MLB FanHouse

Philly Paper Isn't Into Waiting Around For Actual World Series Results

Josh Alper — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Phillies, Yankees, MLB Media Watch, World Series

Excited for the fifth game of the World Series on Monday night? Sorry to burst your bubble, but the cat is already out of the bag. The Phillies win. They win Game 6 on Wednesday night, too. And in an epic battle of baseball goodness that your grandchildren will tire of hearing you talk about, they win Game 7 and repeat as world champions.

I'm not making predictions here, people, this is all true. Why else would the Philadelphia Inquirer be running ads, via PhillyTalk.com, advertising a sale on T-shirts and other memorabilia celebrating the momentous occasion hours after Johnny Damon and Alex Rodriguez teamed up to beat Brad Lidge and give the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the World Series?

Oh, right. It's because someone in the advertising department drank way too much on Halloween and screwed up royally sometime on Sunday. Somewhere Harry Truman is smiling and beating Thomas Dewey all over again.

The Inquirer has apologized for the mistake and reminded their readers that Macy's, the store offering the fanciful attire, is "a great corporate citizen, supporter of this region and our sports teams." I bet they claim to be big supporters of Christmas, too, but we all know what happened when Santa Claus tried to get a job at the store.

It's easy to rip on the paper for dropping the ball on proofreading the ads during such a heated time in the city, but given the economic state of affairs for newspapers it's easy to understand why they wouldn't turn down an advertisement no matter how fraudulent the claims in it. They've gotten so much attention for this foul-up that it is easy to imagine the Washington Post running come-ons from local businesses offering specials celebrating the 2010 World Champion Nationals or several of the nation's newspapers running ads from the Franklin Mint for a limited edition set of plates commemorating Sidney Ponson's third Cy Young Award.

Philly Paper Isn't Into Waiting Around For Actual World Series Results originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Wells Is Not a Fan of Philadelphia

Tom Fornelli — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:18:00 EST

Filed under: Phillies, Yankees, MLB Media Watch, World Series

What can't David Wells do?

The man has thrown a perfect game while hungover, is an analyst for TBS and now he's even a columnist for the New York Post. A columnist that is not shy about sharing his feelings about the fans of Philadelphia, particularly that they're "ruthless and rude."

With the World Series set to take place in the City of Brotherly Love for the next three games, Wells took his fingers to the keyboard to share his thoughts on Philadelphia for all to see. His words were not kind:

"All the bad stuff you've heard about Philadelphia, site of the next three World Series games, is absolutely true.

"The people in that town would give The Finger to their own mom. That's how bad that town is.

"It's just incredible how ruthless and rude Philadelphia people are. They love their Phillies, but even Jimmy Rollins had a run-in with the fans earlier in the year and they started booing him. It's crazy."

Those are just the first six sentences, and it goes on from there. Wells talks about the taunting he and the rest of the TBS crew received while broadcasting at Citizens Bank for the NLCS. He calls Philadelphians angry people, and rates the city as the top of his list for worst sports fans in the country, just ahead of Cleveland and Oakland.

To his credit, however, he doesn't mention anything about booing Santa Claus.

David Wells Is Not a Fan of Philadelphia originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nick Adenhart's Parents Share Their Grief

Michael David Smith — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Media Watch

Shortly after midnight on April 9, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was killed by a drunk driver just hours after a start against the Oakland Athletics. Now Adenhart's parents are speaking out about how they've dealt with their grief over the last six months.

"I have some days now that, you know, you try to move to that place where you're thankful for the time you had," Janet Adenhart says in an interview that will air Tuesday on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. "But we're definitely not there yet."

"Next to the day of his birth, that was the happiest day of my life," his father Jim says of watching Nick pitch that day. "I just wanted to yell out, 'My son is starting tonight!'"

Just a few hours later, Nick Adenhart was dead.

Jim recalls that before Nick went out with friends to celebrate his start, he asked his dad whether he should just stay in to talk with him about the game.

"I said, 'Nick, go on and go out,'" Jim Adenhart recalls. "Thinking I'd have plenty of time to talk to him."

The Real Sports piece by correspondent Mary Carillo is the story of a tragedy, but it contains a hopeful note, showing Adenhart's friend Jon Wilhite, the only survivor from Adenhart's car, is steadily improving despite suffering "internal decapitation" -- his skull separating from his spine. Wilhite says in the Real Sports profile that he still feels Adenhart's presence.

