Amen to Dylan Hernández’s appeal for a contract extension for Dave Roberts. In addition to Hernández’s reasons, add that Roberts manages a roster that contains 15-year-olds, rookies, as well as Hall of Famers and players who speak three different languages. And he does all this by keeping everyone calm and confident on the bench. His personal skills are much more important than building lineups or making changes to the game.
Jack Wishard
Los Angeles
With all the great players the Dodgers have had over the last decade, it could be argued that any decent manager could have led them to the playoffs. But in Los Angeles the goal isn’t just to make the playoffs – it’s to win a championship. The problem is, once in the playoffs, Roberts’ pitching decisions are often disastrous. With better decisions in 2017 and 2019, the Dodgers likely would have won both years. Your eternal mantra that if you had to do it all over again, you would do the same thing is really irritating.
Mike Schaller
Temple City
The Dodgers had a Hall of Fame manager in Walter Alston. He managed the Dodgers from 1954 to 1976, signing 23 one-year contracts. Alston won four World Series titles and seven National League pennants. The Dodgers did not disrespect their manager, the players did not view Alston as a weak leader, and their one-year contracts were not an obstacle to winning. Current Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hasn’t received an extension to his contract and could this be a distraction for the team? Really?
Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos
Problems brewing beer
If pitching is 75% or more important, the obvious must be stated: the Dodgers are really in trouble come playoff time. We all knew ace Tyler Glasnow would fall and Yoshinobu Yamamoto released it once a week in Japan.
The 162-game season means very little unless and until LA gets three or more pitchers who will be healthy in October.
Fred Wallin
Westlake Villa
Truly surprising is how surprised the Dodgers organization apparently is by the respective injuries to key offseason pitching acquisitions Tyler Glasgow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Their respective history with arm injuries was common knowledge throughout MLB. The fact that Glasgow reached July without being on the injured list was the only real surprise.
Rob Fleishman
Placentia
Every year, it seems like it’s a right of passage for every Dodgers pitcher who is under contract to be placed on the injured or out-of-season list at some point. This is a direct reflection and indictment of the pathetic coaching and training teams. It’s no longer a coincidence, it’s an epidemic. In baseball’s past, at any level, pitching injuries like those of today were rare. Today, they are as common as breathing. When you are trained to throw as hard as you can, instead of being trained to actually throw, you will ruin your arm or shoulder. When you don’t get your body and arm in shape, you will ruin your arm or shoulder. It’s time for a change within this organization or they will continue to be perennial runners-up while spending more money than some countries GDP.
Geno Apicela
Placentia
Executive mindset
Commenting on morale in David Wharton article on the 2028 Olympicsan anonymous LA28 staffer reportedly said, “The trust level isn’t what it was before.”
To which Casey Wasserman responded, “I hope we never have trust, because I don’t want us to be complacent.”
I do not understand this. Is Mr. Wasserman’s management style to go to all his contractors saying, “I have no faith in you and I don’t believe you can do this” – feeling that undermining their trust is the way to light their fire? Or is he, in retrospect, questioning the abilities of his leadership team?
The 2028 Olympic Games require leadership from competent, confident “can-do” people who individually and as a team believe wholeheartedly in themselves and can accomplish what needs to be done.
If, for any reason, Wasserman himself has doubts or needs to operate without trust, then I offer these encouraging words: I don’t believe you will orchestrate debt-free games, and I have little faith in your leadership abilities.
David Griffin
Westwood
Now that’s a help
Jalen Brunson, who is not a billionaire and is on his first big contract, is paid $113 million less than he should be so the Knicks can get more help to win a championship.
LeBron James, for whom no contract will affect his wealth, deigns to give the Lakers a “discount” of US$3 million.
It was inexcusable with Kobe Bryant (and inexcusable that the starter who did it is now our GM), which confirms: The Lakers we knew are dead.
Maddox Rees
Santa Barbara
Staying positive
The injury-plagued Dodgers released utilityman Kiké Hernández in a total loss. On the bright side, it doesn’t appear he’ll need Tommy John surgery.
Steve Ross
Carmelo
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