Peter Gammons Leaving ESPN

Gammons, 64, began his career at the Boston Globe in 1969 and joined ESPN in 1989. He also worked at Sports Illustrated from 1976-78 and 1986-90.

Gammons, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, released the following statement:

"My decision to leave ESPN and move on at this point in my life has been conflicted," Gammons wrote. "I owe a great deal of my professional life to ESPN, having spent more than half of my 40 years in journalism working for the network, and the choice to move on was made with nothing but the strongest feelings for the people with whom I worked."

The level of respect accorded Gammons is virtually unparalleled in the world of baseball.

Gammons thoroughly understands, and deeply respects, the game's rich history and tradition. He follows the minor league system very closely, and is typically well-versed with the game's top prospects, as well as the high school and college players entering the draft each June.

The obvious question is where Gammons will go from here? It seems logical that he has another job offer in place.

Enlisting a writer of Gammon's stature would be an a huge coup for whatever media outlet secures him. A presence such as his will be an enormous asset, lending additional credibility and respect.