Mel Hall, Steve Sax, Jesse Barfield and Roberto Kelly are playing a hand in Ricky Ledee’s battle to overcome a miserable start to what was supposed to be a coming out party for the left-handed hitting outfielder.

When Bernie Williams was breaking into the big leagues in 1991, those crusty veterans rode the shy Williams very hard.

“Everything from the clothes you wore to the way you were playing,” Williams recalls of the mountain of abuse heaped on him.

While Williams didn’t single out the veteran who referred to him as Bambi because they believed he was soft, it remains fresh in Williams’ crisp mind.

“We had guys hitting .270, we were losing and they were talking like they were Hall of Famers,” Williams said. “I said if I had a chance, I wouldn’t treat a young player that way.”