This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
At the beginning of the season I picked the Dodgers to handily win the division. The Dodgers had a starting rotation that most teams would kill for, and offensively they could overwhelm every other team in the division.
Sure injuries took their toll especially on the pitching staff, but it’s pathetic that in the final week of the season I’m not caring at all what the Dodgers are doing.
Last Thursday AM570’s reporter David Vassegh reported on the dissolution within the Dodger clubhouse. Not only is there a huge divide between the young and old, but all of the players have lost confidence in Grady Little.
Wouldn’t you lose confidence in a manager who led a team out of the All Star break into a slump that took the team from first place to fourth in two weeks?
Wouldn’t you lose confidence in a manager who while trying to come out of said slump during the homestretch of the season showed no sense of urgency repeating, “There’s a lot of games to be played”?
Wouldn’t you lose confidence in a manager who kept sending Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson to the mound despite what a horror they were on the mound?
Wouldn’t you lose confidence in a manager who used a ouija board to create a lineup?
While with the New York Jets, head coach Herman Edwards in a postgame press conference meltdown famously uttered the words, "You play to win the game." It's become quite evident throughout the course of the season that Grady Little played to try and make everyone happy.
To me it's very clear what needs to be done: FIRE GRADY LITTLE. Doing this will not absolve general manager Ned Colletti for the sins he committed: Signing Jason Schmidt, Juan Pierre, Nomar Garciaparra and Esteban Loaiza. However by firing Grady he will be taking an initiative in regaining control in the clubhouse.
There are four people who come to mind to replace Grady in order of preference.
Bobby Valentine. He's a little crazy and doesn't take shit from anyone. He knows how to keep his players focused. Remember he took the Mets to the World Series in 2000.
Kirk Gibson. I'm not being sentimental at all when I say his name. Dodger fans remember him for working hard and not messing around. The eye black incident during spring training in 1988 is good evidence of this. Currently he's the bench coach for the division leading D-Backs, and I think it's time to give him a managing job.
Kevin Kennedy. We all know him on FOX and the Dodgers Live on FSN Prime Ticket. He's also the last manager to lead the Red Sox to the AL East pennant.
Dusty Baker. He was eight outs from winning the World Series with the Giants in 2002. From what I hear he had a good working relationship with Ned Colletti. True he was a dunce with the Cubs, but if the only two starting pitchers you have were injured throughout your tenure you would lose too.
If nothing is done next month then any expectation for the Dodgers to win a World Series will be gone for a long time.
By the way the Dodgers put off the inevitable by beating the D-Backs on Sunday.
Official Grady Little mugshot famously manipulated by Moi
