There was an interesting reaction to Rafael Palmeiro yesterday:

When Rafael Palmeiro strode to the plate yesterday for his first plate appearance since he was suspended for a positive steroid test, the boos showered down on him like rain. Then, just when you thought that there would be no ambivalence from the sweat-soaked crowd at Camden Yards, a cheer rose up to drown out the righteous multitude.

The scene would be played out at a lower volume the next time Palmeiro was introduced.

First boos. Then cheers.

It even seems some fans came to the game just to boo him:

It was a strange scene that got stranger when a surprisingly large number of fans got up after the first inning and left the ballpark, apparently braving the 106-degree heat index just to register their disapproval at the first sight of their fallen hero.

They could have stayed home in protest, but I guess they didn't want to give David Steele the satisfaction, so they came, they booed and then they miraculously morphed into golf fans.

I would say a mixed reaction like that from home town fans is bad for Palmeiro. Wade Boggs got a standing ovation from Fenway when he appeared after the Margo scandal. It sounds to me like Palmeiro is going to get much worse treatment on the road.