Letters to Sports: Another division title for Dodgers, and what?
Thursday night the Dodgers won the division for the 11th time in 12 years. And then celebrated like they won the World Series. Something they have done only one time since 1988, and that was the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The last two seasons the Dodgers failed to win a postseasons series, being swept last season by Arizona and in four games in by the Padres in 2022.
With a 10-zillion dollar payroll, Thursday's meaningless celebration better not be the only one the Dodgers have this season. If it is, there are many people on the team who need to be part of another organization next season.
Erik Schuman
Fountain Valley
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Nice season so far, Dodgers. I didn't see any trophies handed out on Thursday night. The Dodgers' first playoff game is in eight days. The first spring training game next year will be on Feb. 20.
Please, Dodgers, understand and know the difference. Treat the playoff game like a playoff game, and the spring training game like a spring training game.
Steve Hoisch
West Hills
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Ahead of the annual letters complaining that the Dodgers celebrate the winning of a mere division title with Champagne and much merriment, a reminder:
This is baseball, not basketball. These guys slog through 162 games, not 82, only to be faced with a playoff format now so bloated that — this being baseball — the best team might not win, let alone reach the World Series (see: 2023, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks).
So I'll enjoy the joy of every step and take nothing as a given, which makes baseball special.
Donn Risolo
Altadena
Should UCLA stay or go?
All I can say is that it seems painfully obvious that UCLA needs to back out of the Big Ten for football, stop the extortion payment to Cal and rejoin the Pac-12. By doing so, Cal and Stanford will rejoin too. A California prestigious academic public institution like UCLA with stiff entry requirements cannot raise enough NIL bribe money or personal seat licenses to stay competitive and compete with the top 25 teams in football. I can accept and live with that. Every other sport including basketball can stay in the Big Ten or not.
Jeff Black
Los Angeles
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Respectfully, the fans carping about coach DeShaun Foster after three games of a predictably difficult season are missing an essential point. He inherited an empty, dirty cupboard, left that way by the worst head coach in UCLA history. A man who bailed at the worst possible time on a program that paid him handsomely for years of mediocrity. Moses would struggle cleaning up the Chip Kelly detritus. Give Foster a little breathing room, people.
Blaise Jackson
Escondido
Ohtani the GOAT. Really?
In his PR column for Shohei Ohtani on the front page last week, Bill Plaschke made the insulting claim that Ohtani is "unanimous" as " … the best player in baseball history."
That would laughable if it weren't so insulting to anyone who has followed the sport for more than the last seven years. Willie Mays, for one, could play circles around the oft-injured pitcher/DH only Ohtani. Babe Ruth was winning 24 games a season while hitting 59 home runs from 1914 to 1921 before hitting .356 with 60 HR in 1927. See also: Ted Williams, Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson and Hank Aaron among others. But hey, Shohei Ohtani did 50/50! GOAT!
Jim Allen
MacArthur Park
Time to go fishing
The Angels are like an albatross hung around the neck of Mike Trout. Although he has a “no trade” clause in his contract, wouldn’t it be nice if the Dodgers could somehow get ahold of him? I know I’m dreaming but we must at least try to end his nightmare.
Patrick Kelley
Los Angeles
Trojans dilemma
Dylan Hernández claimed two weeks ago that USC was a Big Ten power before playing a Big Ten team. Now, Hernández questions the coaching ability of Lincoln Riley after USC loses its Big Ten opener. Credibility? Not being a fan of coach Riley for the past three years at USC, he did make some changes after the Trojans played a pathetic first half against Michigan. Of course, Riley made a significant, positive change with the defense during the offseason.
Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos
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Dylan Hernández nailed it. Miller Moss did his part, the offense and defense did their part in an amazing comeback but coach Riley, hired as a fearless and genius offensive gunslinger, lost his courage and blew an opportunity to close out Michigan with horrible play calling in the Trojans' final three-and-out drive. John McKay and Pete Carroll would have both won that game by seizing the moment with a creative attack.
Earl Goldstein
Los Angeles
Going MIA
During the Chargers-Steelers game, the announcers said that Joey Bosa has missed 38 games since 2016, which would seemingly make him the most overpaid and underworked Chargers player in recent memory. And certainly nothing like his brother who rarely misses a game for the 49ers. It almost seems like a hangnail would keep Joey out of the lineup.
Thomas Filip
Moorpark
Pac-12 power play
If one were to be a conspiracy theorist, the demise of the once proud Pac-12 can be directly attributed to a diabolical scheme hatched by Oregon State and Washington State. Allow all of the top-tier teams to leave for greener pastures, sue to control the conference's substantial assets, and then reload the conference with a bunch of mid-major, hope-to-be athletic programs, so that you finally have a level of competition where you might be competitive. Brilliant!
Ron Yukelson
San Luis Obispo
Time to get technical
With all the technology around, isn't it time to do away with umpires calling strikes? The missed calls in every game are ridiculous!
Tony Gitt
Westlake Village
Name game
It’s a shame the Oakland A’s aren’t moving to Canada as they could’ve simply changed their nickname to the “Eh’s”.
Nick Rose
Newport Coast
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
