Mission Impossible: Find the Good Guys in the Baseball World

Will I miss the World Series? Absolutely. Will I miss Barry Bonds & Co. with their gleaming diamond earrings, standing at home plate to admire their greatness? Never.

My only hope is that due to bad investments, a prolonged layoff and the dissolution of the players’ union, we see these guys in a few months on QVC, hawking those earrings for grocery money. Until then, I’ll be watching players that still play for the competition and the love of the game--Little League.

CHRIS DURBIN

Sherman Oaks

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Do you realize that the World Series wasn’t even canceled during World War II? Of course, then we had only Hitler, Tojo and Mussolini to deal with. Now we have some really egomaniacal prima donnas.

R. ALEX KASEBERG

La Jolla

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In this age of spin doctors, when it’s usually impossible to distinguish the villains from the heroes, I hope at least one absolute truth comes out of this lost baseball season--the villains are Bud Selig, Dick Ravitch and Jerry Reinsdorf. As Donald Fehr pointed out, “They have been looking forward to and planning this day for a long time.” The three of them should be deported to any country that will take them--and their filthy money.

MARY VAUGHN

Pasadena

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Bud Selig says that we need to solve baseball’s “grave economic problems.” What problems? According to the L.A. Times, the owners would have received $580 million in revenue, while the players would have received $230 million in salaries, for the games lost due to the strike.

I’m no accountant, but that leaves the owners with $350 million to pay all other expenses, which is quite a chunk of dough, considering most teams have low or no-rent stadium deals, free advertising through TV and newspaper coverage, and cities around the country tripping over each other trying to get a team.

If an owner can’t make a profit with a gold mine like a major league baseball club, he (or she) is an idiot.

PHIL APOIAN

Hawthorne

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Not since Shoeless Joe Jackson has anyone been as detrimental to the nation’s pastime as “acting” Commissioner Bud Selig. He is to the baseball fan what Charles Keating has been to bank depositors.

WERNER S. HAAS

Los Angeles

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Jackie Autry is a pip. She is quoted as saying that the Autrys can’t take the burden anymore, but will someone please pay us $130 million. Some burden!

CHUCK HILL

Van Nuys

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Some people are old-fashioned enough to believe that a commitment to a baseball team should last a lifetime. Others are foolish enough to have committed to the Angels. For the handful of us who are both, the cancellation of the season has brought good news. Let us rejoice in the announcement that the Autrys have decided to sell the team--and hope that they don’t sell it to Donald Sterling.

RICHARD A. FOND

Los Angeles

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Salary cap? How about a thinking cap? Nice job, boys, you’re in the history books.

MIKE KAPOWICH

Corona del Mar

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Maybe this all-meaningful strike over $4 million or $5 million per year will result in changes. People like me will finally realize that the “boys of summer” are exactly that--little, selfish boys.

S. TAMARA SNEED

Compton

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I’d rather have a fixed World Series than no World Series.

TONY PEYSER

Hollywood

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Take me out of the ballgame. Take me out of the crowd. No more peanuts and Cracker Jack. I don’t care if they ever come back. Let’s boot, boot, boot out the home team. Since they won’t play it’s their shame. For it’s one, two, three strikes we’re out Of this old ballgame. RICHARD R. D’ASSALENAUX

Long Beach