By JOHN JAMES MARSHALL/Designated Writers

Tuesday is baseball’s All-Star Game and Jacob deGrom, the New York Mets’ ace pitcher won’t be there. Houston’s Jose Altuve won’t be there. Teammate Carlos Correa won’t be there. In fact, no Astros will be there.

Why? Because they don’t want to be.

I guess Willie Mays didn’t have any family when he went to 24 All-Star Games. Hank Aaron must have been injury free when he went to 24. Stan Musial must have been inconsiderate of the St. Louis Cardinals pennant chances when he went to two dozen All-Star Games.

Because those are the excuses being tossed around not only this year, but every year. The argument being made by Mets’ lovers in the New York media is that “DeGrom belongs to the Mets, and their fans — both of whom are enjoying what is shaping up to be a very special season in Flushing. And if deGrom doesn’t care to share himself with the VIPs gathering at Coors Field, or Tuesday’s global TV audience, just so he can stay as close to 100 percent healthy as he has all year, that’s just tough luck for everyone else.”

Wow. How New York of you.

Altuve has 19 home runs to lead one of the best teams in baseball and is skipping the All-Star Game so he can rest his ailing left leg. That’s the same leg that hasn’t kept out of the lineup much — he’s only missed one of the last 12 games — and he says does not need any procedures done on the leg.

“I need those four days to get everything with my leg right and be really healthy for the second half because I feel like the team needs me 100%,” he said.

So playing two innings and getting one time at bat in an All-Star Game is going to ruin the Astros’ chances?

Look, if we want to get onto tennis star Naomi Osaka for skipping French Open press conferences because “it’s what she signed up for,” then baseball stars fall under the same umbrella. If she’s not helping to grow the game, then neither are these guys.

It’s nice to say that you are doing it in the name of helping out the team, but how about helping out baseball while you are at it? I’m good with not being in the Home Run Derby, but the All-Star Game is an honor, voted on by the fans.

Everybody needs rest, lots of players have pregnant wives and who wouldn’t want four days off? (And by the way, that’s an extra day longer than it used to be, so making the excuses even weaker.)

And baseball wonders why the All-Star Game just isn’t as big of a deal as it used to be.

First ran in Sunday, July 4, 2021 editions of Louisiana’s Gannett newspapers

Happy Fourth of July to you and to one of our favorite bluesmen, Delbert McClinton, who recently announced his retirement from singing and playing and romanticizing honky tonks, Cajuns, and the rockin’ harmonica.

If you don’t know Delbert, it might be too late to catch up. Don’t know if he’s an acquired taste or not but I’ve always loved him since the first time I heard Emmylou Harris sing “Two More Bottles of Wine,” written by Delbert. Hard to believe he just turned 80. To me he’s an eternal 43 and singing in a blues bar where everybody is smoking Pall Mall unfiltered or Larks and trying to drink Pabst, although it’s beyond me how they can.

Born in Lubbock, Texas and raised in Fort Worth, he recently announced that because of the pandemic and because he’s 80 and because he’s done more than he could have ever dreamed with his guitar and harmonica and piano and vocal cords, he’s hanging it up—although he’s got a cruise ship gig planned in a couple of years. Won’t be seeing that since I stay away from cruise ships like I try to stay away from poison ivy and Brussels sprouts. To each his own.

So in honor of his retirement and 63-years-plus career, here are The Top 10 Delbert Songs According to Me, and “Givin’ it Up for Your Love” doesn’t make the list, even though it’s his highest charting song but, meh, we can take it or leave it in this bureau; his other stuff’s just too good.

10—Goin’ Back to Louisiana — “She used to live in Shreveport, but then she moved, bet you 10 to 1 she’s gone to Baton Rouge. I’m gonna look her up, if you know what I mean, if I have to go as far as New Orleans…”

9—Honky Tonkin’ — “… I’ve been in lots of battles that weren’t even worth being won. Honky tonkin’, I guess I done me some…”

8—The Jealous Kind — This is a rare co-dependent Delbert tune.

7—Morgan City Blues — “Realizin’ I was ’bout to be, a witness to murder in the first degree, I jumped up and found my hat but couldn’t find my head…”

6—Livin’ It Down —

“I had the wind in my sails and she took it. I had the world by the tail and she shook it. I reached out for a lifeline and she threw me a noose
I got the short end of the chicken and
She got the golden goose…”

5—Victim of Life’s Circumstances — “… I was raised around barrooms and Friday night dances. Singin’ them old country songs, half the time ending up some place I don’t belong…”

4—Every Time I Roll the Dice — “She’s like rolling a seven, every time I roll the dice…”

3—Squeeze Me In— “Whoever said it’s a man’s world don’t know what he’s talkin’ about, You got me workin’ around the clock, honey tryin’ to figure you out…”

2—Maybe Someday Baby — “Been a long time honey and I’m gone still, I think about you some I guess I always will, Someday baby, Someday maybe, Maybe someday baby…”

1—Two More Bottles of Wine if Emmylou is performing it. If Delbert’s singing, it’s Solid-Gold-Plated Fool — “Walkin’ to work here lately, so baby you can drive my car, Holding back just enough change from my check for a Coke and a candy bar…”

I left out “When Rita Leaves (Rita’s Gone),” which is clever when you think about it. Great song. She left him a lipstick letter on the mirror and took everything that was hers except the red dress that was his favorite. Rita was tough. Anyway, like Rita, we’re gone too. Cue the fireworks. Happy Fourth!

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