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel debuts Tuesday at 10 PM ET/PT.

Nick Adenhart's Parents Share Their Grief originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ozzie Guillen to Work for FOX During the World Series

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:40:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Media Watch, World Series

Somebody get the dump button ready.

FOX has hired Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to do studio work on their World Series pre- and post game shows. He'll be working in the studio alongside Chris Rose, Eric Karros and Mark Grace, and also contribute reports for FOX Sports Espanol.

So he'll be swearing in both languages.
Guillen was approached by FOX in late September when it was readily apparent that the White Sox were not going to be playing in the postseason, but he had reservations at first. He usually spends the winter with his family at his Miami home or in Venezuela, and wasn't sure he wanted to be away from them.

To be fair to Guillen, he has calmed down quite a bit over the last few years. Aside from a late season tirade about his team watching college football in the clubhouse, he was pretty low key in 2009. Either way, he knows the difference between being on television and in the locker room with members of the media surrounding him. The odds of Guillen dropping an F-bomb or three while live on the air are pretty low.

You'll definitely get a "damn" or two, possibly a horse(expletive) if the umpiring continues to be as stellar as it has been at times this October, but that's it.

Ozzie Guillen to Work for FOX During the World Series originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB Eyeing Sunday Afternoon Makeup If Game 2 of ALCS Rained Out

Ed Price — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:41:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Yankees, MLB Media Watch, American League Championship Series

NEW YORK -- With weather forecasts for Saturday's Game 2 of the ALCS in New York dicey (chance of rain 90 percent, rainfall near a half an inch), the leading contingency plan calls for a makeup game Sunday at 4:30 PM.

That would wipe out the travel day in the ALCS but allow the Yankees and Angels enough time to get to California for the scheduled 1:13 PM PT start Monday.

The only issue would be for FOX, which carries the ALCS and the NFL. If Game 2 is played Sunday afternoon, FOX would show its late NFL games (Arizona at Seattle and Philadelphia at Oakland) in those four local markets, with the ALCS on FX.

Under that schedule -- as long as Friday's Game 1 is played, which it seems like it will since there was no precipitation 30 minutes before game time -- the Yankees could still bring back Game 1 starter CC Sabathia in Game 4 on short rest. Games 3-5 would still be scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. But Game 2 starter A.J. Burnett would have to go on short rest in Game 5, which was not the case in the original schedule.

MLB Eyeing Sunday Afternoon Makeup If Game 2 of ALCS Rained Out originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cal Ripken Believes A-Rod Will Have Solid Postseason This Time Around

Matt Snyder — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Media Watch, MLB Playoffs, FanHouse Exclusive

Tuesday, FanHouse had the opportunity to discuss the MLB Playoffs with Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, who currently serves as a studio analyst for TBS. TBS will be broadcasting all four Division Series and also the NLCS again this season. Ernie Johnson is the studio host while Dennis Eckersley and David Wells join Ripken as studio analysts for these playoff games.

Of all the things Ripken discussed Tuesday, the most intriguing subject, not surprisingly, was one Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod is an oft-maligned regular season superstar, in that he's put up extremely gaudy regular season numbers throughout his career, yet has never played in a World Series and has pretty sub-par numbers in the playoffs overall -- especially of late.

Starting with Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS, A-Rod is 8-for-56 (.143) with just two extra-base hits (.214 slugging percentage) and a single RBI. Considering he's been one of the best hitters in baseball history in the regular season, he's gotten the brunt of intense fan and media scrutiny. Not only does Ripken believe there's good reason for that, but he also is expecting things to be different in 2009.

"Alex is the type of guy who draws so much attention in the middle of the order, teams have extra strategy in the postseason specifically for him," the former World Series champion said. "They pitch him differently than everyone else and make sure he doesn't beat them. Also, he then puts additional pressure on himself."

"I do think this year is going to be different," Ripken continued. "Their lineup is so good top to bottom, and they have so much power, there will be less specific emphasis on getting Alex out. I'm hopeful he has a solid offensive postseason."

