Letters to Sports: Roasting the Dodgers’ World Series Title

Props to Dave Roberts for making it happen with the Dodgers. World Series title. He managed the pitchers like a skilled poker player. He knew when to fold in the fourth game and when to put all his chips in in the fifth game.

Russell Hosaka
Torrance

I know this season’s Roberto Clemente Award was only recently given out, but let me nominate the Yankees as early contenders for next season’s award. Never has a World Series team been more generous than to the Dodgers in the fifth inning of the deciding game. Three cheers for the Bronx Bumblers!

Lance Garber
West Los Angeles

TGIF has taken on new meaning in Los Angeles. With the Dodger World Series on the line, who will step up to bat? TGIF. Thank God it’s Freddie (Freeman)!

Joe Kewanee
Mount Washington

In 1988, I attended Kirk Gibson’s World Series home run with my 71-year-old father. I never thought I’d see something like this again. I’m exactly 71 years old now, and a week ago I was at Freeman’s 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 have brought to three generations of my family.

Ross Goldberg
Westlake Village

Dave Roberts had to suffer a lot due to his early playoff exit, but it’s time to give credit where credit is due. He did an absolutely masterful job during the 2024 season and playoffs managing an incredibly depleted pitching staff. His skill was highlighted in the bottom of Game 5 of the World Series when he visited the mound in the eighth inning, looked Blake Treinen in the eye and held him to end the inning. He then singled on an unflappable Walker Buehler to end the game in the ninth. Bravo, Dave!

Alan Abajyan
Alta Loma

Congratulations to the Dodgers on winning the 2024 World Series. During their postseason success, manager Dave Roberts proved himself to be a master of chess throughout the playoffs. Perhaps now this two-time World Series winner and the man with the highest winning percentage in baseball history will receive a contract extension from the Dodgers brain trust. Roberts rightfully earned his keep and should be appreciated and respected by all.

Chris Source
Fountain Valley

Congratulations to the Dodgers on a well-deserved title. However, as a small-market (Pittsburgh) fan who moved to Los Angeles many years ago, it’s hard to see the gross inequalities of MLB’s “financial caste system” on display in this year’s World Series. Huge payrolls in Los Angeles and New York don’t guarantee a championship (see Phillies and Padres), but they do give big-spending teams a significant advantage. Unless MLB implements a hard salary cap as well as 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 detriment of the sport.

John Merriman
Redondo Beach

To everyone who last season thought they were smarter than Dave Roberts and could manage him better. …

You don’t and you couldn’t.

Brian Lipson
Beverly Hills

Against the blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are just pseudonyms. Their real names are Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez and Walker Buehler.

Bob Nixin
Glendale

Will the cries about Dave Roberts stop? I’m still waiting for letters from some fans: “Oh, Roberts, he makes a lot of mistakes, the Dodgers were so good that they won despite him.” Bah. In my opinion, Roberts is the greatest Dodger manager since Walter Alston. Possibly the greatest to ever exist.

Bob Whiting
Simi Valley

To scare their parents, New York City children wore Freddy Freeman costumes for Halloween.

Paul Burns
Granada Hills

It’s time to honor one of the Dodgers’ most unsung heroes. I suspect there has been no other MLB catcher tasked with managing so many different pitchers over the course of a season. The bullpen games were perhaps the toughest. Thank you, Will Smith, for a job well done, which I greatly appreciate.

Cheryl Creek
Anaheim

Thank you Yankee for the gift that keeps on giving. You will receive thanks from Dodger heaven from Tommy Lasorda, Vin Scully and Fernando Valenzuela for the generous gift you gave us in the fifth inning of six outs. We Los Angeles residents appreciate your generosity. You really know how to treat your guests like royalty.

Terry Feigebaum
Los Angeles

Impressive, Los Angeles. In the last 11 years, World Series, Stanley Cup, Super Bowl, NBA, WNBA and MLS Cup championships. Los Angeles: City of Champions. Remember Freddie Mercury and Queen.

Tom Klimash
Leland, North Carolina

Five weeks ago, I tore the Dodgers into a champagne celebration after something as meaningless as simply winning the division. Three additional champagne celebrations later, all is forgiven.

Eric Schumann
Fountain Valley

Game 5 will never be forgotten by most baseball fans as Los Angeles did the nearly impossible. How many of them, when the Dodgers were down 5-0, nearly flipped the channel? From the Yankees’ perspective, Aaron Judge went from hero to superhero and torched everyone in five innings. There are only five months left until the opening.

Fred Wallin
Westlake Village

The wonderful Freddie Freeman solved the problem of running around the bases with a bad ankle: Hit a home run and you can take your time walking around the bags.

Thomas Murray
Brattleboro, Vermont.

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