OCTOBER 1, 2007 --

Apparently, the end of the season is rookie-hazing time for Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees mark the tradition with the team's rookies traveling in costume en route to the last road trip.

Throughout the season, rookies are, generally, about as indifferent to adoring fans as veterans, who will walk from the parking lot to the press gate looking straight ahead (see photo of Alex Rodriguez), or going to the press gate while holding cell phone to ear (see photo of Robihnsonn Cano).

Sometimes a player will briefly glance in the direction of the fans behind barriers some 20-25 yards away; more likely, the player will indicate acknowledgment by raising an arm while walking towards the press gate (see photo of Roger Clemens).

And so, after the last home game, September 24 (a 4 -1 loss to Toronto), LPR was surprised to see Yankee rookies, dressed as Wizard of Oz characters signing autographs for the usually ignored fans.

Yankee rookies September 24, Ian Kennedy as Dorothy, Shelley Duncan as Scarecrow, Joba Chamberlain as Cowardly Lion and Phil Hughes as Tin Man.

Tin Man Hughes greets fans …

Joba Chamberlain the Cowardly Lion …

(Rookies not shown here were dressed as other Oz characters, including a flying monkey and castle guards.) It is not clear to LPR that the autograph is not part of the hazing along with the costumes.

For the record, LPR has spotted rookie Shelley Duncan signing autographs during the season.