I received The Baseball Project’s fine 2008 CD “Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails” for Christmas.
The Baseball Project is something of an alternative-rock supergroup, comprised of Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows, Peter Buck of R.E.M., Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate and drummer Linda Pitmon. (Buck and McCaughey play together in another terrific band, The Minus 5.)
Every song on “Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails” is about baseball; the liner notes helpfully explain what each song is about. The Baseball Project have a wry sense of humor, but they also really care about baseball — its history, mystique, characters and legends. One song, titled “Gratitude (For Curt Flood),” is about Flood, a center fielder whose refusal to accept a trade following the 1969 season led to “the advent of free agency as well as the end of Flood’s career,” according to the liner notes. “He is not amused.” Indeed, he isn’t. In the song, an angry Flood growls, “On the day that I died and they laid me in the ground where was everybody? They couldn’t be found. I’m gone and they don’t know my name. No plaque, no speech, no hall of fame. A-Rod, Zito, Tejada, Posada, Johan, Maddux, Manny, Mussina. Who’s the one who paved the way with blood? Go say my name — it’s (Flood!) Curt Flood!”
Other songs on the CD include “Ted (expletive) Williams,” “Satchel Paige Said,” “Fernando,” about former L.A. Dodger pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, “Long Before My Time,” in which Sandy Koufax ponders his decision to retire after winning his third Cy Young award, “Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays,” and “Jackie’s Lament,” about Jackie Robinson.
I’m a huge fan of the song “Harvey Haddix,” who threw 12 perfect innings in 1959 before losing the game in the 13th. The song lists other pitchers who have thrown perfect games — “David Wells, David Cone, Lee Richmond, Monte Ward, Len Barker” — and then asks, “Why don’t we add old Harvey to that list?”
But one of the most timely songs on the album doesn’t contain any names: “Broken Man.” From the liner notes, I learned that it’s about Mark McGwire, who broke Roger Maris’ home run record in a thrilling season-long duel with Sammy Sosa in 1998, and this week admitted that he took steroids for parts of his career. “Leave your past behind if you really want to understand,” the song says. “It’s a broken record, strike up the band for the broken man.” In the liner notes, the band writes: “Mark McGwire went from ‘saving baseball’ after the strike of 1994 to becoming a Bashed Brother of Steroids, humiliated in front of a Senate Judiciary Committee — a pariah mentioned only in hushed tones. It’s too simple to brand such men cheaters, or to erase them from memory and the record books. Everybody screwed up, everybody knew it and did nothing, now it’s time to move on.”
McGwire’s announcement that he used steroids was pretty much the most unsurprising news of the week, and I’ve found it pretty much impossible to care or even feel outraged about it. I’m not sure The Baseball Project should be considered the reigning authority on baseball and performance enhancing drugs, but I agree with their assessment that it’s too simple to just scream about how people were cheating and banish them from the Hall of Fame. At some point, people are going to have to grow up, stop whining about the fans were betrayed, and come up with some sort of framework for recognizing steroid’s role in baseball history, and the achievements of people who used steroids. Personally, I’ve grown a little tired of the ritualistic hand-wringing and moralizing that accompanies any hint or admission of wrong-doing. One of the great things about The Baseball Project CD is that it embraces all of baseball — the ugly parts, and the beautiful parts. In doing so, it reminds the listener just how fun baseball can be. Oh, and the music’s pretty good, too.
FOOTBALL PICKS
Arizona vs. New Orleans — I’m sorry, but I just don’t have a lot of faith in the Cardinals. I’m not sure they even won last week’s game — wasn’t there some sort of mini-controversy about the officiating? Anyway, the Saints stumbled down the stretch, but they have a lot of talent and I expect them to win fairly easily.
Baltimore vs. Indianapolis — Wouldn’t it be great if the Ravens beat the Colts? Yup. But also highly unlikely. Joe Flacco played awful against the Patriots. I don’t care how good the Ravens’ defense is — it’s not good enough to beat a hungry Colts team.
Dallas vs. Minnesota — Am I really going to pick Tony Romo over Brett Favre? You bet. I’ve made fun of the Cowboys all year, but I’m starting to like them.
New York Jets vs. San Diego — It’s been fun, Jets fans, but the fun stops here. The Chargers are a very, very good team, and it’s tough to see them choking this game away to a “happy to be here” feel-good story.
Got a comment? E-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.
