Dodger Management

When will the Dodgers learn that it is time to put Tommy Lasorda permanently out to pasture? His only role as "senior vice president" is to provide a buffoonish link to the team's past, the last real contribution to which he made more than 11 long years ago. Now, in his latest front-office effort, at a banquet (what else?), he whines about all the curveballs he threw to Adrian Beltre, suggests without any evidence that many players are signed illegally, and more or less accuses Beltre's parents of providing false documentation of Beltre's birth date.

MILWAUKEE - Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti was evasive when asked Monday about Don Mattingly's job status, refusing to say whether the last-place team could fire its manager this week. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, Clayton Kershaw pitched his second complete game of the season, a 107-pitch masterpiece in a 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park that ended the Dodgers' three-game losing streak. "Every time I get in trouble, Kersh saves me for one more day," Mattingly said jokingly.

Talk about being penny-wise and pound-foolish! The Dodgers lay off some minor coaches and trainers to save money, and spend $4 million on a player who doesn't play even when he is playing. Dodger management has apparently taken lessons from the Pentagon. RICK CURTIS Westlake Village

ATLANTA - More than a quarter of the season is complete. The losses are continuing to mount. But in the wake of a come-from-ahead, 3-1 defeat to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night, Manager Don Mattingly remained adamant that the last-place Dodgers are underperforming. The alternative would have been to concede that the $230-million ballclub is incapable of winning consistently. "I'm not going to believe that," Mattingly said. "I know we're capable. " BOX SCORE: Atlanta 3, Dodgers 1 Mattingly pointed to how before losing their first two games of a three-game series at Turner Field, the Dodgers won four of five games.

I am sick and tired of hearing the same old meteorological report from the Dodger front office: "Sunny today, no Raines in sight." Tim Raines is clearly the center fielder that millions of L.A. fans have been praying for (the same millions who pay admission to Dodger games). I am sure the Big Dodger in the Sky would give the long-reformed superstar his blessing to help put the Dodgers in the World Series. If Dodger management truly has no intention of pursuing Tim Raines after the dam breaks on signing free agents, then watch out. Disgruntled fans will change the music from "Blue Skies" to "Stormy Weather" in a hurry.

May I suggest that the Dodgers be magnanimous and that the "player to be named later" in the Eric Davis trade be reversed and Darryl Strawberry be the chosen special person? And if the Dodgers want to show their love of the game of baseball, send Fred Claire as an "extra special" bonus. I suspect this will do more for the fans than has been done in all the recent trading of these past few years. ROBERT ARONOFF, South Pasadena Now that Eric Davis has been traded, if Darryl Strawberry is also let go, perhaps Dodger management would be able to reduce ticket prices by at least $1. ROLANDO TOSTADO, Glendale ARTURO VARGAS, Los Angeles If he really buckles down, Jos(e-6)

Until now, it appeared to me that the demise of the Dodgers could be adequately explained by the cupidity of Peter O'Malley and the stupidity of Al Campanis. Trader Al threw away talent like a drunken sailor throws away his gold, and Peter the Pennypincher never stops looking for bargains that do nothing for the team. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that Loudmouth Lasorda, the man of many bleeps, deserves his share of the blame. There are simply too many players who improve markedly once they get away from the Dodgers.

When was the last time a Giant-Dodger game from San Francisco was not televised back to us? Did Dodger management have a premonition of Tuesday's game (a 10-3 loss)? I'm sure they didn't want the fans to see how the team stumbled and fumbled and bumbled to their 11th loss. Folks, that's not the horses at Hollywood Park you smell. JOHN SOJKA Glendale Editor's note: Although all Dodger games in San Francisco were once televised, that hasn't been the case since the team's TV schedule was increased to 50 games in 1981.

Every time I read anything about the Dodgers trading Eric Gagne I shudder. Does management not realize that trading away this gifted pitcher would be at least as unpopular as trading away Piazza or, for that matter, Pedro Martinez? Wake up, Dodger management, unless you want to make the remaining Dodger fans out there irate. Marty Brown Long Beach While watching a game against the hated San Francisco Giants, which of the following scenarios is scarier for Dodger fans?

Ohhhh. So that's why fans boo Gary Sheffield in Milwaukee, San Diego and Florida. STEVEN SMULLEN Redondo Beach How great an irony that on the same day the paper carried the news that America had lost an icon, Dale Earnhardt, an adjacent story reported the Dodgers may lose a punk, Gary Sheffield. Dale Earnhardt was a good son, brother, husband, father, neighbor, spokesman, businessman, philanthropist, and, arguably, the best race car driver who ever lived. He will be greatly missed.

