Would you trade Kobe for A-Rod?

The singular, self-obsessed world of Los Angeles sports abhors a star vacuum. It lives off big names in bright lights. It sustains itself with bigger-than-life (or at least bigger-than-the-team-around-him) athletes who often play the celebrity game better than the game that provides the paychecks.

Right now, L.A. is operating at a serious star-power deficit -- and that is with Kobe Bryant still grudgingly wearing a Lakers uniform. Remember the Lakers after Magic and before Shaq and Kobe? Or, for older fans, after Jerry West and before Kareem? The Lakers, and the entire L.A. sports scene, could topple into the same kind of darkness if and when Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak push the “eject” button on “Operation Kobe (It Was Fun Until We Completely Caved In To Kobe).”

Suppose Kobe leaves town tomorrow in exchange for a bunch of Bulls with more upside than star shine. Where does that leave a city so intrigued by celebrity that it named a pre-Dodgers baseball team the “Hollywood Stars” and an early American Basketball Assn. team the “Los Angeles Stars”?

Post-Kobe, where would we find the Los Angeles stars?

Hell-oooooo? Anybody out there?

Where’s David Beckham? Good question, that. All of America was asking that during most of The Season America Was Going To Finally Get MLS. Beckham is the biggest sports star in L.A., bigger than even Kobe, but he played all of five MLS games for the Galaxy, started two, did not have a shot on goal and did not qualify for the playoffs. The defining line on L.A.’s biggest star in 2007: “DNP.”

You can say the same for the Clippers’ top star at the moment, injured Elton Brand.

You can say the same for the biggest name on the Dodgers’ pitching staff, injured Jason Schmidt.

And you can say the same for the biggest name on the Ducks’ 2006-2007 Stanley Cup championship roster, Teemu Selanne. Selanne hasn’t formally announced his retirement, but he isn’t playing either. Sort like all the Dodgers this season after Sept. 15.

Who’s the biggest baseball star in L.A.? Russell Martin is building a resume, but nationally, he is still in the process of spreading the word. Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent have the name recognition, but Garciaparra no longer recognizes many pitches he can hit over the fence, and Kent didn’t recognize the importance of recognizing how much help all those under-30 Dodgers could provide if he could manage a little reaching-out.

Over in Los Angeles of Anaheim, Vladimir Guerrero has all the numbers, but he’s more about pine tar-encrusted batting helmets and crushed baseballs than glamour.

Alex Rodriguez would fill that void. He could be coming to the Angels to join Guerrero if Arte Moreno, financially speaking, can cope with the concept of extending “Red October” to “Red April, May, June, July, August and September” too. Or A-Rod could go to the Dodgers, following Joe Torre across country and filling what one might call a need at third base.

Suppose Kobe goes and A-Rod comes. Would L.A. be a better place to follow sports? Certainly, it would take some getting used to. Kobe just had a huge game, 45 points, on the next to last day of October. A-Rod never has huge games in October. A-Rod goes deep often during May and June. Kobe hasn’t gone deep into May and June with any Lakers team since Shaq left.

Let’s compare their most recent playoff performances:

Kobe: Lost in the first round, 4 games to 1.

A-Rod: Lost in the first round, 3 games to 1.

One postseason victory apiece.

Call it a push.

christine.daniels@latimes.com

Comments

[Dana Douglas]

Christine, you are too cynical, if such a thing is even possible in this day and age. The drama surrounding Kobe is annoying, but mostly media-driven; e.g., the incessant rumors about Kobe going to the bulls, which everyone on both teams is trying to discount, but the media continue to drive it anyway. (Um, you don't seem immune from that, either, I'm afraid.) If the sports press would just shut up about it, we wouldn't suffer so much angst over it. And I'll bet you a cup of coffee that Kobe is a Laker when the playoffs start next spring.

As for A-Rod, I would love to see him in Dodger Blue. For all your griping about him, would you really not care to add those 52 home runs to the Dodger tally? I don't want him an Angel, but only because seeing A-Rod join Torre on the *real* New York baseball team would make the baby Jesus smile (and buy season tickets).

Yes, we love our sports stars her in the Land of La. We love them right up until the day they jilt us and leave us for another lover. And then we dye our hair, date a new sports star and forget about our old loves.

Whatever happened to that other L.A. team, anyway? You know, the Rams . . .

[stacey]

Trade Kobe for A-Rod? In a heartbeat! But it ain't gonna happen. Kobe is not going anywhere and A-Rod (Boras) are just too far out of reach money-wise for the Dodgers to even consider. Not another team in the NBA would trade their franchise player for Kobe right now. Franchise player meaning a Lebron, Carmelo, Tim Duncan etc. He wouldn't improve their teams any nor would he contribute in any intangible ways to the team or community. Yes we miss our "Stars" in LA, but Joe Torre is a good start. He brings a sense of stability and reassurance to a sometimes chaotic sports scene in So Cal.