More nuggets from Ripken:

- He believes the Twins will win the one-game playoff over the Tigers, due to having a pretty solid home field advantage and the fact that the Tigers haven't been playing as well recently. The X-factor? "Rick Porcello has the ability and the poise to be a huge difference-maker and could lead the Tigers to victory if he steps up."

- From there, Ripken said if he was on the Yankees, he'd rather see the Twins. "Justin Verlander is the type of pitcher who can completely turn a short series around. He's one of those guys, Billy [Ripken, Cal's brother] and I call it the 'nasty factor,' where a power pitcher can take control of the whole game by himself. And Verlander can even do it through the eighth and into the ninth."

- On what possible matchup most intrigues him: "I'd love a St. Louis-Philadelphia NLCS -- especially the games in Philly. You look at the strength of the Cardinals' right-handed starting pitching and the power the Phillies pack from the left-side of the plate in a hitter's ballpark. One of the things I always like to see in the playoffs is strength against strength, and this would be exactly that."

- On the most hotly contested series in the first round: "Hmmm ... I tell you, the Rockies-Phillies series is going to be a good one. The Phillies are so good offensively but have issues in the back end of the bullpen. I do think Charlie Manuel goes with Brad Lidge to close. The Rockies have been so hot for so long. Ubaldo Jimenez is really good and he'll be going twice. Also, if he's healthy enough to go, Jorge De La Rosa is the type of power lefty who could take down the Phillies." (Note: We've since learned De La Rosa is out for the NLDS)

"I also think the Angels-Red Sox series can be a great one. A lot's gonna depend on what kinda [Josh] Beckett we get. Is his back totally healthy? If so, he and Jon Lester form that 1-2 punch you can win with. The Angels have put a lot of things together down the stretch, too. Scott Kazmir has the ability to be a difference-maker in their playoff rotation.

- I told Ripken I was sad to not see the Giants in the postseason, due to the fact that they are built better for the playoffs than the regular season with that stellar front-end pitching. Anyone in the playoffs remind him of that? "I would not want to face the Cardinals in the first round. With Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, either of them should win the Cy Young, the Dodgers are really going to need to flip a switch and bring the power on offense. Manny [Ramirez], especially, will need to step up and lead that lineup. Those two (Carpenter and Wainwright) definitely have the 'nasty factor.'"

- The playoffs are a time when young players can break out and show themselves to the casual sports fans are budding stars. I asked Ripken to throw out a few names who could possibly do so this October: "Well, Porcello if he goes out and wins tonight. He's shown such great poise for someone his age who entered the rotation from the beginning of the season. If he wins tonight and the Tigers give the Yankees a run, he won't be a secret for long."

"Clayton Kershaw has that kind of stuff to make a name for himself. He's a nasty guy. The Dodgers definitely need him to step up while they are going against Carpenter and Wainwright. Jimenez is another one like [Porcello and Kershaw]."

"Also, keep an eye on Erick Aybar at shortstop. The Angels have such a strong defensive infield. He has made some terrific plays for them throughout the course of the summer. I've been more and more impressed with him as the season progressed. His defensive skills up the middle could make a huge difference in the opening series."

- Finally, on their studio chemistry for TBS. "We all like each other, so the chemistry was great from the start. Eck's the most polished with experience and at using all the data. He knows pitching so well. Boomer's got such a great personality, we actually do a lot of our best stuff in the green room -- we were teammates when he first came up and knew each other well for years -- and then we have to find a way to get it going on the air. I fill in any gaps I can. We have a really good mix and great chemistry. The best thing about the postseason is we all get to watch every pitch of every game together. During the year, it's impossible to watch everything, so each guy has a different niche. Now, we'll all be watching everything and can concentrate more on the details. It's going to be fun."

Cal Ripken Believes A-Rod Will Have Solid Postseason This Time Around originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike Blowers Can See the Future

Matt Snyder — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Mariners, AL West, MLB Media Watch

Mike Blowers played 11 seasons in the majors, but he never had a day like this. Sunday, Blowers -- who now does color broadcasting for the Seattle Mariners -- made one of the most unbelievable predictions we'll ever see. The sheer accuracy of how he laid the situation out is simply mind-boggling. It involves the first career home run of rookie infielder Matt Tuiasosopo. Please check out the video, as it is well worth the watch.

