Letters to the Editor | Oct. 25, 2022

I suppose it will be difficult to find anyone who says Bryce Harper isn’t worth all of that money he makes. At times like this, under such pressure, it is the rare player who shows up and overcomes the mental obstacles so many others do not. By the way, Harper was named the MVP of the NLCS and that was appropriate. However, there were others who played at least just as important a role in Harper’s success. Let’s hear it for the National League Rules Committee who decided to allow the designated hitter, or DH, this year. If no DH rule, then no Harper this year, as his injury precluded him from being a position player. If you can’t throw, you can’t play! But, he sure can hit! Four more to go until parade time.

Gotta love baseball!

Charlie Sacchetti, Cinnaminson, sacchettiman@gmail.com

A spectacular two-run homer is launched off the bat of the ‘”Mighty Bryce” not from NASA’s Space Center, but from home plate to left center field in Citizens Bank Park within the City of Brotherly Love, landing among a crowd of jubilant fans. It happened in the bottom of the eighth inning with the impact of a moon landing, superseding those exasperating political advertisements dominating TV screens, for viewers in need of a magical moment.

Residents of Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs ever so welcomed this temporary diversion from surrounding insanity thrust upon us in a politically polarized world, allowing us the opportunity to break bread, quaff libations with those we disagree with, many, alas, swirling about in a vortex of discontent, realizing we are all Americans imbued with the spirit of “E Pluribus Unum.”

Kudos to a baseball team we can all believe in, barely squeaking into the playoffs, gathering strength, fending off opponents, attaining a pinnacle of success, earning admission to the elite World Series, a godsend in these uncertain times.

Lawrence Uniglicht, Galloway, lrunig@gmail.com

The Inquirer’s decision to offer pro/con opinions on Philly’s gun buyback program was appropriate and timely. The selection of the con opiner — not so much.

What credentials, knowledge, or background does Kyle Sammin bring to the discussion? Citing cherry-picked facts from various studies mingled with uninformed opinion does little good. Why wasn’t the question posed to law enforcement officials or criminologists — in other words, experts?

An important question needs informed, professional input , not the musings of a journalist who dances from topic to topic weekly. As Sammin laments the up-front cost of a gun buyback, he overlooks the fact that that particular firearm will be permanently gone, not languishing in a closet or drawer for decades just waiting to create a tragedy. How priceless is that?

Of course scrutiny should be given to the amounts offered so as to avoid the possibility of “trading up.” Yet another instance where experienced, qualified input is required, not the decisions of well-meaning amateurs or heliotropic politicians.

J. Savage, Philadelphia

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