Liquid Lunch – A Dedication to Mr. Baseball

by James Brown on December 15, 2009 at 12:00 pm
5 Comments (Including One Conversation)Comments

gammonsThere’s only very few people in sports history who become larger than an entire sport.  The people you know that make your sport complete.  This man is one of those few.

Peter Gammons – Mr. Gammons.  That’s how much respect he deserves, gang.  For 20 years with ESPN, Peter Gammons has been baseball.  Unyielding in how he handles the sport, Peter gave it to us how it was.  He’s not always the most liked, but he is the most respected.  With the association of Buster Olney, Tim Kirkjian and Jayson Stark, Peter’s always managed to give us the baseball news how we needed to see it.

When he suffered the aneurysm in 2006, the fanbase of all baseball held its collective breath.  When he came back in August of that year, the world breathed a sigh of relief.  He knows that he’s getting a bit older, though.

Gammons is leaving ESPN, but not the world of baseball.  He’s just slowing down and reloading.  He’ll join the MLB Network and MLB.com as an on-air and online analyst.  He’ll also grace you lucky people that have NESN.

Here’s a toast to Mr. Baseball, Peter Gammons.  A man who probably loves the game more than the players do.  A man who is the same age as my crazy father.  But, a man who we all realize that ESPN can’t do without.  Peter, salud.

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  • RATL
    December 15, 2009 at 12:23 pm

    Best think Gammons has ever said. “Watch out in New York and Philadelphia, the Braves are back.” Unfortunately they won 72 games that year.


  • Thundercracker
    December 15, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    Now Buster Olney is left with the duty to tell us how “can’t miss” the Red Sox’ prospects are every July.

    All that aside, Peter was the last remnant of when Baseball Tonight was must see TV as a baseball fan, although I think Ravetch is still there, but probably just serves as ringleader to whatever bad comedy bits and debate segments they do. Either way, farewell Peter. The odds of me putting on MLB Network are slim to none. Once you’ve seen one of those retrospective shows you’ve seen them all.


  • This Guy
    December 15, 2009 at 1:15 pm

    Fortunately, the worldwide leader still has Pedro Gomez. I’m pretty sure ESPN’s criteria for on-air talent is who is loudest, most obnoxious, and most likely to obtain information by going through someone’s trash.

    Sadly, though, Gammons is part of a dying breed of baseball reporter and sportscaster. It’s really down to him and Vin Scully. After that, we’ll be left with nothing but screaming voices, catchphrases, and guys who think stats tell the whole story.


    • semper_ubi_sub_ubi
      December 15, 2009 at 3:42 pm

      Stats don’t tell the whole story. The manner in which stats are interpreted tells the whole story. :)

      Also, I wasn’t even aware of Gammons’s existence until recently since he was never on TV in Canada. He may have been on This Week in Baseball, but as far as I was concerned that show was only on as a pre-game at the Skydome, and I never watched the show once I finally did have access to cable television.

      Seems like he had a meaningful career and considering who is left, it probably is a loss for baseball.


  • Old King Clancy
    December 15, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    Gammons wrote Inside Baseball when I first subscribed to SI as a 7-year-old. When he left for TWWL and was replaced by Kurkjian, my young self lamented the drop-off. Kurkjian’s good, but Gammons is the best, even if he is a fucking Red Sox fan.