Note that Blowers correctly predicted six separate things: the batter, the at-bat, the pitch, the count, the home run and where it would land.

The Mariners lost the game 5-4, but that's hardly of any consequence here. Neither team is going to the playoffs. What we're looking at is simply a gem of a moment in broadcasting. Blowers himself was so beside himself once his prediction came to fruition that he could do nothing more than laugh hysterically.

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm personally going to be getting in contact with Blowers soon -- concerning a little matter called Powerball. You know, just in case he feels the power again.

Mike Blowers Can See the Future originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim McCarver Has a CD. Of Music.

Pat Lackey — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Media Watch

While making my daily attempt to read everything on the Internet, I came upon a link that took me completely by surprise. It was to a story in the Providence Journal entitled, "Tim McCarver sings the American songbook." I did a double-take, the double-took my double take. The Providence Journal is a real newspaper and there's an Amazon.com link to the CD. This is really real.

This information has overloaded my poor little brain. Tim McCarver is one of my least favorite baseball announcers of all-time, and one of the reasons I can watch a game with the volume on and never actually hear one word the announcers say. But it's one thing to make fun of his baseball commentating. Everyone does that. Can I actually make fun of the man's singing voice?

Well, actually, I can't. Dan Levy at the Sporting News has actually listened to the album and concludes, "McCarver can really sing" while one of the reviewers on Amazon (who may or may not be a cynical jerk, judging by his handle of "#1 McCarver Fan") declares, " His version of "This Will Be My Shining Hour" is destined to be a classic and would bring even Zeuss (sic) himself to tears."

To be honest, my interest has been piqued. I immediately checked iTunes, hoping I would be able to buy one of his songs for a buck and hear for myself. No dice. I then scoured YouTube, hoping there was video of him singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at a Cubs game or something. Again, nothing. If I wasn't certain that this odd, brief obsession with hearing Tim McCarver sing will have completely left me within three hours, I would honestly consider buying the CD.

Unfortunately, I can't offer you a review of McCarver's singing voice. What I can offer you, however, is an amazing YouTube clip of McCarver in a Phillies uniform in 1980, cutting a promo for Welcome Back, Kotter. Don't say I never do anything for you.

Via BBTF

Tim McCarver Has a CD. Of Music. originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pinpoint Planning, 'Constant' Ad Libbing Blend at Fledgling MLB Network

Ed Price — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Media Watch, FanHouse Exclusive

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- Just before MLB Tonight goes off the air at midnight ET on Sept. 9, Al Leiter and Dave Valle demonstrate how not to bunt.

Earlier, the Giants had lost to the Padres in part because pinch hitter Kevin Frandsen failed to get down a sacrifice. So for a "Diamond Demo," Leiter and Valle move over to Studio 42 (named for Jackie Robinson) where a mock field is set up for analysts to demonstrate facets of the game.

About five hours before Leiter and Valle broke down Frandsen's mistakes, they took part in a production meeting. A producer asked Leiter, "Do you want to do a 'Diamond Demo?'"

"I don't know," Leiter said, "let's come up with something."

And that's MLB Tonight -- a blend of the scripted and the unplanned; thought-out dissections and off-the-cuff reactions.

The signature show of the MLB Network, Major League Baseball's first-year venture into cable television, it consists of a deep lineup of ex-players, hosts and journalists blending analysis, highlights and live cut-ins.

And FanHouse went behind the scenes for a night to see how it all happened.

'Constant Ad Lib'

Greg Amsinger's office, in the sprawling building that once housed MSNBC, is overflowing with baseball cards, bobblehead dolls, books on the sport -- and Amsinger's enthusiasm for the MLB Network.

When Tony Petitti came from CBS College Sports to run MLB Network, he brought along Amsinger, a tall, energetic 30-year-old known for showing up at the studio already wearing his suit.

At CBS College Sports, Amsigner, pictured right, would host the network's in-depth shows that supplemented parent CBS' coverage of the NCAA Tournament.

"This," he said of his work at the MLB Network, "is like the NCAA Tournament every night."

He means an hour of lead-in coverage and then five or six hours of reacting to what happens in the games.

"From 6 (PM) to 7, we're like everyone else," he said. After that, it's "constant ad lib."

