With Roki $asaki’s decision, the Dodgers are moving into Evil Empire territory. Yes, the ability and willingness to spend a lot of money is no guarantee of success. The Anaheim Artes are just one (local) example of this. But it definitely gives you an advantage. Not only can you attract stars like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and others and easily pay their high salaries, but you can also afford to eat out or simply pay tens of millions to role players and underperformers like Chris Taylor.
Baseball needs a salary cap and a minimum wage.
John Merryman
Redondo Beach
So we get Roki Sasaki! Fantastic! It’s almost embarrassing. Almost.
Tanner Scott. Tanner Scott. Tanner Scott.
Eric Monson
Temecula
Now that Roki Sasaki has decided to sign his star to the Dodgers, the only question that remains is how long it will be before he needs Tommy John surgery.
Bill Waxman
Simi Valley
Keeping the Faith in the Chargers
Chargers fan here. Did the wildcard loss hurt? Of course it did. But signing Jim Harbaugh was the best move the Chargers’ leadership ever made. The ride has been great so far. Going from 5-12 to 11-6 and a playoff berth in less than a year is a great foundation to build on.
The Harbaugh trial must be trusted, and Rome wasn’t built in a day. His team still has gaping holes, and that was evident in the loss to the highly motivated Houston Texans.
I look forward to the steps Joe Hortiz and Harbaugh take this offseason to move the team toward postseason success in 2026
Trust the process and the worm will keep turning!
Felipe Varela
Whittier
To think, the Chargers are hanging their hat on that overrated quarterback Justin Herbert. He’s not what you want in a quarterback. I suggest the Chargers start looking for a QB who can handle the pressure of the playoffs.
GT Okay
Rosenmet
I consider myself a long-suffering Chargers fan. I’ve seen too many seasons that ended this way, and many more that didn’t end even close to that. I’m optimistic. I see the light at the end of the “charging” tunnel. Congratulations on a good season. Here’s to a great season next year.
John Tsutsui
Hurricane, Utah
Chargers counterpoint
Last weekend’s debacle in Houston makes it clear that the 2024 Chargers are fiction. How on earth were they favored since they had only beaten two teams with winning records all season. The Chargers were one of the three easiest schedules in 2024.
The defense has really improved this year, but there’s only so much they can do with a weak offense. One day Justin Herbert could become a great quarterback, however, until the Chargers have a running game they haven’t had since LaDainian Tomlinson left and they find more than one reliable receiver, they will continue to be fiction. Jim Harbaugh or not, Jim Harbaugh.
Larry Stern
Westlake Village
A story worth telling
What an incredible feat by the Rams, Cardinals, Vikings and the NFL to move the Rams-Vikings game from SoFi to Arizona on such short notice. As always, Sam Farmer finds the right people to talk to. He put together a great story.
Bill Francis
Pasadena
Kudos to the Arizona Cardinals organization for the support they gave the Rams in their move from LA to Arizona for the wild card game. What a refreshing display of class and sportsmanship.
Russell Morgan
Carson
Wow, a vintage performance from Matthew Stafford! Luckily for the Rams, it was also a top-notch performance from Sam Darnold.
Richard Turnage
Burbank
Too many tantrums
Watching Mick Cronin apoplectic on the sideline during the Bruins’ loss to the Maryland Terrapins last week was a sight to behold. It’s time to ask yourself whether his extreme coaching tantrums are hurting the Bruins’ game and future recruiting?
Jeffrey Peter
Studio City
Cost-cutting step
Wait a minute. MLB gave two Yankees fans a lifetime ban for trying to pull a baseball out of Mookie Betts’ glove during the World Series? I’m not sure that’s the best consequence. Thanks to this lifetime ban, the two will save thousands of dollars by no longer having to pay for tickets, parking, hot dogs and beer.
Joe Kevany
Mount Washington
Heaven’s new .200 hitter
There is no better – or more self-deprecating – .200 hitter in the Baseball Hall of Fame than Bob Uecker, a catcher whose “tools of ignorance” let us in on the joke. So if there is a vantage point in the sky waiting for us, we know exactly where it will sit.
Steve Ross
Carmel
The “Mendoza Line” should now be known as the “Mendoza-Uecker Line” since Mario Mendoza had a career batting average of .215 while Bob Uecker’s was right at .200. Thanks to Mr. Baseball for so many laughs.
Ken Feldman
Tarzana
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.