Even the Rockies have a shot

Saturday, March 24, 2007 | Print Entry

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- This week some White Sox veteran players were discussing what they'd seen this spring, and they were unanimous on one opinion -- that the Rockies are the best team in Arizona.

"Todd Helton looks like superman," said one player. "Matt Holliday is a great player, Garrett Atkins is a great hitter, and Brad Hawpe is special," said another. "And," added a third player, "they have a great bullpen with a proven closer in Brian Fuentes."

It was an interesting chat, because touring spring training camps in Florida and Arizona, the most striking generalization is that every team is flawed. But in a non-salary cap sport, there may be only four of the 30 teams with little hope to finish .500: Washington, Tampa Bay, Florida (growing) and Kansas City. And even those teams have hope. The Devil Rays' have a roster stocked with NFL-caliber athletes, the Marlins are on the rise and the Royals are much improved.  
 

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  • Peter Gammons Peter Gammons

    Hall of Fame baseball reporter Peter Gammons has worked for ESPN since 1988. He primarily serves as a studio analyst for "Baseball Tonight," but he also does regular spots for "SportsCenter," ESPNEWS and ESPN Radio and contributes to ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.

    Gammons was voted the National Sportswriter of the Year for 1989, 1990 and 1993 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and was awarded an honorary Poynter Fellow from Yale University. But his highest honor was the 2004 J.G. Taylor Spink Award, voted on by the BBWAA and awarded at the Baseball Hall of Fame for outstanding baseball writing.

    Gammons, a 1969 graduate of the University of North Carolina, began his career as a reporter for the Boston Globe in 1969. He has also worked for Sports Illustrated covering the NHL, college basketball and major league baseball (1976 to '78, 1986 to '90). In 1986, upon his return to Sports Illustrated as a senior writer following a second stay at the Globe, he wrote numerous stories covering some of baseball's most important news events and authored Inside Baseball, Sports Illustrated's weekly baseball notebook. Gammons is also the author of "Beyond the Sixth Game," a look at free agency.

    Gammons is a gifted musician, and his debut album, "Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old," was released on Rounder Records. With the assistance of a crack band of Boston rockers, Gammons trades in his typewriter for a Stratocaster and delivers a rousing set of vintage classics, originals and rock obscurities -- all to benefit Theo and Paul Epstein's Foundation to be Named Later, a charity that raises funds and awareness for nonprofit agencies serving disadvantaged youth in the greater Boston area.

    Gammons' vocals and guitar are featured, along with guests such as Theo Epstein, Juliana Hatfield, George Thorogood, Little Feat's Paul Barrere, Kay Hanley and an all-star chorus consisting of past and present Red Sox players, including Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Trot Nixon, Lenny DiNardo, Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo, and NESN broadcaster Don Orsillo. Get more information from Rounder Records.

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