mission Viejo

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It is outrageous, even obscene, what the Rangers are paying Alex Rodriguez. However, the guy does, at least, put up impressive numbers.

What’s the Dodgers’ excuse for what they’re paying Darren Dreifort?

How is it possible for a stiff like Dreifort to get a $55-million contract? Oh yeah, I forgot. Bob Daly and Kevin Malone.

JOHN FRASER

Camarillo

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So, let me get this straight:

The Dodgers say they’re satisfied with the moves they made (and didn’t make) at the winter meetings. All they did was re-sign the unpredictable Dreifort and sign Andy Ashby--a pitcher whose ERA was near 5.00 last season. In addition, they’re pursuing the orthopedist’s dream patient, Sandy Alomar Jr.

In taking themselves out of the A-Rod sweepstakes, the Dodgers still have only one reliable hitter in Sheffield, and they’re still weak up the middle. And, in ignoring Johnny Damon, they still have no reliable leadoff man. They still have no closer, no lefty in the bullpen, no fifth starter, and no one who can move runners over.

In fact, the only way they can win is for their top four starters to win an average of 15 games apiece. Pitching is extremely important, but the last I checked, you still have to score runs and field to win.

Third place.

STEVE FREEMAN

Los Angeles

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An article in The Times last Saturday said the Dodgers are afraid of going after high-priced free agents because they’re tired of industry criticism, but evidently they’re not tired of frustrating their fans.

Do you think the Yankees are worried about industry criticism? The fact is, the difference between the Dodgers finishing second or third in the West, or perhaps going to the World Series was signing Alex Rodriguez. His salary demands were absurd, but so what? He would have made the Dodgers, with their fairly strong starting rotation, one of the best teams in the National League. Is someone going to tell me that Fox can’t afford him? Please!

Bob Daly thinks he’s going to drag that same anemic offense out there again, minus Todd Hundley, and win just because he signed the mediocre Ashby and retained Dreifort? You can’t do both, Daly. Either spend the money and win, or clean house and rebuild.

STEVEN MICHAEL

Los Angeles

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A quarter billion? Could Tom Hicks know something we don’t? No. We saw A-Rod in the ALCS last year, and he’s a good shortstop, real good, but to be paid more than the value of 18 separate major league teams? He’s not that good. I think it may be that Mr. Hicks is just another big kid with buckets of Monopoly money and he simply wanted the most expensive toy there is. Well, Tom, once the blood lust from the ego rush clears from your head, you’ll find that your quarter-billion-dollar toy did nothing super special in the ALCS, and if I remember, the Mariners lost that series.

DAN JENSEN

San Clemente

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Anyone who is looking for someone to blame for the obscene amounts of money paid to professional athletes needs only to look in the mirror. Owners can afford these amounts because: 1) they can raise ticket prices accordingly and the fans will still pay, and 2) they can demand huge sums for television rights because the networks will pass the cost on to advertisers who pass it on to consumers.

It’s called free enterprise and will continue until fans refuse to buy tickets and consumers boycott overpriced products.

F.G. WOOD

Bakersfield

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Message to the owners of major league baseball franchises: Do us all a favor and lock the door permanently!

WILLIAM NICHOLAS

West Los Angeles