The Week That Was
In the aftermath of the deaths of Darryl Kile and Jack Buck -- and the still too-recent memories of 9/11-- we're reminded that despite sometimes contentious differences, management and players can come together during a period of sorrow and do the right thing. On changing the Cardinals-Angels game time from 12:10 p.m. to 3 p.m. for a Jack Buck memorial service, Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said, "For Jack Buck, we would have played at midnight."

Then there was the tremendous compassion exhibited by everyone in the tragic passing of Darryl Kile. Baseball proved once again what a tight-knit community it can be. The Cubs and Cardinals are bitter rivals, but they put aside their differences and came together as one in honoring Kile's memory -- and thus made the needs and concerns of the Kile family priority No. 1.

Cubs GM Andy McPhail and manager Don Baylor, catcher Joe Girardi, Cards GM Walt Jocketty and Cards manager Tony La Russa -- as well as all the players on both teams -- should be commended for the way things were handled under extremely trying circumstances.

Keep An Eye On ...
Strike Antidote? Civilized Discussion: This is probably neither the time nor the place to explore the pending labor issue, but if the leadership on both sides can actually sit down for once and have a civilized discussion about what's best for the game, I sincerely feel we might have a resolution without a work stoppage.

The two sides already have shown they can do the right thing when everyone is on the same page. There actually are some voices of reason out there, but they need to be heard. Management must stop fudging on its profits and losses, and the union has to keep the hard-liners who want a strike at any cost out of the discussion.

It's time for the union's rank-and-file to have a say in this matter -- from the steroid issue to what benefits the union as a group (not just the 100 highest-paid stars). Too often, the voices of the lesser-known players are never heard. I know, because I've been in the union meetings as a player.

And it's time for both groups to understand there are never any winners from a labor stoppage, because when play eventually does resume, the fans once again will pay the freight for the higher costs that will be imposed. Meanwhile, management and players lose cash that can never be recovered. If there's a legacy of what baseball and society have gone through the past eight months, it's this: When we make up our minds to do the right thing, the things that are right will get done.

All-Star Picks
The AL shortstop question -- which three of five deserving shortstops should be on the All-Star team -- has created a flap. As I said on "Baseball Tonight" last week, I'd take one second baseman and five shortstops (A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada and Omar Vizquel). Other than Alfonso Soriano, there's no second baseman who is All-Star worthy. But these five shortstops are all deserving and are all athletic enough to play second base. With the outfield, the top three vote-getters receive All-Star starts -- they're not chosen by position (left, right and center). So after the starters at second and short are determined, why not pick the four most deserving middle infielders as reserves? If I were playing Solomon and allowed to make the decision, that's how I'd resolve it.

And if I were choosing the starters (plus closers) for the All-Star Game, here's what the rosters would look like. In terms of multiple players from the same team, my AL roster has three Yankees, two Red Sox and two Twins. My NL roster has two Cardinals and two Expos (key stats are in parentheses).

AMERICAN LEAGUE

	Giambi

First base
Jason Giambi, New York Yankees (.308 BA-19 HRs-60 RBI)

Second base
Alfonso Soriano, Yankees (.322-18-46, 21 SBs)

Shortstop
Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (.306-23-63)

Third base
Shea Hillenbrand, Boston Red Sox (.313-13-49)

Outfielders
Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins (.297-18-55)
Magglio Ordonez, Chicago White Sox (.313-13-55)
Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners(.358-1-27, 19 SBs)

Catcher
A.J. Pierzynski, Twins (.319-4-27)

Starter
Derek Lowe, Red Sox (11-3, 2.16 ERA) or Barry Zito, Oakland A's (10-2, 3.07)

Closer
Mariano Rivera, Yankees (18 saves, 1.63)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

	Helton

First base
Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies (.344-16-60)

Second base
Jose Vidro, Montreal Expos (.333-8-55)

Shortstop
Edgar Renteria, St. Louis Cardinals (.290-3-31)

Third base
Albert Pujols, Cardinals (.279-16-50)

Outfielders
Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants (.354-25-50)
Vladimir Guerrero, Expos (.328-16-53)
Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs (.310-26-49)

Catcher
Mike Piazza, New York Mets (.281-14-45)

Starter
Randy Johnson (12-2, 2.38) or Curt Schilling (12-3, 3.31), Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer
Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers (28 saves, 1.34)

Ballpark Focus: Miller Park, Milwaukee
I've never been to Miller Park, which is in just its second year as the home for the Milwaukee Brewers. Since this year's All-Star Game is in Milwaukee, I'll get a chance to visit Miller soon.

Some MLB players have talked about boycotting the All-Star Game to punish commissioner Bud Selig, the Brewers' former owner (his daughter now owns the team). But this talk is utterly preposterous. First, the Players Association must be aware that the home team doesn't get any more benefit from hosting the game than the other 29 teams. True, the Milwaukee economy will benefit from the game, but that doesn't have much to do with Selig.

Second, the All-Star Game is a huge money-maker for the players' pension fund. Roughly 75 to 80 percent of TV money from the game goes to that fund, so any player who boycotts is biting off his nose to spite his face and doesn't understand the financial realities of the game.

Because of the brutal cold and inclement weather in April and May, Miller was built with a retractable roof. The Brewers bill it as "the only fan-shaped convertible roof in North America."

Miller seems to be a pretty good hitter's park. The park's dimensions, though, indicate it might be a pitcher's park: 370 to 379 in left-center, 374 to 386 in right-center, 400 to center, and 344 (left) and 345 (right) down the lines (all figures from team Web site). Still, well-hit balls seem to go out with ease at Miller Park.

Editor's Note: All statistics are through Wednesday's games. Dave Campbell, who was an infielder for eight seasons in the major leagues (1967-74), is an analyst for Baseball Tonight and ESPN Radio.