Dodgers Simply Don’t Have the Necessities

If anyone still believes the Dodgers are a major league franchise after the first three days at the stadium, then I can come to only one conclusion: The Giants made a deal with the devil; all the hitters are perfect, and their pitching rotation is, to a man, a combination of Cy Young and Babe Ruth.

Will Barry Bonds hit 300 home runs? Will the Giant starting pitchers continue to throw shutouts, while going two for four at the plate? Will Dusty Baker make all the right moves and win the World Series? The answer is yes, if they continue to play the hapless Dodgers all season.

All I can say is the Dodgers have not had a real front office since that fateful night with Ted Koppel and Al Campanis. Without Kirk Gibson, Fred Claire would not have lucked into the 1988 World Series victory. Walter O’Malley is turning over in his grave.

Bruce Alan

Granada Hills

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Hope everyone got a chance to watch Dave Roberts single, steal second and score in the bottom half of the first inning on opening day--it’s probably the last perfectly executed offensive move we’ll see from the Dodgers in 2002.

After all, “little ball” makes little sense when your pitching staff serves up an average of 10 runs a game. But hey, at least there’s peace in the clubhouse, right?

Dan Epstein

Los Angeles

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Adjective-challenged Tommy Lasorda summed up Kevin Brown’s first start of the year, saying, “Brownie wanted to pitch on opening day very, very bad.” Did anybody tell Jim Tracy about this before the game?

Even worse than Lasorda’s grammar is the fact that Brown’s 37-year-old right arm isn’t even halfway through a seven-year contract that pays $15 million each season. So on opening day 2005, Brown, 40, will have yet another opportunity to pitch very, very bad.

Jeff Green

Long Beach

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In the one-sided game that had San Francisco beating Los Angeles, 12-0, Barry Bonds, Benito Santiago and Russ Ortiz all hit home runs off Dodger reliever Terry Mulholland.

Each home run will be known hereafter as a Mulholland Drive.

Eddie Koblitz

Los Angeles

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I was driving to work today and a car loaded with Dodger fans came by me yelling, “Wait until next year!”

Then I realized major league baseball starts this week.

R.J. Johnson

North Hollywood

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Having just returned from opening day at beautiful Dodger Stadium, I couldn’t help but smile through my tears at the prophetic name of their new rookie shortstop, Izturis, which when loosely jumbled becomes tsouris, which literally translated from Yiddish means “trouble!”

Joel Rapp

Los Angeles

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I don’t know what has happened to my once-beloved Dodgers. The franchise has become a shell of its former self.

I learned that they started the sixth different shortstop in the last six openers. Yes, shortstop, the single most important position on the field.

That they even pitch to Barry Bonds when he blasts every pitch he sees into the bleachers shows they don’t have a clue.

Oh well, it’s gonna be another long, lost season for Dodger fans.

Dennis Mouradian

Long Beach

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Through three games, the Dodgers are batting .136 (12 for 88) with two runs scored, one RBI and no home runs. The Giants’ pitchers are batting .455 (five for 11) with three runs scored, three RBIs and one home run.

I dropped my season tickets after the ’97 season, a decision that looks better every year. Baseball’s a mess, and the Dodgers are a mess within a mess.

When does college basketball start again?

Alan Sechrest

Mission Viejo

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I always loved Pacific Coast League baseball in the ‘50s. I want to thank the Dodgers for returning minor league baseball to Los Angeles this year.

Tony Medley

Marina del Rey

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At this rate, Afghanistan will be rebuilt before the Dodgers.

Jon Banks

Brentwood

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I guess the Dodgers think it’s good public relations to have fans here in Bakersfield not be able to see Dodger games on non-cable TV. Those fans without cable will just have to listen to the radio. Maybe this is the Dodgers’ way of “reaching out” to their fans.

Tom Briggs

Bakersfield

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Ah yes, baseball in the spring. How does the old saying go? The pitchers will be ahead of the hitters? Or is it the hitters will be ahead of the pitchers? I can’t remember. I can’t figure it out from the Dodgers either, because they can’t hit or pitch. Ah yes, baseball and Dodger bashing. Sure signs of spring. Play ball!

Patrick Mallon

San Luis Obispo