Letters to Sports: Singing Dodgers blues over pitching woes

Dylan Hernandez’s smug, snarky commentary regarding the Dodgers’ playoff prospects given their current starting pitching made for tiresome reading to say the least. Hernández almost seems to suggest that Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers purposely gutted their starting pitching in order to prove how clever they are. True, they didn’t trade a bunch of prospects at the deadline for “name-brand” starters, but a lot of the clubs that did (Angels & Rangers, anyone?) are already regretting their decisions. So the Dodgers will do what they generally do as well or better than anyone else — maximize what they do have rather than whining about what they don’t have.

George Legg
Rolling Hills Estates

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As much as it pains me to admit it, I have to agree with Dylan Hernandez. The Dodgers cannot win the World Series without a big horse that can pitch. They need that guy that they can run out there every 3-4 days and get a great effort from. If you look back over time, most teams that win the World Series had one guy that was able to put together a herculean effort for a huge playoff run.

Matthew D. Kerster
Gardena

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The Dodgers will be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs because of their inept pitching staff. The last team Shohei Ohtani would want to go to would be the Dodgers. If all the “experts” are correct about him wanting to join a team that would be a World Series champion, he joins Atlanta?

Patrick Kelley
Los Angeles

Dodger Stadium problems

Alcohol is the reason for most of the violence at Dodger Stadium, in my opinion. We have stopped attending Dodgers games because of drunken fans and the threat of violence.

In years past only beer was sold at the ballpark. Today, Dodger Stadium is basically a sports bar with a ballgame in the background. Alcohol is sold every few feet in the concourses and sales of alcohol are not regulated. A fan can get as drunk as he or she wants. Fans arrive at the game drunk and continue to drink. I have seen people so drunk they can barely walk.

Cut down on the sale of alcohol and you will reduce the violence. But who thinks that will happen?

Sheldon Bull
Pasadena

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I was appalled and saddened to read the headline in Sunday’s Times about our beloved Dodger Stadium’s bad rap. Sad part as a fan that’s been attending games since 1966, I myself was a part of the problem. I too got into a postgame parking lot fight in the late ‘70s when the Reds were in the Western Division. I suffered a concussion. The common denominator in my fight (besides stupidity) was ALCOHOL!! Unfortunately it’s a cash cow in most every sports venue so it won’t ever be eliminated. By the way, I no longer consume alcohol at any sporting event I attend!!

Phillip Trujillo
Ontario

How about those Rams?

Looks like the so-called NFL experts were wrong about the Rams last week in Seattle. With Matthew Stafford now injury-free and reverting back to his Super Bowl form, and Puka Nacua doing his best Cooper Kupp imitation, our Rams are sure to be in the race for the postseason.

Marty Zweben
Palos Verdes Estates

Load management

The NBA should not be spouting off about their new “load management” policy. Just a day after announcing their new policy, the networks announced their new deal with the NBA, which included each team’s “stars” playing basically every game. So in other words, thank you to the networks for making the teams do what they should have done on their own — play the players. Credit where credit is due.

Russell Morgan
Carson

Commish complaint

Commissioner of what? It was nice seeing NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sitting with Michael Vick at the Eagles game; look forward to seeing him with O.J. Simpson at the next Bills game.

James Mayorkas
Los Angeles

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I happen to have Prime Video but I’m guessing many, and maybe most, NFL fans don’t. To them Roger Goodell gives the middle finger, in return for what? Even more money? As if the NFL needs it?

Jack Wishard
Los Angeles

PED penalty

Just found out that Alex Rodriguez ratted out Manny Ramirez when it came to performance-enhancing drug usage. FOX and ESPN should cut ties with A-Rod now!!

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood

Giving a legend his due

A great article by Steve Henson on Eddie Meador. Growing up in Los Angeles in the ‘50s and seeing my first professional football game at the Coliseum, I won’t forget those stars, the likes of Norm Van Brocklin, Elroy Hirsch, Jon Arnett, Les Richter and, of course, the undersized but truly appreciated Meador. In today’s game, the art of open-field tackling is a thing of the past. Meador stood out as singularly the best to date that I’ve ever seen. The fact that he is not in the Hall of Fame is hard to fathom. His career and numbers stand the test of time. Today they give out inductions like Schrafft’s mints. Please give Eddie the respect and recognition he deserves.

Rick Magnante
Encino

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