When it comes to class, Garret Anderson could teach Jeff Kent

I spent four years trying to understand Jeff Kent, so many trying and aggravating chats before making a breakthrough here and there.

As bright as he was, Kent had so much to offer but was so unwilling to share it. His final days with the Dodgers were bitter ones, and off to himself as if he could separate himself any more from the team, he finally got his wish, leaving without any fanfare.

I also spent eight years with Garret Anderson, the first four or so trying to run him down, which sounds silly when you consider how slowly Anderson appears to be running.

Lucky for me he let me catch up, Anderson nothing like Kent, but still guarded and wary of outsiders.

Once past that, I can't imagine finding a more down-to-earth athlete in Southern California than Anderson, blessed with unusual skills to play baseball, but just a regular guy driving the kids to school beyond that.

At one time both Kent and Anderson were considered two of the game's better performers, time now catching up with them, interesting to see how each has handled it.

Kent wanted so badly to play second base for the Dodgers in the playoffs -- one last chance to win a World Series -- but the team stuck with Blake DeWitt, so Kent pouted.

Anderson, reading in the papers for months the Angels would most likely not pick up his option to play for the

team next season, was one of the

team's best hitters the second half of the season.

When he did receive news from Angels General Manager Tony Reagins the team would not be picking up his $14-million option for the 2009 season, Anderson admittedly took the news hard.

He has always been an Angel, he thinks he's still a productive player as evidenced by his .293 batting average, but now what?

The next day he returned a Page 2 call but said he'd like time to separate emotion from business, the pro's pro stepping back once again to do the right thing.

The phone rang Wednesday and it was Garret Anderson following through on his promise to chat when ready.

"The first few days were very tough, the anxiety and just not knowing," he said, "but I'm not bitter at all. If I was bitter, I'd retire rather than be sour the rest of my days in baseball."

The California Angels drafted Anderson in the fourth round in 1990, and 7,989 at-bats later at the major league level, he has compiled a .296 batting average, the model of consistency until being knocked off course last week.