In fact a great deal of planning goes into the first hour of MLB Tonight. Coverage of day games, previews of the night games and discussion of baseball's hot topics can be scripted and combined with highlights and graphics.

The first production meeting on Sept. 9 took place at 12:30 PM, and the first talent meeting at 3, with producer Rich Ciancimino and coordinating producer Dave Patterson going over the "blocks" in the 6-7 hour. One talking point is lefty setup men, and former Indians and Rangers GM John Hart and former lefty reliever Dan Plesac immediately set into talking baseball. The sometimes off-color discussions include Plesac's raving over Rockies reliever Franklin Morales and a discussion between him and Hart on the pros and cons of Texas' C.J. Wilson.

Amsinger and FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal are also there, along with the crew members responsible for statistics, graphics and other elements of the broadcast.

They work out how to discuss teams' magic numbers and display them graphically. Hart suggests also showing contenders' remaining schedules. There's a discussion of what's wrong with Phillies closer Brad Lidge, with Hart and Plesac giving their takes and Rosenthal contributing what he's heard from scouts.

Amsinger decides he wants to "give some love" to Houston's Wandy Rodriguez, who is starting that night. MLB Network makes sure to cover all 30 teams no matter their place in the standings, so even though the Astros are a non-factor and might not be discussed many places on Sept. 9, Rodriguez's fine season is definitely appropriate fodder.

MLB Network's goal, as stated by Petitti and echoed by senior VP of production John Entz, is to be the baseball fan's "second choice." As in second after watching his favorite team on local TV or cable.

"Even though you're watching one screen," Entz said, "we're trying to make it feel like you're watching all the games."

On a given night, MLB Tonight might have as many as 120 "updates" -- highlights of key action that just happened a couple of minutes earlier.

Chemistry and Calm Before Storm

The 3 PM meeting wraps up after about 40 minutes, after the plan for 6-7 is tweaked and various tangents are explored. The "talent" can go off to any of 26 editing rooms to pick highlights and assemble them for their segments.

At 5 PM, Plesac -- in an MLB Network workout outfit -- goes to Studio 42 to tape a demonstration of Morales' mechanics.

Plesac and Hart have excellent chemistry, which began to develop when the were on air together during spring training.

Part of Entz's job is to schedule the on-air talent, and besides accommodating everyone's other commitments, he tries to keep together certain pairings that work well -- some of which were discovered through trial and error.

"We want to make sure the talent stays fresh and engaged," Entz said.

One group works 6-8 PM, another 8-10 and another from 10-12 or 10-1 AM.

Just before 6 PM on this night, a highlight film of the 2006 World Series is wrapping up. The control room is closely watching the late innings of the Padres-Giants day game to see if its worth an immediate "look-in."

MLB Network can pick up coverage from any live broadcast, and it tries to limit each look-in to a plate appearance or two, no more than about four minutes.

There's also an unofficial rule: No more than three live look-ins at any game. It's part of the effort to balance coverage, and the control room tracks the look-ins. Petitti calls it "self-policing." A common question in the control room: "How many do we have left there?"

The show opens with Amsinger, Plesac, Hart and Rosenthal at the main desk in Studio 3 (named for Babe Ruth). Studio 3 actually has about six or seven different sets so the look can vary throughout the night.

First up: Amsinger's voice over live shots of batting practice via "ballpark cams" at Minute Maid Park, U.S. Cellular Field, Angel Stadium and Chase Field. Then highlights of the Texas-Cleveland day game.

Meanwhile, San Francisco gets two on with none out while trailing San Diego 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth. After a Padres pitching change, the show is ready to go to CSN Bay Area for live action.

Just in time for Frandsen's popped-up bunt.

As a timer keeps track of the length of the look-in, the audio goes back and forth between the CSN Bay Area commentary and analysis from the MLB Tonight crew.

At 6:12, Hart brings up a point that he made in the production meeting -- that the Rangers might have a better chance at catching the Angels in the division race than the Red Sox in the wild-card race.

At the first commercial break, Ciancimino briefs Amsinger (via headset) on what's coming up in the next block.

Let the Games Begin

In the production room a bank of 11 monitors overhead -- right where the producer can see as he stands in the second row -- shows all the games. But Marc Caiafa, who some nights serves as coordinating producer, is handling most of the scoreboard watching, as he is responsible for "integration" this night. On two large hi-def screens in front of his seat he can keep track of all the current games and the MLB Network ballpark cams.

