Fiddle Players in Space?

So I keep hearing all of this buzz about trading Clemens to the Astros, and I had to wonder: what sort of strange thing is going on here? Why are they sending Vasser up in orbit? Wouldn't Mark O'Connor be a more logical choice? He could come back and write one of his tedious semi-classical, semi-bluegrass pieces about the whole thing.

But Clemens? Does this shuttle go to Little Rock?

Maybe they will have to rename the shuttle the Orange Blossom Special.

Ah, baseball. Houston Astros. Got it.

Still can't figure out what a baseball team needs with a bluegrass legend. I guess since the A's have a banjo player, the Astros need a fiddle player. The next time the Astros come to Oakland, maybe they can jam together.

Speaking of Vasser Clemens, that brings to mind Jerry Garcia (Old and In the Way, a great band, by the way), and that reminds me of the sad news about Vince Welnick, RIP. I have to say that I never really liked his sound with the Dead, but since I was never a fan of any Grateful Dead keyboardist since T.C., I suppose that is to be expected. Pigpen was THE Grateful Dead keyboardist, and I think that everyone after him knew it.

Alas, Welnick was a competant musician, understood the Dead's music, and seemed to be a nice guy.

The moral of the story (of course) is: if someone offers you the job of Grateful Dead keyboardist, take out a good life insurance policy.