It’s time for Dodgers blame game

Another postseason, another Dodgers collapse. As always, there is plenty of blame to go around. Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts deserve their share for their predictable mismanagement of the roster and curious pitching decisions. For example, removing Tyler Anderson after five innings when he’s given up just two hits and no runs. Starting a not fully healthy, strikeout-prone Chris Taylor in Games 3 and 4. He was 0 for 7 with five strikeouts.

Even more concerning is the fact that we’ve seen the same terrible approach at the plate year after excruciating year. Once again, the “smartest guys in the room” look like the stupidest guys on the field.

Steve Kehela Studio City

The pulling of Anderson was an epic fail. I am doubtful that Roberts even makes these calls. Just like with Rich Hill, this substitution cost the Dodgers another title. I can’t even say wait till next year because I expect a tripling down on this strategy.

Paul Zimmelman

Marina del Rey

What’s wrong with Dave Roberts? He pulls Anderson when the pitcher is doing well and can go more innings. This is not the kind of decision a savvy manager makes. And if we have him back next year, he’ll probably make the same knucklehead decisions. Is it time for a new manager? Deborah R. Ishida

Beverly Hills

As a lifetime Dodger fan I’m thinking of the recent Dodgers’ season in terms of a disappointment and not a failure. Supposed loyal Dodgers fans who will disparage the team after the joy it provided during its incredible run through the regular season are invited to jump off the bandwagon now. Please don’t wait for it to stop moving before doing so.

Ron Yukelson San Luis Obispo

The Dodgers lost in the playoffs, but the season is not a failure by any means. They proved they were the best team in the regular season. The playoffs determine the champion, not the best team. The best teams are forced to take five days off to disrupt the players timing and routines, they have to play a team that just won a playoff series and has tons of momentum, and they only get to play a fivegame series. That is great for making the teams more evenly matched and the games more entertaining, but not for crowning a champion.

Dean Somerville

Leander, Texas

Now that the MLB 162game season is nothing more than a play-in tournament, it’s time to admit as much and just do away with the regular season. Or we could keep the current system and watch a thirdplace team battle a distant second-place team for a heavily diluted pennant. Alan B. Posner

Santa Barbara

Hi Bill Plaschke. Wasn’t that series between the Dodgers and Padres just adorable? L.A. can’t always win everything. You should give credit where credit is due. Go Padres!

Teresa Loren

San Diego

Dave Roberts should have been left off the Dodgers postseason roster. Alan Stern Shadow Hills

With their lineup, my wife can manage the Dodgers to a 100-win season. Roberts’ ineptitude is magnified when decisions need to be made in a short series. Bruce Beck Oak Park

To all those longtime frequently disappointed Dodgers fans ripping Roberts and his managing style, I have only this to say (from the late-great Tommy Lasorda, as heard on the lategreat Jim Healy’s show): “It’s not my freaking fault.

Campanis is the freaking guy.”

Marty Zweben Palos Verdes Estates

The National League had three teams that won more than 100 games and none of them will be in the NLCS.

There needs to be one wild-card team per league, not three.

David Svoboda Fountain Valley

Sitting and watching the end of the Dodgers seriesending Game 4 loss to the Padres was a bummer. But the worst thing about it was knowing that the paper the next day would feature Plaschke and Hernández wringing their hands and tearing their clothes about it, claiming that it rendered the Dodgers 111-win season an utter failure and searching frantically for scapegoats. Turns out my premonition was correct — their columns featured zero balance or perspective, unlike Houston Mitchell’s Dodgers Dugout newsletter Sunday that reminded fans, even disappointed ones, that it is, after all, only a game and should not be allowed to ruin anyone’s life.

George Legg Rolling Hills Estates

I watched Andrew Friedman’s news conference and couldn’t believe that no one asked the Dodger president whether he is going to rethink the five-innings-anddone starting pitcher philosophy, or why the second half of the batting order delivered next to nothing in the NLDS. Yes, Friedman was “haughty” and defensive, but the reporters on the scene failed Dodger fans, as well, by not asking these pertinent questions. Elyce Wakerman

Sherman Oaks

Dylan Hernández rips Andrew Friedman for not having a plan to end the playoff woes of the Dodgers. What does Hernández suggest? It’s easier to complain than come up with a solution.

Jim Woodard Woodland Hills

Let me get this straight. In the seven seasons Dave Roberts has managed the Dodgers, no team has won the World Series more than once.

The Dodgers have been to three World Series in that span, with only Houston matching them in that regard, with their one win forever tarnished by cheating. Over the same span, Roberts has a .632 winning percentage, equating to an average of 102 wins per season. No other manager comes close. Fans and sportswriters in Los Angeles need to get a grip. Peter Maradudin

Seattle

As an Angels fan since the 1980s, there were some words in this article about the Dodgers demise that I didn’t understand: “winning a franchise-record 111 games” … “a stretch of 10 consecutive postseason appearances.”

Can someone please tell me what those mean? Harriet Ottaviano

Hillsboro, Ore.

Looks familiar

The debacle in Utah exposed Lincoln Riley as the coaching love child of Lane Kiffin and Clay Helton.

His Kiffin-like end-game clock (mis)management, failing to call any of his three timeouts, cost the Trojans a minimum of one minute after Utah scored the winning touchdown, leaving Caleb Williams precious little time to drive the offense to field-goal range. SC’s dozen penalties, for nearly 100 yards, was eerily reminiscent of the undisciplined teams which were the hallmark of Helton’s disastrous tenure.

Mark S. Roth Los Angeles

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