Rookie of the Year – The MLB Network Finishes Its First Season

“And on the seventh day He rested and watched the MLB Network.”

That is how good the MLB Network is as January 1st passes and marks the one year anniversary of its start. Frankly I am surprised that it has become this entertaining this fast and did not expect the network to be nearly this far along as far as programming and the quality of its hosts and commentators goes. By comparison I thoroughly enjoy the NFL but think that their network has a long way to go and it just passed year number six of its existence.

The NFL has had trouble with certain cable outlets carrying the channel on a regular tier for all viewers, brutal Thursday night game coverage where the mute button is your best option, non game programming that is average at best and even their Sunday wrap up show, with the exceptional Rich Eisen hosting, is like watching a person trying to swim with two anchors around his neck. Mr. Eisen must have done something wrong in a previous life as he has the unenviable task of trying to keep Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin from suffocating the show with their needless self promotion and something that I believe they are trying to pass off as analysis.

I figured this network evolution was how it had to be for my beloved baseball and I would be extra critical of it because of my appreciation of the sport and its history.

The toughest aspect that I thought it would never pull off was the “MLB Tonight” program which basically runs Monday through Friday from 6 PM Eastern until the final out of the West Coast games. They are looking at easily 7 hours a night of a live studio show and I thought it would get old quickly, and to be fair it is something that would be a challenge to do once a week for that length of time let alone five times a week April thru September.

They do it, though, with solid hosts and a fresh rotation of former players, managers and even a team executive on occasion. The structure of “MLB Tonight” includes the host and three analysts who handle the beginning of the show through 10 PM Eastern when the West Coast games begin. Then a new host and new analysts take over until the end of the program, which is when the final out of all the games is made. They have spirited debates and arguments where even the hosts jump in and not just mediate the analyst discussions.

My biggest fear was that because it is owned by MLB it would more or less be one long infomercial each night with everyone proclaiming their love for one another and not talking about what is truly going on in and around the game. To a degree it would make sense because if you are putting the time and money into a channel about yourself do you really want to be criticized and have your shortcomings pointed out? To their credit, and I give the MLB of today very little of it, everyone is very objectionable. They’re not afraid to call out players, coaches, or GMs along with organizational philosophies and moves.

The following is my opinion on some of the hosts and analysts along with how I would rate them; All-Star, Keep on the Team, and Put on Waivers while selecting a maximum of one host and three analysts for All-Star consideration.

Hosts:
All-Star
Victor Rojas. Does a fine job of juggling all the analysts and is not afraid to call them on something that he either does not agree with or does not make sense.

Keep on the TeamGreg Amsinger and Matt Vasgersian. Amsinger is a close second to Rojas for being an All-Star, he does an above-average job of keeping the flow of the program going and engaging the analysts.

**Added Note…I would love to see Karl Ravech added to this already solid lineup of hosts. ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” is almost unwatchable with its collection of player analysts who often look uncomfortable around the camera and provide what I view as below-average insight. Free Karl Ravech!!

Analysts:
All-Stars
Billy Ripken. I was biased against Ripken going in because I am one of the few who is not a big Cal fan and he was guilty by association. Ripken won me over, though, with his honesty and crankiness.

Mitch Williams. Funny, insightful and the ability to break a pitcher’s mechanics and mindset down scores points with me.

Dan Plesac. I have no idea why I like him so much, he is goofy and he looks like he is just happy to be at the party while on the set. I appreciate the enthusiasm, though, and all the experience of his playing days that he draws on.

Keep on the Team:Al Leiter, Clint Hurdle, Joe Magrane, John Hart and Harold Reynolds (you cannot have a baseball show without HR, ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” has not been good since he left right?).

Put on Waivers:Sean Casey, Tony Clark, Dave Valle and Barry Larkin. Casey and Clark are tough to watch when they are doing the West Coast part of the broadcast because they are so boring they will put you to sleep. Valle is so forgettable I forgot he was even on, and Larkin is too Mr. Nice Guy and a bit of a suck up to the players. I am guessing he is trying to play it safe and not rock the boat with his appearance on the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot looming.

The MLB Network also has to be commended on the “Insiders” that they have enlisted. John Heyman and Tom Verducci from CNNSI are two of my favorites and I consider their columns “must reads” on the CNNSI web site. Ken Rosenthal is another great and they just added Peter Gammons who you have to consider “The Dean of Insiders.”  They just need to add Jayson Stark who is suffering over at ESPN along with Ravech. If they can get Stark, their “Insiders” will be the equivalent of the ’27 Yankees.

For those of you who enjoy my columns I have spent countless hours watching and evaluating for you and will tell you the best shows and segments to watch to get the most fun out of the network. This at least is the angle I pitched to my wife, who threatened she was going to write a column entitled “The MLB Network, the Bane of My Existence,” when I told her of my latest piece.

“Studio 42” with Bob Costas with his guest Ernie Harwell. Not a big fan of Costas as their Thursday Night game announcer, but on “Studio 42” he is the man. You do not even need to be a baseball fan to enjoy the Harwell piece. Harwell is a living legend, not just as a broadcaster but as a link to the bygone era of baseball history when it was truly the country’s “National Pastime.” The interview was taped in October shortly after the 91-year-old found out that he had incurable cancer and about six months to live.

They openly discuss this and his career, you have to be careful, though, because dirt tends to kick up in the room and it is easy to get it in your eye when watching. The way he talks about his Faith, God and how he is facing the inevitable is amazing, watch it with your wife or girlfriend and she will think you are a softy, but DO NOT watch it around guys. As of this writing I am happy to say that Mr. Harwell is still alive.

Any episode of “Prime 9.” It is essentially a countdown show that captures bar room debates such as the Top 9 Rookie Seasons, Centerfielders, Unbreakable Records etc. of all time. Makes for good water cooler talk at work but my biggest gripe is that they include players who have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs in some slots. Its tag line is something like “Prime 9 will start arguments, not end them” and it does just that.

“Seasons” is a show that takes you through all that happened in baseball in a specific year. The best one I have seen deals with 1968 that has been referred to as “The Year of the Pitcher” as it was the only time in history where both the Cy Young and MVP awards were won by hurlers; Denny McLain (31 wins) of the Tigers and Bob Gibson (1.12 ERA) of the Cardinals dominated and set marks that have not been reached since. 1968 was the end of an era in a way, as the mound was lowered the following year, four expansion teams would join the league,  and the NL and AL would have two divisions each for the first time. The show also paints an interesting and timely picture of the city of Detroit during that time and how the Tigers brought the torn city together by winning it all.

Whether you enjoy the game of today or yesterday the channel seems to have something for everyone. I did not even touch on other programs like “Hot Stove,” “World Series Highlights” and “Fastpitch,” not to mention specials like Arizona Fall League games (love them) and the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony. It is always a good stop when channel surfing just to see what is going on.