Sportswriter Peter Golenbock is one of my heroes, a guy I want to be like in many ways when I grow up. For now, however, I’ll settle for just being to call him a friend. The major characteristic I admire about Peter is his ability to be working constantly. He’s always writing a new book, always engaged in an envious research project. Actually, more than one. As a guy who also makes his living writing books, it drives me nuts. Let me give you an example. PETER GOLENBOCK podcast excerpt: "It looks to me like the Rays are going to win 90 games this year. The question is whether the Yankees and Red Sox are going to win more than 90 games. And, come August and September, are some of those older players going to break down? Is John Lackey going to have more arm trouble?" The first time Peter was on my show, he was promoting his hotly controversial first stab at Yankees history (officially, fiction), 7: The Mickey Mantle Novel. But while he was setting the New York media community on fire with wild tales of the Mick getting up to bat with Joe D’s gal, Marilyn Monroe, he was already hot at work with actor Tony Curtis on his autobiography and on a history of Brooklyn. When I had him back to talk about those books, he was chomping at the bit to talk about his George Steinbrenner biography. Today, I thought I’d have him on to talk about prospects for the 2010 baseball season, but it happens he has another new book out, Growing Up NASCAR, which he wrote with Humpy Wheeler, the long-time president of the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the inventor of both the All Star race, and night racing. Oh, and I should probably mention the just-released paperback editions of George, Dynasty and Balls. Peter Golenbock: • • •