Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails

I may have discovered the soundtrack to my upcoming trip. Steve Wynn and Scott McCaughey, with help from Peter Buck, have collaborated on a funny, sarcastic, reverent and, most importantly, entertaining tribute to the best game ever. They're calling themselves The Baseball Project, and the album is titled, Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails.

For those of you who don't know, frozen rope and dying quail pretty much represent opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of base hits. A frozen rope, of course, is a hard line drive, while a dying quail is a popup that fortuitously drops in for a hit. Most of the songs on this hook laden roots-rock album, which name-checks hundreds of current and former players, are frozen ropes, though.

Of course, there are references to a few bands as well, including Yo La Tengo, which is Spanish for the important phrase of on-field communication, "I Got It", and was apparently inspired by the futility of the 1962 Mets. Highlights include the album opening "Past Time", which offers a nod to, among other things, Joe Pepitone's sideburns and Oscar Gamble's afro. "Gratitude (For Curt Flood)" is a tribute to the oft-forgotten player who challenged baseball's reserve clause in 1969 by refusing to accept a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies. "Long Before My Time" discusses the age-old dilemma of whether it's better for a player to go out on top or stick around as long as his skills will allow, even if he's a shell of his former self. "The Yankee Flipper" discusses the unfortunate antics of pitcher/rocker, and friend of the band, Jack McDowell.

Finally, "Harvey Haddix" is a wonderful tribute to arguably the finest and definitely the most under-appreciated pitching performance in baseball history. On May 26, 1959, Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings in a scoreless tie between his Pittsburgh Pirates and the Milwaukee Braves, only to lose the game in the 13th on an unearned run that scored as a result of the first hit he allowed.

This one is highly recommended to anyone whose adoration for rootsy indie rock is outweighed only by his/her fanaticism for America's Pastime. I look forward to listening to it while driving from Milwaukee to Minneapolis or Kansas City to St. Louis, and, since the title includes the Volume 1 distinction, I highly anticipate the next installment.