This week, NYP TV Sports’ Andrew Marchand spoke with ESPN’s Peter Gammons. On Sunday, Gammons, 61, returned to ESPN full-time just three months after nearly dying from a brain aneurysm.
Q: How does it feel to be back on the air on a regular basis?
A: I told Stephen A. Smith that I never realized how good the bright lights of Bristol could look until I came back a couple of days ago. This is what I do, and this is what I like to do. I love being back here doing it, and I’m very fortunate to be back here doing it three months after the illness. It is pretty overwhelming for me.
Q: Will you travel for the World Series?
A: I’ll go to the World Series.
The doctors cleared me a couple of weeks ago to do whatever I want to do. They are not worried at all about me. If they are not worried, I’m not worried.
Q: Let’s turn to baseball. You know Pedro Martinez well.
What do you think is going through his mind now that he is out until next year?
A: I think it is very painful for him. He was willing to shoulder a lot of the responsibility and go to the Mets for four years. He was really the first big mark in the Omar Minaya regime. Getting him was a huge statement for the Mets.
He takes that responsibility very seriously. I think this really bothers him.
He loves being with teammates when they win. He loves that whole thing of fooling around in the dugout, being part of a team.
Plus, he really wanted to come back and prove he can win in New York. All of the stuff at the end with the Yankees kind of got to him a little bit with the famous “Who’s your Daddy?” It means a lot to him to come back and win in New York.
Q: Who do you like to advance to the World Series from the AL?
A: I still like the same team I picked in spring training, the Yankees. Their team in the field is so good. They play the game so well. They do things right. I think the pitching will be enough to win 8-7, 8-6 games.
Q: And from the NL?
A: I picked the Mets to make the World Series.
That was before El Duque went down. I’ll probably stay with that. This Dodgers series could be the toughest one they have. I think the Dodgers are the team in the National League that is best suited to play them. I still have the Mets and Yankees.
THE SIXTH QUESTION:
For more of Andrew Marchand’s interview with Peter Gammons, check out “The Best Sports Blog in Town” at http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/ Gammons discusses Alex Rodriguez and Boston’s offseason plans.
