Some thoughts on today's HR derby;

1) Seattle fans are a class act. The cheers for A-Rod should show the world that.

2) There are a FEW class acts in major league baseball all-star-dum, but both my 8-year-old son and myself were EXTREMELY disappointed. The majority of the players took batting practice, then sat around talking amongst themselves in the outfield while thousands of fans crowded the sidelines, screaming / begging / pleading with them to come over and sign autographs. And this in an event that I thought it was supposed to be fan-oriented. This in an event where the fans GOT them there in the first place.

3) Granted, A FEW of the all-stars signed autographs. Freddy Garcia came out and signed a few. Bernie Williams (A YANKEE!!!) signed for about 5 minutes out of the dugout. Roger the Rocket signed 10 or so.

4) NOW, to a truly class act. Bret Boone. Our own 2nd Base All-Star. The All-Stars, after finishing batting practice, headed out to left and center field, crossed their arms, talked amongst themselves, like a bunch of teenagers (oh, wait, maybe they are). Then it was time to head off the field. In pairs or in groups, they headed toward the dugout. A few acknowledged the fans with a nod or a wave of the hand, but most just kept within their own groups, and headed off the field.

Boonie was one of the last ones off the field. He looked after the departing All-Stars. He hesitated. This was peer pressure at its highest level from his all-star peers. By their very attitude, their haughtiness, they were saying "THIS is how all-stars act!" He looked at the fans, pleading, imploring, calling in high-pitched, 8-year old voices, PLEASE, Mr. Boone!!!, He looked at his peers, laughing, joking amongst themselves, disappearing into the dugout. He looked at his fans. His peers. His fans.

What happened next, I can only attribute to his parents, maybe his near-all-star Grandfather, who must have taught him who the game is for: the fans.

Bret Boone, alone, came over and signed autographs. No, he didn't get to my son. But he did spend 10-15-20 minutes signing Autographs for his fans. He left his peers and their haughty, aloof attitudes in the dugout and the locker room, and spent time with his fans.

I hope that the Commissioner of Baseball hears about the All-Stars sitting around in the field, forgetting about the fans. I hope he calls EACH of them into his office and reminds them, as he had to remind A-Rod, of their duties "for the good of the game". The All-Star Workout Day should be a day when all stars can warm up their bats, and meet with their friends. But it should be a time when they spend time "working the crowd', remembering the people that brought them there.

And when it comes time to call in Mr. Boone, I will stand as a witness of his goodness, of his humanity, of his remembering that the fans make the game what it is...

Bret Boone = Class in Seattle!!

OOPS! I forgot a player! Cameron CAME OUT ON THE DUGOUT and was signing! I saw a picture of it later on MLB.org .. Stupid me! I was 20 feet away from him and just thought it was some guy goofing around! DUH!

And to the point that "it's a working day"... bull. A working day is when you stretch. When you do sprints. When you loosen up. These guys sat in the field and did NOTHING but catch rays. AND when the job is over, when you head back to the clubhouse, THEN you CAN, as Boonie and Camie did, come over and spend some time with the folks that are paying the freight. Especially if you're trying to win new fans. What's gonna be my son's incentive when he's 40 to take HIS 8 year old to a ball game? Forget it! He'll go to a soccer game, where the players make 5 figures a year and the ENTIRE TEAM comes out after the game and signs autographs on the field for a half hour!!!