And This Is When Dodgers Are Playing Well

Between Adrian Beltre and Jim Tracy, I think I’ve found the cause of the Dodgers’ problems. Beltre lacks the baseball savvy to understand that a career .260 hitter is not guaranteed to bat third.

That spot is usually reserved for guys who can actually generate offense. Tracy believes that there is no difference between a hitter who bats third and one who bats seventh.

Is this why the Dodger roster is full of guys who should be batting seventh or eighth somewhere and precious few who are capable of batting third on a major league team?

Andrew Oshrin

Long Beach

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What do you get when you combine the McCourts, the No. 1 bad boy in baseball, a lackluster manager, a pitching staff that the Detroit Tigers would be proud to field, a pouting third baseman and a first baseman with a borrowed glove? The Big Blah Machine.

I’ll be watching real baseball in Lancaster, courtesy of the JetHawks.

John Keeler Mitchell

Woodland Hills

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How many times have we heard that the pampered, overpaid athletes get their way too often?

Finally, someone, Cleveland General Manager Mark Shapiro, does something that most Americans thought would never happen: He trades his star, Milton Bradley, because Bradley has never had a moral compass to lead him through life.

I think Shapiro should be congratulated on his good judgment, and more important, on taking the high road and doing what he, and most all of us know, was the right decision to make. Supporting his manager, showing his other players that when you’re paid millions of dollars, you’re expected to run out a fly ball and set good examples for kids and adults.

William Michael

Dana Point

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Wow, what a genius! First the “computer GM” acquires two guys we’ve never heard of (Jason Grabowski, Jason Werth), then clears out two guys who had great springs (Jolbert Cabrera and Jason Romano) to make room for them.

But that’s just the beginning. Mr. DePodesta promised more, and he delivered. He crunched more numbers and decided that he should get the biggest current malcontent in baseball for one of the club’s top prospects. But wait, there’s more! In order to play the malcontent, three other Dodgers have to switch positions, including Shawn Green to first base, where we know he really doesn’t want to be.

Can you say Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields? I thought computer programs like that were just supposed to give you an error message.

Geoff Flynn

Palmdale

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Type “Milton Bradley malcontent” into Google, and you’ll get 88 hits, mostly from Cleveland Indian bloggers who know better. The Dodgers have traded yet again for dugout poison (see Sheffield, G., and Henderson, R.) in a vain attempt to add some spark to their offense.

News flash to Paul DePodesta: There’s a very good reason Bradley came so cheap.

Steve Joslin

Newport Beach

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I wish I hadn’t read Tuesday’s repulsive article on Milton Bradley and his mother. This guy has been a Dodger for 10 minutes and I already dislike him.

David Macaray

Rowland Heights

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It warms my heart as a Dodger fan to hear that Paul DePodesta is glad Dodger players are “frustrated” and that he’d have a bigger problem if they “were happy being mediocre.”

Well Paul, being “mediocre” sure doesn’t bother the McCourts, and after watching you trade for three unheralded minor leaguers to save our season, your efforts deserve that moniker as well. It’s good to see that extra $2 for parking is going to good use.

Ty Visconti

Fontana

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Did The Times really list Jayson Werth and Jason Grabowski as “key additions” to the Dodger roster? It’s going to be a long season.

Jeff Kandel

Los Angeles

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I attended the April 2 Freeway Series game at Dodger Stadium.

After paying $10 to park and $4.50 for a hot dog, I walked down to my seat in the reserved level only to find a puddle of water on it from rain the day before. I called an usher over and pointed it out. He apologized and told me to go get some paper towels from the men’s room.

Not only have the McCourts raised parking and concession prices, they’ve obviously cut down on stadium maintenance as well.

I’m glad the Dodgers are going to televise their games, because I’m not planning to go back to the stadium.

Elliott Porter

Burbank

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The Dodgers’ fall from grace over the last 15 years can be attributed to one source, the sickening use of nicknames of the following ilk: “Greenie,” “Brownie” and “Paulie.”

But, over the past spring training, it hit an all-time low: “Belly.” How can a team possibly gut out victories with that hanging over their heads?

Kevin Flynn

Westlake

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Regarding Frank McCourt’s 40-member contingent that flew in from Boston for the Dodgers’ season opener: Did they fly coach or first class?

Donald A. Bentley

La Puente

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I’m not sure if the Angels still have the rally monkey, but if they do, how about sending it over to the Dodgers? I don’t see the Angels needing it this season.

Mer Valdez

Long Beach

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I’m an L.A. boy, born and raised, who has recently relocated to downtown San Diego for law school. After reading your article about Petco Park and constantly having to listen to eager Padre fans around town, one thought has come to mind -- the parking situation at Petco is a disaster waiting to happen.

So, will we be seeing Padre fans leaving the park early this year simply to beat traffic? If it happens, it will bring a smile to my face, because Padre fans will become what they despise. Dodger fans don’t have that reputation because of lack of support for their squad. It’s simply a product of poor infrastructure, and Padre fans will soon realize this.

Brad Wallace

San Diego