Identity theft?

The Dodgers haven’t lost their identity. McCourt, Torre, and the L.A. Times shrouded it in their adulation of Manny Ramirez when he returned with his baggy uniform and repulsive dreadlocks. The Dodgers had played as a team, but Mannywood and Ramirez’s VIP ticket promo with “come to see me” shelved the team. So stop with the identity thing.

Damiana Chavez

Los Angeles

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I want to believe that the Dodgers know what they’re doing by keeping their best base stealer, spark plug and batter for average (Pierre, .318) on the bench. Of course, that’s how you win games! Then, I noticed the Rockies actually playing their best hitter (Helton, .327) and they’ve been playing pretty well.

Hmmm. It’s a radically new concept, but it might just work.

John Rustan

Petaluma

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It is not how you start, it’s how you finish, and the Dodgers are finished. What they started the season with, poor and inexperienced pitching, is unraveling at season’s end. Even with their favorable schedule, the Dodgers may not make the playoffs and might only hang on to the wild card.

Their collapse was expected, but what wasn’t expected was their inability to score runs. Not having a couple of starting pitchers who could hold the opposition to fewer than two runs in the crunch was another reason. However, if they do make wild card, the Cardinals will sweep them away. Ah, well, the dream was alive for five months.

Richard Kane

Tarzana

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Jeff Weaver has been very effective recently as a spot starter and long reliever, yet the Dodgers continue to make him the odd man out when it comes to using him in key situations. Now that their division lead has all but vanished, maybe Joe Torre will finally relent and let this veteran and World Series hero perform under pressure. He’s already proven that he’s more than capable.

Charles Reilly

Manhattan Beach

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A million dollars does not get you what it used to.

The A’s of 1913 and 1914 had the “Hundred Thousand Dollar Infield,” which featured Eddie Collins and Home Run Baker.

The Newark Eagles of the 1930s had the “Million Dollar Infield” with Mule Settles, Willie Wells and Ray Dandridge.

Now the Dodgers have Jim Thome, who is physically unable to play first base, which makes him the “Million Dollar Pinch-Hitter for a Month.”

Michael Kaplan

La Crescenta