Letters

Damn Yankees
How ironic that you put King George and his overpaid posse on your 2003 Baseball Preview cover (March 31) yet pick the A's to take it all. Like you, I'll take my small-market A's and their small paychecks to go all the way.
JOHN CHAPPELL, Concord, Calif.

The 2002 season was tremendous for baseball. The Angels, Barry Bonds and Randy Johnson had remarkable seasons, but instead of focusing on one of their great feats for the cover, you show us what is wrong with baseball. The Yankees—and other big-market teams-continue to spend, while many other teams can't dream of being competitive.
JEFFREY LESSERSON
New York City

Being a Yankees fan, I noticed the absence of one of the most colorful Yankees starters from the cover. Where was Boomer? I have heard that David Wells has been mad at SI ever since you guys called him fat (Heavy Duty, July 10,2000). What's the big deal? The Babe never worried about his big-boned persona. Maybe next time you should tell Boomer there'll be a book signing after the photo shoot.
ADAM FERNSLER, Lemont, Pa.

Vlad All Over
I'm pleasantly amazed by your astute pick of Vladimir Guerrero as the No. 1-ranked skill position player ( SI's Fantasy Baseball Ratings, March 31). No matter the protestations of Bonds and A-Rod fans, the truth is that Guerrero is the best player in the game: a true star with a laser eye at the plate, a mammoth bat and a cannon for an arm. Plus, the lad runs the bases the way DiMaggio did in his prime.
BRANDON REISCHE, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Jack Strongarm
Kudos to Tom Verducci for The Ultimate Gamer (March 31). The spotlight on Jack Morris was long overdue. If his 254 career wins, 2,478 strikeouts and three World Series rings aren't enough to qualify him for the Hall of Fame, how about being the dominant and most dependable pitcher of his era?
CHRIS HASS
Howell, Mich.

Your story on Morris has me seeing him in a more negative light. Am I supposed to be impressed when he says, "Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser"? Is that what he teaches his children—bad sportsmanship? In sports, losing is inevitable. You don't have to be happy about it, but you can still conduct yourself with dignity and grace in the face of defeat. To me, Morris's statement is nothing but a sign of immaturity. If he couldn't handle losing, he shouldn't have been playing a game.
GREGG ROTH, Locust Valley, N.Y.

Sports in a Time of War
Thank you, Rick Reilly, for sharing your letter to M. Sgt. Chris Calkins (THE LIFE OF REILLY, March 31). My other half is over there as well, and I send him all the Sis I get just so he and his buddies can get their minds off what they're dealing with, even if it's just for a few minutes. I know he will appreciate the piece too.
RACHEL BLOCK, Surf City, N.C.

? SI is committed to sending 5,000 issues a week to military personnel stationed in the Middle East.
—ED.

Once again Reilly has eloquently captured my feelings and put them into words. Because I'm such a big college hoops fan, this time of year usually excites me more than my mom's home cooking, but before reading Reilly's article, I felt the NCAA tournament should have been postponed because of the war. However, if it created even the slightest bit of joy for our troops overseas, I'm glad it happened as scheduled. Despite Syracuse's winning the trophy in New Orleans, we all know who our true national champions are. Thank you to the men and women who are protecting and serving so generously.
DAVE HOFFMAN, Brookline, Mass.

While sports may be an afterthought to some, it is quite a release for those of us defending freedom. Reilly's words were heartfelt and meaningful. Anybody in the military who reads his article will appreciate it. We—the U.S. military—will carry on smartly because of Americans like you who support us.
PO CHARLES JOHNSON, USS Saipan