Maybe the snide comments we’ve made about today’s baseball players are having a positive effect: we just learned via self-styled Bronx sports reporter “JR” of the “JR Sport Brief” [links on YouTube and Twitter] that Alex Rodriguez recently spent some time in an honest-to-goodness Bronx backlot (along with less-renowned but equally applaudable Jerry Hairston Jr.).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-XugMm4_zY

The normal sports news gathering apparatus didn’t seem to be anywhere in sight: just JR, a couple of Yankees, and kids.  I do wish that they were using actual stickball bats, but I’m sure the kids didn’t mind.  Kudos to both players.

Earlier this season, Yankee Mark Teixeira was seen playing some stickball down in Florida during spring training (see a local TV news report below).  Let’s hope this is the start of a trend!