Letters: Some ideas for the Dodgers, USC and bowl games

Digital signs of Shohei Ohtani are displayed at Dodger Stadium's center field plaza.

Dec. 29, 2023 7:12 PM PT

The Dodgers need a right-handed hitter with some power. How about free agent Justin Turner? He hits for average and power. Can play 3B, 1B or DH if needed. He’s popular with the fans and is from SoCal!

Barry Bauchwitz
Spokane Valley, Wash.

Clayton Kershaw should be signed by the Dodgers, ASAP. He is this generation’s Sandy Koufax; a Hall of Fame pitcher who is a Dodger for life. He is still a great pitcher. He was No. 2 in ERA for major league pitchers last season. Tyler Glasnow was 18th. Kershaw was sixth in WHIP. Glasnow was eighth. Kershaw was 13-5 and pitched 131 innings. Glasnow was 10-7 and pitched 120 innings. Sign Clayton NOW!

Joe Hernandez
Riverside

To all the people sending letters criticizing the Dodgers for signing of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto … we should be thankful that our team has ownership that wants to win and the resources to make it happen. Thank you, Dodgers. See you at Camelback Ranch and Chavez Ravine.

Marc Gerber
Encino

While Dodger fans are wildly excited about, and besides themselves with, being the winner of both the Ohtani and Yamamoto sweepstakes, I wonder if they will pause for, at least, a moment to consider the possible reality that their team is destroying Major League Baseball and that Major League Baseball is allowing them to do it.

I wonder what the other 29 teams are thinking ... and how in the world they can compete? What is the possible end to how much the Dodgers will spend to finally win in the postseason?

James Schweitzer
Brea

The Miller Moss effect

Break out the suds. It’s “Miller Time” at USC. The Trojans’ new quarterback has given the SC faithful a reason to celebrate this year.

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach

I am furious that Caleb Williams is at the Holiday Bowl. He shouldn’t be allowed in the stadium and coach Lincoln Riley allows him on the sidelines. He deserted the team. College football players have no loyalty to their teams any more for purely monetary reasons. Williams has no business attending the game.

Jack Dietz
La Quinta

What about Andy Enfield?

I wasn’t totally surprised that some letters published last week were criticizing UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin, one even saying he should start interviewing for another job. Yes, the team is struggling with eight freshmen and three sophomores on the roster. My main question is why does the coach across town get a pass? With the top recruit in the country and a preseason top-20 ranking, Andy Enfield and USC have a 6-5 record and are receiving zero votes in the polls.

In his first four full years at UCLA, Cronin has been in the NCAA tournament every year including a Final Four and two Sweet 16s, and last season won the Pac-12 Conference by four games. In his 10 years, Enfield has been in the tournament five times, lost in the first round three times and a has never won a conference title. I’m glad USC basketball fans settle for mediocrity and are not writing letters saying their coach should think about interviewing elsewhere. I hope he has a long and average career at USC.

Jack Nelson
Los Angeles

Should horse racing survive?

“California horse racing is at a crossroads. Can it survive?” Why should it? So people can gamble? I hope it does not depend on the public purse. I have no problem: people like what they like. That’s fine, but it is very much a niche sport, as the glamour has mostly faded. Unfortunately, it cannot temporarily conscript public roads as the also fading auto racing industry can do. I don’t think many people will mourn its passing or even notice. Sorry.

William N. Hoke
Manhattan Beach

Of Toastery and Pop-Tarts

With star athletes opting out of bowl games to prepare for the NFL or to put themselves in the transfer portal, the rankings on which bowl assignments are based have become almost meaningless. What were ridiculous bowl games (Famous Toastery or Pop-Tarts Bowl, anyone?), are now the refuge of the desperate. Is it too much to hope that, with the advent of the 12-team College Football Playoff — where participation could actually matter — the other bowl games fade into the obscurity they deserve?

Peter Maradudin
Seattle

I see a number of players aren’t playing in their team’s bowl games because they entered the transfer portal or didn’t want to take the chance of being injured before the NFL draft. This obviously leaves their teams using second-string/backup players in their stead.

As it appears (obvious) the major college sports of football and basketball are rapidly becoming (if they aren’t already) professionalized as minor league teams for the professional leagues, how about treating the players as such? To wit, have them enter into contracts with the college they sign up with that includes a clause(s) covering their playing in late season/bowl games. These contracts would include penalties for choosing not to participate such as denial of the ability to transfer and monetary penalties for skipping out prior to the draft, said monetary penalties based on a percentage of the contract they sign with the professional team. This would at least compensate the schools for the “scholarship” monies paid to the athlete and/or monies earned by the athlete while attending the school.

John Snyder
Newbury Park

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