Baseball Is Great Game, Just Stay on the Field

I took my two sons (11 and 6) to their first game at Dodger Stadium on May 12, just as my father had taken me so many times when I was a child. Their first autograph was from John Rocker (mine was Pete Rose). They remarked on how nice and polite he was. Later when Gary Sheffield won the game with a dramatic home run in the ninth inning, they remarked on how special it must be to win a game for your teammates and fans.

The dream of baseball is alive if you can just stop the media from writing the baseball players’ remarks on anything except what happens on the field, or if I can continue to hide the sports section and sports magazines from my sons.

James R. Caesar

Santa Barbara

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I play poker once a month. Next time I play, if I throw a big bet into the pot on a bluff and someone calls me, I will just ask for my money back claiming, “Since you called, I retract my bluff.”

If they won’t give it back, I will appeal to the same arbitrator who ruled baseball must rehire the umpires. After all, according to Richie Phillips, ex-head of the umpires’ union, there should be no consequences if you bluff to “resign your jobs.” It’s a “strategy” that if major league baseball gives in to, gets the union what they want, but if baseball calls the bluff, there should be no consequences, right, Richie?

Rod Clarida

Brea

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So, Kevin Malone thinks that the reporting the L.A. Times has done on the Dodgers is responsible for a “discernible decline in revenue streams” for our once-proud Boys of Summer? Oh, sure. Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner? After all, the Dodgers’ loss of revenue couldn’t be related to the individuals they employ, could it? Win or lose, I’d support the team if they didn’t have so many clowns.

Consider some of the things that have recently happened: We’ve got Chad Kreuter (goes into the stands after a fan), Chan Ho Park (throws a martial arts kick at an opponent), Gary Sheffield (who can forget spring training?), Kevin Brown (refuses to pitch if he can’t win his 20th game and starts fires in the bullpen), Kevin Malone (too many to list), Carlos Perez (the hot dog who used to showboat on the mound every time he struck somebody out) and the guy (whoever that may be) who decided we didn’t need Mike Scioscia. You’re way off base, Mr. Malone.

Doug Jeffrey

Newhall

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Kevin Malone may be gone, but one of his legacies remains. Unless Shawn Green comes out of his year-plus stupor and learns how to hit National League pitching, the Mondesi-for-Green trade may one day rival in stupidity Martinez for DeShields.

Herbert M. Schoenberg

Tarzana

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This season’s resumed major league unbalanced schedule stinks. Instead of broadening interest in the game by enabling fans to see all other teams (except interleague) more than once, it has become much too provincial. How many Dodger-Padre or Angel-Ranger games can fans be expected to take?

Sid Skolnik

West Hollywood