Sheffield Quickly Earns Forgiveness

You want a message, Bill Plaschke? How about this one: Gary Sheffield might have insulted the Dodgers, but Kevin Malone, Bob Daly and the entire Dodger organization continue to insult Dodger fans by fielding yet another mediocre team, blithely ignoring the availability of talented players like Johnny Damon, and trying to mollify us with such cheesy promotions as “Tommy Lasorda Bobble-Head Night.”

Unlike many fans at Dodger Stadium, my wife and I went to opening day to cheer for Sheffield, not boo him. Sheff was one of the only bright spots amid the dire murk of the last two seasons, and we were happy to see him return. Yes, most players on the Dodgers (and in baseball in general) are ridiculously overpaid, but no more so than the bumbling lackwits in front offices around the majors. Given the choice between supporting an egocentric player coming off a 43-homer season, or an egocentric twerp of a GM with a bad mustache and worse nickname, I’ll side with the player, every time.

DAN EPSTEIN

Los Angeles

*

A win aided by Gary Sheffield is a loss for every great Dodger who has worn the uniform with pride and love. Shame on all you losers who applauded him.

ALBERTO JAVIER

Hawthorne

*

(To the tune of “Roll Out the Barrel”)

Boo, boo, boo Plaschke.

He’s got the Sheff on the run.

Boo, boo, boo Plaschke,

He doesn’t care that we won.

Boo, boo, boo Plaschke

Won’t let the Sheff get away,

Any time he hits a homer

It’s a sad, sad day.

JAN BILSON

Santa Clarita

*

Career crybaby Gary Sheffield worked a miracle of sorts on opening day. With one swing of the bat he transformed himself from petulant clown to national hero. Let’s hear it for the discriminating Dodger fans in the sheep seats.

GARY DURRETT

Glendale

*

I can only hope that the other general managers in major league baseball have as short a memory as those who changed their boos to cheers on opening day. Maybe that way Malone can get something close to equal value in a trade and I can go back to watching my Dodgers.

ERIC MONSON

Temecula

*

Dodger fans blew the chance to do what is right for all of baseball. Regardless of his performance on the field, Gary Sheffield should be booed out of town. He is a selfish, self-centered, egotistical, money-hungry jerk who couldn’t care less about his teammates and the fans. By cheering him, fans are basically telling him that no matter how abhorrent his behavior is, if he is successful on the field all will be forgiven.

The public relations stunt the Dodgers pulled on opening day with players at the turnstiles is also a joke. As a fan, I would be insulted that they think having players greet me means that all is well. All is not well. At what point are those of us who are fans of baseball going to stand up and do what is right? If we don’t take a stand, this game is in serious trouble.

TONY MOSKAL

Stevenson Ranch

*

I had the privilege of attending another beautiful opening day at Dodger Stadium, but I have two questions for the man running the Dodgers.

Mr. Boras, can you get rid of that peeling burnt-orange synthetic surface that rings the field? And can you see about returning the sorely missed Cool-A-Coos?

GREG DANIELSON

Venice

*

Gee, I never thought I’d say this again: “What a stupid move by Kevin Malone!”

The Dodgers should have cut loose Devon White even if it meant eating his $7-million contract. Now they must pay Marquis Grissom and Tom Goodwin $12 million next year to strike out 75% of the time. After dishing out $18 million a year to Dreifort and Ashby, they have now refused to talk extension with their top player, Chan Ho Park.

Malone is an idiot, Bob “Howdy Doody” Daly, Fox’s puppet, is clueless, the Dodgers are a joke and only the rest of the league is laughing.

PHIL WOLFE

West Covina