Dodger-Giant Rivalry Puts Stars in Their Eyes

While playing for the hated San Francisco Giants, Bob Brenly never hid his dislike for the Dodgers. Now, as the manager of a team that has become almost as arrogant and nauseating to Dodger fans, Brenly has reaffirmed his commitment to sticking it to the Dodgers whenever possible. Paul Lo Duca is batting almost 40 points higher than each of Brenly’s two NL catcher All-Star selections: his Damian Miller and Benito Santiago.

I never thought I would hate a team as much as I hate the Giants. But this clinches it. C’mon, Dodgers. Win this NL West title, if for no other reason than to prevent this homer-turned-manager from pulling the same garbage next year.

Peter J. Bowman

Oceanside

*

Life has been sweet as a Dodger fan so far this year. The cancer has been excised. They’re winning with regularity and T.J. Simers has been eating a lot of crow. Then there was last week’s letter from Orange County. “Oooo, the Dodgers are so lucky! (sniff) There’s no way they’re going to keep this up!” Man, how old is this guy? I can see him walking away from losing a contest of some sort--shoulders slumped, feet shuffling, head down, nose running--muttering to himself how lucky the other guy was.

Or was Vlade Divac writing under a pseudonym?

Eric Monson

Temecula

*

I don’t expect Mr. Michael of Dana Point [Viewpoint, June 29] to listen to reason, but perhaps he should take a look in a mirror that the Dodgers certainly don’t need.

The 1988 Dodger team was a team, not 24 or 25 individuals as Dodger teams led (or rather not led) by Gary Sheffield over the past several years have been. This year’s team maintains that same camaraderie. They believe in one another and in their manager.

It would be just as absurd for me to predict that the Dodgers’ winning will continue for the season as Mr. Michael’s prediction that it won’t. However, today the Dodgers are in first place and have one of the best records in baseball. The facts speak for themselves.

David Keck

Rancho Cucamonga

*

Hope truly springs eternal for lifelong Yankee haters such as myself. George “Buy the Championship” Steinbrenner apparently believes that the recent signing of Raul Mondesi is the cure for all that ails the Yankee outfield.

To the contrary, King George, Raul Mondesi is the disease! There is not enough radiation or chemotherapy in the Big Apple to ward off that scourge on society. Forgive me, King George, I nearly forgot your brilliant signings of such good citizens as Darryl Strawberry and Steve Howe. Yankee haters can only pray that the Yankees reap what they sow.

Mark Roth

Los Angeles