Dodger Season Makes Many in Baseball Happy

The executive of the year for the 2003 baseball season is a no-brainer. Only one executive can lay claim to making the necessary roster moves to assure that three teams in the National League were playoff bound.

Step right up, Dan Evans, and take credit where credit is due for the Cubs’ Central Division title (Eric Karros; Tom Goodwin and Mark Grudzielanek); the Braves’ Eastern Division crown (Gary Sheffield); and the Giants’ wire-to-wire Western Division title (Marquis Grissom).

I bet Mr. Evans’ phone will be ringing off the hook this off-season with calls from executives similarly hungry for playoff appearances!

Mark Roth

Los Angeles

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“Tracy Will Return in ‘04” [Sept. 27]. Oh, swell! Just what the Dodgers need, a manager who appears to be satisfied with mediocrity and a coaching staff that supports that position. Be sure to bring back Todd Hundley while you’re at it.

Gene Ewald

Oxnard

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Glad to see that Dan Evans believes that the Dodgers are on the right path, saying, “I like the direction we’re headed.”

Let’s see -- they went from 92 wins last year to 85 this year. They went from scoring 713 runs to 571, and the team batting average dropped 21 points. The Dodgers finished 2003 as the worst offensive team in baseball (even worse than the Tigers).

I’d like to continue, but I’ve got to take a trip to Seattle. Guess I’ll hop on Interstate 5 South.

Ralph Jacobian

Simi Valley

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Let’s take a look at some of Dan Evans’ acquisitions the last couple of years: Tyler Houston, Daryle Ward, Ron Coomer, Mike Trombley, Terry Mullholland, James Baldwin, Jeromy Burnitz, Rickey Henderson, Robin Ventura and the great Todd Hundley.

It reminds me of when a used car salesman proclaims that old, high-mileage beauty is “just like brand new.” Realizing that we can’t take anything for granted, I would like to remind Dan Evans that the player most of us would like to see in a Dodger uniform in 2004 is Vladimir Guerrero, not Pedro Guerrero.

Daniel Gee

Los Angeles