After watching Brandon League struggle through another tough outing in the series finale with the Miami Marlins, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly was asked Monday whether the right-hander was still his closer. His answer wasn't exactly a vote of confidence. "Yeah, for now he is," Mattingly said. "I hate to say it like that. But yeah, for now. " League has given up runs in six of his last seven appearances and has just two hitless innings in the last month.

It's one thing to leave your heart in San Francisco, quite another to lose your mind there like Don Mattingly . Has there ever been a more ridiculous comment offered by a Dodgers manager, and take into account Tom Lasorda said a lot of ridiculous stuff while on the job, than what Mattingly said Sunday? The Dodgers lost three straight to the Giants, whom they will probably have to beat if they are to win a division title. And Mattingly said: "I feel better about our club walking out of here than I did walking in. " My apologies to Mike D'Antoni for thinking he was the most clueless coach in town.

TUCSON - As the Dodgers prepared to play a charity game Thursday in remembrance of a young shooting victim, Manager Don Mattingly said he favored a ban on assault rifles. Mattingly was initially reluctant to talk about gun control. “Politics now?” Mattingly asked. “I don't know if I really want to get into it. I'm just not a gun guy. I never hunted as a kid. So I'm not much for the topic. I know we have coaches who love them; they think it'd be crazy if they weren't allowed to have them.” But Mattingly soon found himself talking about assault weapons.

Texas 4, Dodgers 0 AT THE PLATE: Outfield prospect Yasiel Puig was one for three, beating out a seventh-inning grounder to shortstop for a single. Later that inning, he was caught stealing. "He did get 50% of our hits today," Manager Don Mattingly said. The other hit came from non-roster utilityman Alfredo Amezaga, who led off the game with a single to right. Amezaga was also caught stealing. ON THE MOUND: Left-hander J.P. Howell inherited a one-out, bases-loaded situation from Brandon League and limited the damage to one run. Javy Guerra returned from a mild groin injury to face two batters, striking out both.

PEORIA, Ariz. - Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw had a third consecutive poor outing, which is either something to be concerned about or something to be dismissed. Kershaw was taking the first approach - sort of. "'Concerned' might not be the best word. But it's definitely not confident, I guess you could say, if you're giving up that many runs," he said after surrendering four runs and seven hits in three-plus innings of the Dodgers' 7-3 Cactus League loss Tuesday to the San Diego Padres.

The math doesn't work and everyone knows it. Try as you might, eight starting pitchers for five spots just won't divide evenly If Chad Billingsley and, to a lesser extent, Clayton Kershaw prove healthy, and South Korea's Hyun-Jin Ryu proves to be the real deal, then the Dodgers will have a three-pitcher surplus (Aaron Harang, Ted Lilly, Chris Capuano) after veterans Zack Greinke and Josh Beckett. The presumption is that at least one would be traded, and the rest headed to the bullpen.

In this time, when the nation has gone through so much, it is comforting to know that many of our American traditions live. As the new year dawns, I see that Gary Sheffield is unhappy with Dodger management and feel comfort knowing that this traditional rite has not changed one iota. My unsolicited advice to Dodger management: Excise this malignant tumor. Trade for players, cash, prospects, magic beans, anything. Just lose him. The team should have no time for whining millionaires.

Thank God, the nightmare of Chavez Ravine is finally over. Deep and drastic therapy is needed so that 1987 doesn't turn out to be just a dreary replay of '86. Al Campanis must retire! Far too much faith in the wrong young players and in aging players looking to wind up their careers in Southern California. Brock? Sorry, kid, four full seasons is enough. Maybe there will be less pressure in Seattle. Reuss, Cabell, Madlock and Landreaux? A new world of radio and TV announcing is calling.

Dodgers 2, Chicago White Sox 2 AT THE PLATE: Luis Cruz hit the Dodgers' first home run of the spring, taking Jhan Marinez deep in the sixth inning. Cruz said one reason he isn't nervous this spring is because of the words of encouragement he has received from team Chairman Mark Walter. "He hugs me as if he's my uncle," Cruz said. Hanley Ramirez drove in the Dodgers' first run of the exhibition season when he singled up the middle in the third inning to score Tim Federowicz. But Ramirez strayed too far from first base on the play and was thrown out. ON THE MOUND: Nonroster reliever Peter Moylan had a rough day, coughing up a 1-0 lead he inherited from Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Moylan served up a triple to Alex Rios and a two-run home run to Adam Dunn.

Now that we can sweep the college football season away, much like Alabama did to Notre Dame, it is time to set our sporting sights forward. There is the NBA, college basketball, even a hockey-light season. Or is that a light hockey season? Nor should we forget that spring training is approaching. To that end, we spend a day with Tom Lasorda, Mr. Dodger Blue Heaven. Need a baseball boost, see Tommy. He is the Viagra of enthusiasm. "When people ask me about spring training," Lasorda says, "I tell them I have a weight problem.