Sheffield Saga (and Sheffield) Just Won’t Go Away

Scott Boras, prominent baseball agent, stated that fans have “inherent rights,” and that one of those rights is to protect their teams. Allow me to be the first to inform Mr. Boras that fans have no rights. If they did, it wouldn’t cost a small fortune to take your family to a Dodger game, and Gary Sheffield would be gone.

RALPH S. BRAX

Lancaster

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The Dodgers are on the verge of making their best trade decision of the season. They will get one of the best hitters in baseball and will not have to give up a player of equal talent. To seal the deal, all that needs to be done is for Dodger management to show the same maturity as Gary Sheffield and admit their own mistakes. Only management ego can destroy this deal.

WALTER COCHRAN-BOND

Altadena

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Gary Sheffield now wants to stay with the Dodgers. The Dodger management team of Tweedledee and Tweedledum are just senseless and spineless enough to take him back.

What they need to do is unload Sheffield to any taker out there. At least that would prove the Dodgers are not the most clueless club. Whoever takes Sheffield automatically wins that distinction.

YUN-CHEN SUNG

Pasadena

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All those people who actually believe that Gary Sheffield has changed his mind should take notice that the Dodgers will soon announce “Bridge Giveaway Night”--and this isn’t restricted to those 14 and under.

KEN MARCUS

Los Angeles

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“A Fairy Tale”

I went into my boss’ office the other day and said I wanted to be a lifetime employee but in order to achieve this I wanted a huge raise or I wouldn’t work as hard as I could. When he said no, I had my attorney tell him to find me work at another prestigious firm where my monetary needs would be met and I would be truly respected.

I don’t know why he just laughed and said nobody wanted to hire me, but he did not fire me. I then got another attorney to tell the boss that my first attorney got it all wrong and I wanted to stay all along. My boss just laughed again and we all lived happily ever after.

JACK KENNA

Whittier

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If Gary Sheffield is truly sorry for his actions this spring, he will purchase a full-page ad in the L.A. Times, apologizing to the people who make it possible for him to be making $10 million a year--Dodger fans. If he truly wants our forgiveness, he will tithe 10% of his salary toward local charities and bringing kids out to Dodger Stadium. Gary, actions speak louder than words.

GRANT DODD

Claremont

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I have been a Dodger fan since I was 8 years old in 1952. When the Dodgers decided to move to Los Angeles, I was overjoyed and have followed the team closely over the years.

However, so long as Gary Sheffield remains a Dodger, I will not attend, watch or even listen to a game. The contrast between Sheffield’s attitude and that of Lou Johnson and Maury Wills, as portrayed in your recent articles, is illuminating. To allow this kind of insolent behavior from an alleged adult is an insult to the fans who have supported this team and gives new meaning to “the Dodger way to play baseball.”

Makes one wonder how much longer Vin can stand it.

TOM LARMORE

Santa Monica

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Gary Sheffield will be in the Dodger opening-day lineup and the fans will boo him until he starts hitting homers and winning games and then he’ll be a seven-time all-star and he will be a hero until next season when he starts the same nonsense all over again.

BILL STEIN

Arroyo Grande

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Now that Gary Sheffield has apologized to all, let’s promptly put it behind us. The ballclub needs him more than anyone. Bob Daly, in particular, should realize that there isn’t anything he, Bob Daly, contributes that a hundred other guys couldn’t do as well, or better. If he doesn’t believe this, tell him to call Davey Johnson.

FRANK CLARK

Thousand Oaks

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Gary Sheffield did the right thing. After weeks of expressing his dissatisfaction and launching tirades aimed at just about everyone in the organization, he apologized. I don’t know the man personally, but judging from his professional history, that probably wasn’t an easy thing for him to do. Now it’s up to Bob Daly and Kevin Malone to do the right thing: They have to forgive Sheffield and accept the apology.

Bill Plaschke [March 13]) writes about restoring honor and pride to the organization, but those things come with winning. He writes about chemistry, but that too comes with winning. What Plaschke failed to mention was the Dodgers’ historically greatest strength--that the Dodgers considered themselves a family. It’s up to Bob Daly and Kevin Malone to make the Dodger organization a family again and accept the “return” of the prodigal Sheffield.

DWAYNE TAKEDA

Fountain Valley

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It’s time for those wimps in the Dodgers’ front office to step up and act like men. I don’t care what Gary Sheffield says now; he has been changing his story every 10 minutes anyway. Get rid of this egotistical, overpaid moron. He’s a cancer in the organization, and he has to go now.

No self-respecting management official would ever tolerate a player making the comments about the front office that Sheffield has made, and you should not either. If you really want the public’s respect, and for the fans to get back behind your team, trade Sheffield immediately, and get what you can for him. No matter what anyone says, the Dodgers cannot move ahead with this player.

JACK WOLF

Westwood

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It is said that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. In Gary Sheffield’s case, you have to have one to start with. What little mind he does have has finally absorbed the fact that no other team really wants him. And so now he wants to remain in the Dodger family. Please do us Dodger fans a favor and get rid of him in any way possible. We’ll somehow manage to muddle through the season without him.

STAN ESKIN

Laguna Woods

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If Gary Sheffield really wants to be a Dodger, and he really wants to play his heart out, and he’s really capable of a big season, then it would be really stupid to trade him.

So who do you think we’ll get for him?

LARRY FRANK

Sherman Oaks

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Gary Sheffield makes reference to the supposed fact that he has “rescinded his trade request because of my teammates and all the L.A. fans who really love me.” Someone tell Sheffield that all the fans who really love him could fit into the back seat of a Volkswagen.

RON COOPER

La Crescenta

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I know some will disagree, but I think it is time to replace lawyers as the butt of most jokes representing the most idiotic and despised members of our culture. Many sports figures seem more worthy.

“How many Gary Sheffields does it take to change a lightbulb?” Has it nice ring, does it not?

“What’s the difference between Al Davis and a snake?”

“What do you call it when a boat carrying all of major league baseball’s owners and top officials sinks?”

RICK WALLACE

Malibu

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Gary Sheffield’s unsavory mixture of arrogance and ignorance is perhaps unprecedented in sports history. First he publicly flaunts his complete disdain for the Dodgers (exposing his utter selfishness in the process) by demanding a trade to one of three front-runners. Now, upon learning that he is unwanted by the Yanks, Mets and Braves, he attempts an about-face in a futile effort to reclaim the position he only days ago so callously disparaged. There is a cancer growing on the Dodgers and it must be cut out. If they receive nothing in return for his absence, it will have been a bargain.

BROCK WALSH

Santa Monica

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Will someone please tell Kevin Malone to shut up? Sheffield says he retracts his statements and wants to remain a Dodger. Proper response from a professional: “We are glad Gary has had a change of heart and look forward to having the season we anticipated this year.” Shut up to the press about Dodger options, about Sheffield’s agent and about the fans. The fans want to see a winner and the Dodgers’ best chance of winning includes keeping Sheffield. We all know that it’s Malone who has to go.

ERIC ESPINOZA

Burbank

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Maybe Shaq and Sheffield can get together and write a book. “Open Mouth, Insert Foot.”

MORGAN BROOKS

Pacific Palisades

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Gary Sheffield’s apology sent shivers down my true-blue spine. Does this mean that if Kevin Malone apologizes for everything he has said and done, he could be around after this season?

DAVID M. GAON

Yorba Linda

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Somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout.

But there is no joy in Dodgertown. Honor--precious honor--has struck out.

D. LIBBY

Newport Beach