Letters: Did Dodgers’ title chances wander into the desert?

I’ll give the Dodgers this much in the Zack Greinke fiasco: At least they’re not paying him to pitch for the Diamondbacks next year.

Dave Fisher

La Cañada

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Andrew Friedman says he’s happy with the Dodgers’ core team but states they are considering everything — including relief pitching, starting pitching, and hitting — at the winter meetings. To me it sounds like the core team is not as good as advertised.

Albert Viola

Northridge

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OK, I get that the Dodgers didn’t want to spend $206 million over six years for Greinke. Greinke isn’t stupid. He wanted to go to team with a better players, and he is being paid a lot of money. That’s what he wanted, and that’s what the Dodgers didn’t offer.

But Dodgers fans aren’t stupid either. What I’d like to hear from Friedman is not that “We’re in this to win now” stuff. I want to hear the truth. I want to hear what his plan is. But getting the truth out of Stan Kasten, Friedman and Farhan Zaidi is like getting Lon Rosen to turn down the noise.

Ned Shapiro

Brentwood

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The Dodgers didn’t get to the World Series with Zack Greinke, now we get to find out if they can do it without him.

I have trouble understanding the Dodgers not gambling one year on a proven top-line pitcher. For the sake of one year and around $34 million we lost one of the best pitchers in baseball. The Dodgers were willing to gamble Greinke would last through age 36 but not age 37?

They’re not in danger of aging out, they’re in danger of becoming the Angels; good position players but only one top-line pitcher.

Michael Solomon

Canoga Park

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I realize that offering a six-year guaranteed contract to a 32-year-old pitcher is a risky proposition, but the Dodgers simply had to make that deal. They know how limited their rotation is beyond Clayton Kershaw and clearly understand the importance of elite starting pitching in the postseason. Moreover, they were well aware that at least one division rival was pursuing Greinke, which would instantly shift the balance of power in the NL West. To let a pitcher of that quality sign with a division rival because of one extra year at the end of a contract when you have sufficient financial resources to cover it and claim to be committed to winning a title is an insult to Dodgers fans.

Darren McMahon

Santa Clarita

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In order to get younger, Friedman and Zaidi add 35-year-old Hisashi Iwakuma and 37-year-old Chase Utley. I thought these two were math majors?

Ken Krug

Culver City

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It is obvious that Yasiel Puig’s contract has hindered his development. Being rewarded with big bucks before he even put on a uniform robbed him of the incentive to buckle down and learn to play the game the right way. Mike Trout had to earn his money first, turning in MVP-type seasons before the goose laid the golden egg for him.

Trout has the numbers; Puig still has “potential.”

Michael Morganson

Los Angeles

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Nobody is worth more than Vin Scully. Anybody want to argue with that?

Ed Masciana

Torrance

USC and Sarkisian

So Bill Plaschke believes USC played a great game against Stanford and lost only because of three big plays by Stanford that went for touchdowns.

Right, and the Titanic would not have sunk if it hadn’t hit that iceberg.

Darryl Thomson

La Cañada

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Bill Plaschke, who, after one nice victory over UCLA, tried to convince us that Clay Helton was the best choice of head coach for USC, is now trying to convince us that the loss in the Pac-12 championship game was actually a good thing. While the Trojans defense gave up the same 41 points they gave up in the regular season game against the Cardinal, the offense scored nine fewer points. Bill, whatever you’re selling, we’re not buying.

Brian Lipson

Beverly Hills

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Regarding last week’s letters, it is always amusing to me to see how quickly the arrogance of some USC fans immediately returns when they defeat UCLA, for the first time in four years. One USC fan stated that “the Bruins’ 15 minutes of relative fame” was over. That may be true, but I am going to suggest that USC’s fame lasted about 15 seconds. Their victory over UCLA was sandwiched in between a devastating loss to Oregon and a manhandling by Stanford. After they face Alabama in their 2016 opener, with no experienced quarterback, I bet they’ll wish they had a Josh Rosen in their stable, rather than their white steed.

Dorothy Johnson

Bakersfield

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After beating their crosstown rivals for the first time in four years, Trojans players and fans loudly proclaimed that “the Trojans are back.” Indeed they are. After being run off the field by Stanford in the Pac-12 championship game they are back to being the most overhyped, overrated 8-5 team in the country.

Reid Rose

San Dimas

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Advice to the next USC defensive coordinator: Keep it simple, stupid.

Eddie Dawes

Hacienda Heights

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As a Bruins fan, I never thought the day would come that I would root for USC. Nevertheless, in this case, I fully support the university in its legal battle against Steve Sarkisian and his lack of accountability.

Nick Rose

Newport Coast

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I am utterly astonished at the last two paragraphs of Nathan Fenno’s article regarding Sarkisian’s situation.

As a recovering alcoholic of 29 years, 4 months and 22 days, it is still one day at a time, but Sarkisian is sober after completing more than 30 days at inpatient treatment and is also ready and equipped to move forward with his life? If only it were that easy.

I have great empathy for anyone who struggles with alcohol, but the Sarkisian arrogance comes through loud and clear in the declaration that he no longer has a problem.

Ed Freeman

Moorpark

The end game

Watching Kobe play brings back painful memories of Muhammad Ali fighting Trevor Berbick and Larry Holmes at the end of his career. It’s sad to see someone once so great reduced to a shell of themselves. I credit Kobe with trying, but it’s unfortunate to see that Father Time has caught up with him.

Craig P. Fagan

San Diego

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As a 50-year-plus die-hard Lakers fan who witnessed the deterioration of Elgin, Wilt, Jerry and Kareem, I finally agree with a Bill Plaschke column. Kobe’s traveling circus and retirement tour has become just that for him and it seems like nothing else. I hope that the recent draft picks will come together and lead the Lakers back to a championship level. With Kobe as the ringmaster in this circus, it probably won’t be this year that we find out if that level will be reached.

Phillip Trujillo

Ontario

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It’s a sad day when Philadelphia fans show more appreciation for Kobe Bryant than some L.A. Times letter writers.

Rich Hardt

Long Beach

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