Malone Not Exactly Johnny on the Spot

I don’t get it. Why on earth was Kevin Malone on vacation with Johnny Damon out there being shopped by Kansas City? I guess he was worn out from not getting Alex Rodriguez and not getting Mike Hampton and not getting Charles Johnson and not getting a manager anyone has ever heard of.

But perhaps I should look on the bright side. At least he didn’t mortgage the future. We still have all the bright stars in the farm system, like . . .

ERIC MONSON

Temecula

*

Yes! The Dodgers did not get Johnny Damon! That means I won’t have to follow through on my halfhearted pledge to forgive Kevin Malone for his idiotic off-season moves. Since they apparently couldn’t get Damon because Malone would not part with Eric Gagne, the Dodgers are now stuck with four No. 5 starters: Gagne, Ramon Martinez, Andy Ashby (come on, you know it’s true) and Carlos Perez.

At the same time they lack a leadoff hitter, a competent center fielder, a bona fide catcher and a shortstop. I’m sure the rest of the NL is shaking in its collective boots, Sheriff.

PATRICK MALLON

San Luis Obispo

*

I concede. After attending Dodger baseball games since 1958, it is crystal clear that what we have here is an inability to comprehend what is needed to be a truly competitive franchise. There is both ignorance and arrogance in charge when the “brain trust” of Bob Daly and Kevin Malone cannot fathom that strong catching and excellent fielding are crucial parts of a baseball team. Letting Charles Johnson and Johnny Damon pass by points out the fact that those in charge here plainly do not understand baseball.

Somehow, we now have overpaid pitchers without a solid seasoned catcher and will lack about 80 runs, and the center fielder we needed will play in Oakland, where, strangely, 3 million fans per year are not to be found. I would not be surprised to see this team, sometime in August, apologizing for itself once again, but I really do not care anymore. As a past sucker, I am not buying the sell any longer and expect that many others have also seen the light.

BILL BENDAT

Westlake Village

*

If you can judge a team by how they look up the middle, where do Chad Kreuter, Alex Cora and Tom Goodwin/Devon White leave them? Third place.

ROBERT J. ROSSI

San Dimas