Only Thing They’ve Run Out of Is Excuses

On Tuesday night I was watching in the ninth inning of the Angel game when Adam Kennedy jogged around first on a “routine” popup that the A’s shortstop dropped. If Kennedy had been hustling, he would have been on second with none out. Instead, his dogging it forced the Angels to use an out to get him there. Eventually, the Angels lost.

I am very tired of seeing millionaire ballplayers give up on “routine outs.” The second baseman fields a grounder, and even before he throws to first, the batter stops running. Infielders do make bad throws to first, first basemen do drop balls, and fielders do miss easy fly balls. That’s why we teach kids to keep running until the umpire signals they are out.

Mistakes are human. But lack of effort at the salaries these guys get is not excusable.

Dave Datz

Altadena

*

Attendance for this really good team fighting for a championship against first-rate opposition is pathetic. Something is wrong in Anaheim. No wonder the Rams left.

Howard Veit

West Hollywood

*

Is there any possibility that the Angels could replace the two yapping buffoons who do their television broadcasts with their excellent radio announcers? It is truly impossible to watch an Angel game on television without having to turn down the sound.

Lisa Michaelson

Marina del Rey