What’s the deal?

I’d like to say thanks to Ned Colletti for getting Garland, Thome, Sherrill, Belliard and Padilla. You did not give up the farm, yet you improved a great Dodgers team.

Now if we could just wash away that stench of steroids.

Doug Vonberg

Huntington Beach

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Why did the Dodgers trade for non-fielding first baseman Jim Thome? Their occasional need for a DH ended at the conclusion of spring training. Most likely the Dodgers will just manufacture a “Jim Thome Bobblehead Night” out of one of those games against the Pirates.

Stuart Weiss

Los Angeles

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How fickle Dodgers fans are. It wasn’t long ago that Manny could do no wrong and was treated like royalty. Now that Manny has seemed to lose some of his skills, the fans don’t want him on the team anymore.

They didn’t care that Manny shortchanged the Red Sox that they couldn’t get rid of him fast enough and the Dodgers got him for free for the rest of last season. The best thing that happened to the Dodgers this year is the money Manny saved them when he was suspended.

Of course, they will be stuck with him next season, so, Dodgers fans, you need to take the good along with the bad.

Ray Block

Chino

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When are opposing teams going to realize they no longer have to worry about pitching around Manny Ramirez, now that he is “clean”?

Paul Kessler

Los Angeles

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When will the Dodgers condemn “Mannyville” and give us a section that says “Kempville”? I’d pay to sit in a section for a player who really produces.

Rich Varenchik

Santa Clarita

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Thank you, Bill Plaschke, for Sunday’s piece on Juan Pierre. The article reflects exactly the reason I now root for individual players rather than the Dodgers as a whole. After a stunning performance in Manny’s absence, he is returned to ride the pine to watch a one-dimensional player take the spot he honestly and regally occupied and deserves.

Steven Levine

Manhattan Beach

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Plaschke’s usually the irritating one, but with the Angels, it’s now Bill Shaikin.

Shaikin: “Happy birthday, son, here’s a new Kazmir doll!”

Son: “Wow, dad, thanks, it’s . . . “

Shaikin: “Don’t get excited, we’re throwing away your Lackey doll in two months, do you hear me?”

Please, allow me to enjoy for five minutes this good player coming to the Angels, rather than tweak my hatred for how teams and players have no loyalty to each other. I guess people like Tim Salmon (or Todd Helton or Chipper Jones) are space aliens with no respect for how greedy millionaires are supposed to treat each other.

Mike Flanagan

Silver Lake