This week, in the Sports Spectrum offices, Bryce Johnson, host of Sports Yapp, brought up a rant that Jim Rome did a while back about the Florida Marlins theme song by Creed. The song is atrocious. But that got us thinking about the best and worst baseball songs out there, and it made me decide that my next column should be the top 5 best and top 5 worst baseball songs ever. Let’s start with the slop.

#5 – “Meet the Mets”

This song was written in 1962, the first year the Mets had a ballclub. I’m guessing it was written as an introduction to New York’s new baseball team. I was tempted to put “Homerun” by Geoff Moore and the Distance here, but this Mets song beats it out.

#4 – “Centerfield” by John Fogerty

“Put me in coach, I’m ready to play, today.” I used to hear this song on gameday during my high school playing days. I couldn’t stand it then and can’t stand it now. I don’t know what is worse, the fact that the lyrics sound like an eight-year-old should be singing it, not a grown man, or the synthesized hand clapping.

#3 – “Go Cubs Go” – Chicago Cubs Winning Theme

This song is just so cheesy, I can’t take it. I’m sure Cubs fans love it, but if they could ever look beyond the fact that it’s a Cubs song, they will see there is only pure evil in this song.

#2 – Florida Marlins Theme Song by Creed

Words can not describe how miserable this song will make you feel after listening to it.

#1 – Current Miami Marlins Theme

Somehow, the replacement of Creed’s song is even worse. Plus, I have no bigger pet peeve in music than spelling out words in your songs. I think they intended on having Gloria Estefan write this song, but got these knock-offs instead.

If you are still reading and your’e ears aren’t bleeding, here are my top 5 baseball songs:

#5 – “Load up the Bases (The Baseball Song)” by Whiskey Falls

This song isn’t completely terrible, and considering the above list, that counts for a lot.

#4 – “Right Field” by Peter, Paul, and Mary

About a hapless ballplayer who gets stuck playing right field. Pretty funny ending.

#3 – “Joltin’ Joe Dimagio by Les Brown and His Orchestra

You can’t beat big band music.

#2 – “Tessie” by Dropkick Murphys

I have no idea what the guys are saying in this song other than Tessie, but the song is apparently about another song called “Tessie,” which Boston fans sung during the 1903 World Series as a rallying cry for the team after being down 3-1 in the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. A song about a song. Pretty crazy, huh? The crazy thing about the 2004 song called Tessie, is that the Red Sox won the World Series that year.

#1 – “Tomahawk Chop” – Atlanta Braves

There is nothing cooler that seeing 40-50,000 people at Turner Field all doing the Tomahawk chop. And since they were once (and maybe still) America’s team due to their days on TBS, you’ll even hear the Tomahawk Chop being sung in opposing fans ballparks. Yes, I know they stole this from Florida State, but I don’t care.

Of course “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is probably the best baseball song that will ever be written, so it’s getting its own special place in this column. Just think, it’s sung during every seventh inning stretch all throughout the summer in hundreds of games a night throughout the majors and minors. Here are a few different renditions, including the original recording: