Dodgers Haven’t Found Themselves Yet

So the Dodgers are off to a wretched start despite the return of Dreifort and Brownie. Shawn Green has more O-fer games than he knows what to do with. And the defending World Series champions reside only a few miles down the road.

What does this mean for Dodger fans? It means that it’s difficult to find a score on the front page of the sports section of the L.A. Times for the game previous. It means that even Dodger fans in Orange County (who, by the way, are greater in number than Angel fans in O.C.) are complaining about the L.A. Times because they can’t get a Dodger score unless they read the small print (witness Wednesday’s article, which has been awarded the interesting title “related story” found deep in the sports section -- related to the Angel story, of course).

Throw us a bone and paste in a small picture, will ya?

Brian Sindell

Los Angeles

I would like to inform you of a mistake that you made on the front page of the sports section. You accidentally put a story about the Angels on Page 1, while moving the Dodgers to Page 5. The funny thing is, this isn’t the only time this season that has happened, but I assumed you would have caught the error after the first time.

While I am very happy the Angels are the defending champs, I am sure they are covered by their own newspaper. If I ever care enough to find out the name of the paper, I might even start reading about the Angels. Until that happens, however, put the Dodgers back on the front page of the Los Angeles Times.

Stephen Beck

Los Angeles

I’ve been keeping track. It took six games for the Dodgers to be relegated to Page 6 of the Sports section. It took 12 games to make it to Page 10. At this rate, and with all the stiffs in the lineup, can the obituary page be too far behind?

George A. Pisano

Rancho Palos Verdes

Jim Tracy is still learning on the job. He continues to make the wrong move, most of the time against the book, and we, the fans, pay for it. Todd Hundley was up two weeks ago in a tie game against the Giants, runners on first and second. No one out, obvious bunt situation, especially with the strikeout and double play-prone Hundley. Hundley swings away and pops it up. The Dodgers lose in extra innings. The last series against the Giants, there were opposing runners on second and third with the pitcher on deck. Instead of walking the No. 8 hitter, Tracy has him pitched to and he singles in two runs.

These are two examples in the past couple of weeks. Good managers win more one-run games than their teams lose. Tracy is out of his league.

Steve Owen

Solana Beach

After Eric Karros was traded, my initial thought was, “I wonder who will be the Dodger scapegoat in 2003?” After all, it was easy for the front office to blame all of the Dodger offensive shortcomings on Karros. However, 2002 production numbers told a different story, as Karros hit into only 11 double plays while Green had 22. In addition, Karros batted .301 with runners in scoring position while Green batted .276 and McGriff batted .294. So far in 2003, EK and Grudzielanek have outperformed McGriff and Hundley.

It’s pretty obvious that Adrian Beltre is winner of the 2003 Dodger scapegoat title. If our front office thinks that running Beltre out of town will solve all of our problems, then think again. With the exception of Roberts, most Dodger players have under-performed. If history’s any indication, Beltre will be traded for an over-the-hill veteran while Beltre flourishes in another organization.

What’s even worse is the front office’s annual delusion-of-grandeur trade and the following rationalizations. The past couple of years have brought us James Baldwin, Terry Mulholland, Mike Trombley and Tyler Houston and seen us lose young talents Ricardo Rodriguez and Francisco Cruceta, who are now flourishing in the Indians’ organization.

It’s time Dodger management takes responsibility for its player personnel moves and quits pinning all blame on one or two players. I wonder who the front-runner is for Dodger scapegoat of 2004?

Hovel Sarkissian

Pasadena

I have a solution for the Dodger problems. Have Steve Garvey teach Fred McGriff how to field and hit.

Henry Karlinsky

Los Angeles

Reading about Todd Hundley explaining hitting is the same as listening to a person who has tripped and fallen explain the physics of gravity.

Art Ficke

Long Beach

So, T.J. Simers wants a rally monkey equivalent for the Dodgers. Why not just put his face up on the Jumbotron and let Kevin Brown pinch-hit?

Gary Drater

Buena Park