Peter Gammons is a Genius

Legendary sportswriter and ESPN broadcast journalist Peter Gammons transferred his journalistic acumen from the sports page to the musical charts July 4 with the release of his debut album, Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old. In his first foray as a recording artist, Gammons utilizes the talents of music and baseball friends to present an assorted compilation of classic blues and rock ‘n’ roll covers, as well as his own “She Fell From Heaven.”

Special guests on the album include Red Sox players Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Trot Nixon and Gabe Kapler, Sox play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo, acoustic guitar and vocals by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo and Red Sox pitcher Lenny DiNardo, as well as vocals by Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. Additionally, Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein makes a special guest appearance playing electric guitar.

“I was flabbergasted when I was asked to undertake this project,” said Gammons. “Life is good when one can continue with a lifelong philosophy that you can only be young once but you can always be immature, while being able to turn that into the avocation of helping the underprivileged. Warren Zevon would smile if he knew he contributed to Paul and Theo Epstein's Foundation To Be Named Later."

I don’t think that I will rush out and buy this album unless I find out that Gammons is doing an in-depth analysis of the St. Louis Cardinals while playing a Metallica cover. Of course, we are all thinking of Gammons and pushing for his full recovery after his brain aneurysm. The man is a genius and perhaps he is a lyrical genius. If anyone has heard his album please let me know what you think of it.

ALL-STAR GAME MEANS NOTHING

Bud Selig has done a few good things for baseball, but he has done some strange things also. Among those strange things (as most baseball enthusiasts would agree) is deciding that the winner of All-Star game will determine what league has home field advantage. Of course, the AL loves this because they are winning all the All-Star games. But the way the game is currently setup does not provide a real game situation. If the game truly meant something then starting pitchers should go 6 or 7 innings, and position players should play most of the game (except for A-Rod, he can sit after the first inning because he won’t do anything anyway). Players should be substituted in a manner reflecting a real game. But the All-Star game is not a real game -- it is an exhibition that allows fans to see some of baseballs greatest players. I do sympathize with Bud in the fact that many players see it as a time to rest mid-season and get ready for the second-half, so if the game didn’t mean anything then more and more players would decline. If players truly loved the fans and the game, then they would show up to the game no matter what. And what is wrong with the team having the best record in the Majors have home field advantage? Is that because the NBA does it and Bud doesn’t want to be like the NBA. I am getting way off track here, but the main point is that Bud needs to end the All-Star game ‘meaning something.’ Let the players and the fans have fun and enjoy the game or make the managers manage the game in a ‘real’ fashion. That would be a classic Bud decision - - perhaps next year he will institute the rule that the NL gets a two run lead so they have a chance to win the All-Star game.