The Baseball Project

by Steve Leggett
The Baseball Project had its origins way back in 1992 when musicians Scott McCaughey (the Minus 5, the Young Fresh Fellows) and Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate, Gutterball) met and discovered they shared a passionate interest in baseball. The plan to make an album of original modern rock songs about the fascinating stories and stars of America's pastime sat on the back burner, though, until 2007, when the pair sat down in earnest to write and record the project. Drafting in drummer Linda Pitmon (Miracle Three, Golden Smog) and longtime friend and guitarist Peter Buck (R.E.M.), McCaughey and Wynn recorded The Baseball Project, Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails at Jackpot! Studios with engineer and producer Adam Selzer, and the result was an often tongue-in-cheek set of narrative songs about baseball legends Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, Satchel Paige, and others. The album was finally released on Yep Roc in 2008.