Dodgers Give New Meaning to ‘Dog Days’

Who would’ve guessed the perennials in the garden would last longer into the season than the Dodgers, who have wilted under the hot sun.

ADAM WAYNE

Los Angeles

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It is good to see that Ned Colletti and Grady Little have found a way to make certain the Dodgers avoid their disappearing act in September. This year they took care of that in July.

RALPH S. BRAX

Lancaster

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Much-maligned Paul DePodesta made a controversial trade that landed the Dodgers this year’s starting pitcher for the All-Star game.

Wise but unpopular moves cost DePodesta his job. Ned Colletti, on the other hand, makes trades for the likes of non-impact players Mark Hendrickson, Toby Hall and Elmer Dessens and Dodgers fans are supposed to think that this will put them over the top?

When the Dodgers’ season ends, I’ll be looking forward to hearing whom Frank McCourt blames this year.

DARREN POLLOCK

Los Angeles

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I’m happy to see that Ned Colletti has figured out that the path to success is to read Bill Plaschke’s recommendations and do exactly the opposite. I hope Colletti and the Dodgers will rebuild the franchise as a consistent winner, not one that has a good season only occasionally. What’s this instant-gratification thing for a man of Plaschke’s age?

RICK TERRELL

Long Beach

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If there is a trade to be made that will take the Dodgers to the World Series, then I hope Ned Colletti makes it. But if not, they should stand pat, let their players develop and create a team that will give the Dodgers a chance to compete for a championship over the next five to 10 years.

This is what any baseball fan hopes for. This is not what Bill Plaschke hopes for. He wants a trade to be made now out of desperation. Not out of desperation for this team, but for this writer to have something dramatic happen to give his dwindled imagination more to write about.

MITCH ENGEL

Los Angeles

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I know why Bill Plaschke wants the Dodgers to give away all of their prospects in trades. So he can complain about them next year, and the next, and the next ...

JEFF WIMBISH

Long Beach

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There is an old saying: “Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while,” the implication being that even a completely incompetent and clueless person will be correct occasionally. After reading Bill Plaschke’s columns over the years, I can now conclude that this saying is not applicable in all situations. Although a visually impaired rodent may sometimes find food, a sportswriter who takes extreme positions for the sake of sensationalism is always wrong.

ANTHONY CIASULLI

Sherman Oaks

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I need some help here. Recent Dodgers long-term contracts include Furcal, Penny, Drew, Lowe, O. Perez, Green, Dreifort, C. Perez, Brown, and probably a few I have chosen to forget. Other than maybe Karros, can anyone give me a long-term contract that has been undoubtedly beneficial to the Dodgers? Anyone? Anyone?

TOM MOIR

Torrance

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As a lifelong St. Louis Cardinal fan, but a resident of Los Angeles for 23 years now, I have grown somewhat fond of the Dodgers. I wish one person from the organization had called to ask me about J.D. Drew before the Dodgers acquired him. I could have saved a lot of heartache.

JIMMY PATTON

Santa Monica

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It is another long night as the Dodgers lose yet another game they should have won. Why does this continue to happen?

The common thread is that Grady Little gets out-managed on a nightly basis.

Why replace your best defensive outfielder, Jason Repko, for a pinch-hitter, Jose Cruz, who is hitting .181 against right-handers? Why bring in hard-throwing Jonathan Broxton to throw an 80-mph changeup to Mike Cameron, who deposits it somewhere in Glendale for a three-run homer?

GARY GROSSMAN

Los Angeles

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The Dodgers’ biggest problem? Too Little, too late.

MELODIE BASICH-KEIL

Santa Monica

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How does Frank McCourt sleep at night? According to Pat Jordan [July 23, West Magazine], the McCourts are “sooooo happy here” in L.A., their “hearts are in L.A.,” and Frank hopes to “make the Dodgers a dominant force in the life of the L.A. community.”

Just like our fair city of late, McCourt is full of hot air. What I would like to know is what “L.A. community” is McCourt referring to? Charging $200 for a seat on aisle 36?! For a mid-week game? To watch a sub-.500 ballclub! Mr. McCourt will continue losing fans to the Angels if he insists on charging Boston Red Sox prices while fielding the L.A. equivalent of the Kansas City Royals.

KELLIE URDANG

Sherman Oaks