HOOVER, Ala. - The TV in the upper corner of the Class AA Birmingham (Ala.) Barons clubhouse is almost always on. They watch cartoons, game shows and ESPN's SportsCenter.
Just now comes a commercial. Rumor has it Michael Jordan is buying a ballpark. Turns out to be a hot dog by the brand name Ballpark Franks. It gets a laugh from Jordan's teammates - mostly men eight or nine years his junior.
"I hadn't seen that one before," says first baseman Troy Fryman, 23. "That's a good one."
Fryman gets the joke. Jordan, 31, is fabulously rich. He reputedly makes $30 million a year. "We know what he makes," Fryman says. "And he knows what we make."
Jordan, 31, appreciates what Southern League players make - $850 a month plus $16 a day meal money on the road. In the NBA, men younger than his teammates sign $50 million deals after foreshortened college careers. Jordan regrets it.
"If I can speak overall, instead of specifically, that hurts the credibility of the work ethic involved," he says. "It is a business, but if it is too much of a business, some of the fun has got to go. I want them to make money. You get your money when you can get it. But play because you love the game."
He looks around the room at his teammates.
"Here, I don't see any of that," Jordan says. "These guys make $40 a day. They go to McDonald's. They don't order room service. They could have regular jobs that pay more. But they play the game. That's good to see. They're not afraid to do that - play baseball for the pure love of playing the game."
The same can be said of Jordan.
"I'm going back to the drawing board," he says. "In basketball, I wrote the board. But here I'm back to basics. I love this feeling."
And his teammates love playing to big crowds. They are on pace to play before 1.2 million fans, home and away.
"I tell them, `This is your time to shine,' " Jordan says. " `They're looking at me, but they're looking at you, too.' "
That includes his opponents - some of whom strike Jordan out, then ask him to sign the ball.
"We love playing before packed houses," Memphis Chicks outfielder Hugh Walker says. "I'm trying to look at him as a baseball player. But then I think, wow, the greatest basketball player in the world is playing baseball with us."
The Barons are mostly past the wow part. "We've been together for a couple of months," second baseman Doug Brady says. "We're used to having him now. He's just one of us."
Jordan joins in clubhouse camaraderie but also plays elder statesman. "I talk to them as a big brother," Jordan says.
Big Brother is not just watching. He's playing baseball, swapping jokes and competing at clubhouse Yahtzee.
"He blends in perfectly," outfielder Scott Tedder says. "He teaches us to be pro athletes. And we bring out the kid in him."
THE JORDAN WATCH
An update on Class AA Birmingham (Ala.) Barons outfielder Michael Jordan's performance: -- Thursday's game: Played Jacksonville (Fla.). -- Season to date: Jordan is batting .231 (31-for-134). He has 25 singles and six doubles. He has driven in 18 runs and scored 10 in his 34 games. He has stolen 10 bases in 16 attempts, walked 10 times and struck out 40 times. He has also made four errors, had 51 putouts and one outfield assist. -- Weekend games: Friday, home against Jacksonville; Saturday home against Jacksonville; Sunday at Huntsville (Ala.).
