Autograph Solution

As most of you already know, the Dodgers have decided to do the right thing.

The Dodgers, surrendering to the wishes of irate fans, announced Friday they have dropped a new rule and will allow all youngsters to seek autographs in Dodger Stadium in much the same way they have done for years.

In this wonderful age of electronic communications the fans have decided to collectively let the Dodgers management know exactly what was on their minds. Apparently, they emailed the Dodgers in great numbers to announce their displeasure.

"I read the e-mails aloud to everyone here and it helped," the Dentist said. "We decided to allow everyone to enter the field level the way they have in previous years -- through the end of batting practice.

J.T. Simers continued by noting something that I find a bit disturbing.

"I guess they are making an attempt," said Gabriel Ramirez, 39, of Santa Clarita. "But nobody showed up."

It is one thing to demand the kind of access to the players than can only be a win-win for the organizations desire to build its fan base. It's quite another thing to expect the Dodger players to always be available to sign.

Autograph seeking fans need to understand that all players tend to have their own set routines as they prepare for the game. Think of it this way. When the players enter that stadium, they are on the clock. It's work and as professionals they treat their day like any hard working schmo. The fact that they earn far more than you and I combined only means that their preparation is that more important. They are paid to play the game to the best of their abilities and sometimes they need to spend their time putting on their game face.

So, the next time your standing in that line, please don't scream, push or shove. Please do not get angry at any players who are not available. If you get an autograph be thankful, you are one of the lucky ones. If your ball goes unsigned don't sulk, it just wasn't your day. There will be many other opportunities.

In fact, the best way to get autographs is to follow Roberto at "Blogging Dodgers and Baseball". He goes to free promotional signing events often found in advertisements in local papers.