Letters to Sports: Toasting the Dodgers' World Series title
Props to Dave Roberts for managing the Dodgers to a World Series title. He managed the pitching staff like a master poker player. He knew when to fold in Game 4 and when to push in all his chips during Game 5.
Russell Hosaka
Torrance
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I know that the Roberto Clemente Award was only recently given for the season, but allow me to nominate the Yankees as an early entry for next season's honor. Never before has a World Series team been more generous than they were to the Dodgers in the fifth inning of the deciding game. Three cheers to the Bronx Bumblers!
Lance Garber
West Los Angeles
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TGIF has taken on a new meaning in L.A. When a Dodger World Series game is on the line, who's coming up to bat? TGIF. Thank God It's Freddie [Freeman]!
Joe Kevany
Mount Washington
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In 1988, I was at the Kirk Gibson walk-off World Series home run game with my 71-year-old father. Never thought I would see something like that again. I am now exactly 71 myself, and a week ago I was at the Freeman walk-off home run with my son. Talk about the circle of life and the magic of baseball.
Thank you, Dodgers, for the joy and incredible euphoria you’ve brought to three generations of my family.
Ross Goldberg
Westlake Village
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Dave Roberts has taken a lot of heat for early playoff exits, but it is time to give credit where credit is due. He did an absolutely masterful job in the 2024 season and playoffs of managing an unbelievably depleted pitching staff. His mastery was punctuated at the end of Game 5 of the World Series when he visited the mound in the eighth inning, looked Blake Treinen in the eyes and kept him in to finish the inning. He then selected the unflappable Walker Buehler to close out things in the ninth. Bravo, Dave!
Alan Abajian
Alta Loma
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Congratulations to the Dodgers for their 2024 World Series championship. During their postseason success, manager Dave Roberts proved to be a chess master throughout the playoffs. Maybe now this two-time winning World Series manager, and the man with the highest winning percentage in the history of baseball, will receive a contract extension from the Dodgers' brain trust. Roberts has rightfully earned his keep and should be appreciated and respected by all.
Chris Sorce
Fountain Valley
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Congrats to the Dodgers on a well-deserved title. However, as a small-market fan (Pittsburgh) transplanted to L.A. many years ago, it is difficult to see the gross inequities of MLB’s “financial caste system” on display in this year’s World Series. The huge payrolls of L.A. and New York don’t guarantee championships (see Phillies and Padres), but it does give big-spending teams a sizable advantage. Unless MLB implements a hard salary cap — and also a salary floor, to force teams like the Pirates and A’s to spend more on payroll — baseball’s financial caste system will continue, to the sport’s detriment.
John Merryman
Redondo Beach
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To everyone who over this past season thought they were smarter than and could do a better job managing than Dave Roberts. …
You’re not and you couldn’t.
Brian Lipson
Beverly Hills
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Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Walker Buehler.
Bob Nicksin
Glendale
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Will squawking about Dave Roberts stop? I still anticipate letters from some fans, “Oh, Roberts, he makes lots of blunders, the Dodgers were so good they won despite him.” Bah. To me, Roberts is the greatest Dodger manager since Walter Alston. Maybe the greatest ever.
Bob Wieting
Simi Valley
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In order to frighten their parents, for Halloween kids in New York wore Freddie Freeman costumes.
Paul Burns
Granada Hills
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It's time to honor one of the most unsung heroes of the Dodgers. I suspect there was no other MLB catcher tasked with guiding so many different pitchers through the season. The bullpen games were probably the most challenging. Thank you, Will Smith, for a job well done and greatly appreciated.
Cheryl Creek
Anaheim
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Thank you, Yankees, for the gift that keeps on giving. You will be receiving a thank you from Dodger heaven from Tommy Lasorda, Vin Scully and Fernando Valenzuela for the generous gift you gave us in the fifth inning — six outs. We Angelenos appreciate your generosity. You really know how to treat your guests royally.
Terry Feigebaum
Los Angeles
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Impressive, L.A. In the last 11 years, championships in the World Series, Stanley Cup, Super Bowl, NBA, WNBA and MLS Cup. Los Angeles: City of Champions. Cue up Freddie Mercury and Queen.
Tom Klimasz
Leland, N.C.
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Five weeks ago I ripped the Dodgers for a champagne celebration after something as meaningless as just winning the division. Three additional champagne celebrations later, all is forgiven.
Erik Schuman
Fountain Valley
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Game 5 will never be forgotten by most baseball fans as L.A. did the near-impossible. How many with the Dodgers down 5-0 almost turned the channel? From the Yankees' point of view, Aaron Judge went from hero to superhero to bum all within five innings. Opening day is just five months away.
Fred Wallin
Westlake Village
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The wonderful Freddie Freeman has solved the problem of running the bases with a bad ankle: Hit a home run and you can take your time going around the bags.
Thomas Murray
Brattleboro, Vt.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
