They’re Not Wearing Brave Faces This Week

Ever since he got here, I’ve been praying for the Dodgers to trade Gary Sheffield for a rosin bag and a bucket of balls.

Looks like I got my wish.

Eric Monson

Temecula

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I envy Montreal and Minnesota fans. At least they’re being told their teams might be dissolved. Here in L.A., the dissolution of the Dodgers has been a quiet four-year process beginning the moment Rupert Murdoch bought the team.

Snyder Sims

Los Angeles

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Today the Dodgers made what is perhaps the stupidest trade in the team’s long history. They traded one extremely talented malcontent for one not-so-talented malcontent and a pitcher who throws well one out of every five games.

No doubt, there is laughter and dancing in the streets of Atlanta. It’s quite obvious the Dodgers are merely dropping payroll to sell, and choosing not to admit it to the fans. My question is, do the fans still have to show up? My guess is, no, we don’t.

Erez Borowski

Montrose

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A million thanks to the Los Angeles Times for revealing to the public the Dodgers’ malcontent in their clubhouse. It’s Bill Plaschke! Trade him!

Jim Messrah

Fullerton

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And so, the latest Battle of the Stupids has been fought.

In the first battle, it was Kevin Malone vs. Chase Carey, with Malone barely edging out the Fox executive. Then, it was Malone vs. Dan Evans. Malone gave it all he had and seemed clearly to be the most stupid, but Evans had a secret weapon: He could trade the best right-handed hitter in the game and get virtually nothing in return.

So, Evans is the new champion in the Battle of the Stupids. And Dodger fans are, once again, the losers.

Steve Freeman

Los Angeles

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On hearing of his trade to the Dodgers, Brian Jordan said, “Life’s a bummer.”

Here is a man who has been blessed with the talent to play a game for a living. He’s in the fourth year of a $40-million contract. And he has a $10.5-million option after that.

You know whom I think life is a bummer for? The thousands of people whose lives were taken away or forever changed on 9-11. With unemployment at an all-time high, life’s a bummer for the men and women who have mouths to feed but can’t find a decent job.

In fact, I don’t think there’s a person on earth who wouldn’t happily trade their current situation with Brian Jordan.

Oh wait, I guess I can think of one.

Jerry Hauck

Studio City

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A solid, albeit somewhat injury-prone veteran outfielder with offensive and defensive talent as well as huge postseason experience, plus an enthusiastic, up-and-coming pitcher in exchange for the biggest pain to ever wear the Dodger uniform? I’ll take this trade.

Steve Smith

San Gabriel

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What a great trade! I applaud Dan Evans on his keen baseball acumen, and can’t wait for the 2002 season to begin. Thanks again, Dan!

Paul Erkel

(San Francisco Giant Fan Club)

Victorville

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Entering this off-season, the Dodgers needed a shortstop, center fielder and closer. So they trade for a Phillie starter two years removed from a 19-loss season. Then they trade a talented, young starter [Luke Prokopec] for a 33-year-old middle reliever. Then they deal Sheffield, his miserable attitude and 100-plus annual RBIs for a chronically injured left fielder who’ll be 35 next season, and an unproven pitcher who recently had Tommy John surgery.

As of now, the Dodgers enter this preseason needing a shortstop, center fielder and closer. And a general manager?

Jeff Green

Long Beach

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I was disappointed to find that your editors had chosen to publish the letter written by Mr. Gagliano [Jan. 12] about the anticipated signing of Kazuhisa Ishii and signing of Hideo Nomo. I wonder if Joe DiMaggio and Phil Rizzuto had to listen to similar comments regarding “Spaghetti Night” at Yankee Stadium.

The Japanese players have won three rookie-of-the-year awards as well as Ichiro’s MVP, so I think their skills and work ethic speak for themselves. Please accord the same respect to the Asian American community that you would to other athletes of color, and reconsider printing such garbage in the future.

Michael Tonai

Los Angeles