"This (MLB Tonight) is like the NCAA Tournament every night."
-- MLB Network host Greg Amsinger While Amsinger narrates highlights from a couple more day games and the crew heads to Studio 42 for standings update -- with the magic-number graphics discussed in the talent meeting -- the behind-the-scenes crew is deciding that if the Giants get the tying run to the plate, or if they're within two outs of losing, then it's time for another look-in. San Francisco does indeed get a man on base, and as soon as Plesac wraps up a point on the Yankees, it's back to CSN Bay Area.

Juan Uribe strikes out for the second out of the inning but questions whether he actually tipped the ball. MLB Network sticks with the look-in long enough to see he didn't. After 4 1/2 minutes, it's time for a commercial. The Padres-Giants game ends during the ad, so the final out is shown as an update when the show returns.

Meanwhile, at the Coors Field ballpark cam, Tracy Ringolsby of FOX Sports Net Rocky Mountain is ready for a live interview about the Rockies.

MLB Network has a pair of ballpark cams operational in 11 parks -- one in center field and one by a dugout. They can all be operated by a pair of joysticks in Secaucus.

"It's a pretty cool tool," Entz said.

The goal is to have ballpark cams working in all 30 parks by sometime next year. All MLB Network has to do is hire a technician to stand by and hand an interview subject a headset.

Hazel Mae's interview of Ringolsby segues to the discussion of Morales and the other lefty setup men. Then the tape of Plesac's "Diamond Demo."

As 7 PM -- and the start of five games -- approaches, there's another standings update. And Joe Magrane, who will pair with Barry Larkin as the analysts in the 8-10 PM segment, wanders into the control room to ask if anyone has done anything extensive yet tonight on Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

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San Francisco Giants' Randy Winn scores on a Juan Uribe single as Colorado Rockies Yorvit Torrealba waits for the late throw in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in San Francisco. The Giants won 9-1. (AP Photo/Dino Vournas)

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San Francisco Giants' Eugenio Velez watches his three-run triple against the Colorado Rockies in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in San Francisco. The Giants won 9-1. (AP Photo/Dino Vournas)

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Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo, of Taiwan, delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

San Francisco Giants' Juan Uribe, right, scores on an Aaron Rowand single against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in San Francisco. Tim Lincecum, center, and Bengie Molina congratulate Uribe. (AP Photo/Dino Vournas)

San Francisco Giants' Pablo Sandoval makes a running throw for an out against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California, on Monday, September 14, 2009. (Dan Honda/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 14: Matt Holliday #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals knocks in two RBIs against the Florida Marlins on September 14, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Marlins 11-6. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Holliday

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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 14: Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals waits on deck against the Florida Marlins on September 14, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Marlins 11-6. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 14: Hanley Ramierez #2 of the Florida Marlins turns a double play over Mark DeRosa #7 the St. Louis Cardinals on September 14, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Marlins 11-6. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Hanley Ramierez;Mark DeRosa

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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 14: Hanley Ramierez #2 of the Florida Marlins throws to first base against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 14, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Marlins 11-6. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Hanley Ramierez

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ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 14: Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts to getting hit by a pitch against the Florida Marlins on September 14, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Marlins 11-6. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

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Once the night games get underway, the show takes on a fairly regular rhythm: look-ins, updates of recent action and discussion of them by the talent. This is where the host has to be able to think on his feet, as the producer tells him what's coming, and prompt the analysts' conversation.

A first-inning update from Yankee Stadium -- Jason Bartlett's leadoff homer for Tampa Bay -- leads to a Joba Chamberlain riff. Meanwhile, before heading home for the night, Petitti has stopped by the control room.

Back in the conference room, the 10-12 crew has assembled for a talent meeting: Leiter, Valle and host Victor Rojas with another team of coordinating producer, producer and technicians. The meeting has to be more about anticipating what might happen in the night games for possible lines of discussion.

At 8, Plesac, Hart and Rosenthal are done. Larkin and Magrane join Amsinger for the next two hours.

At one point, Magrane goes off-set during commercial and isn't back right away. "We have to keep going places," someone says in the control room, so first comes a Yankees update, then a Blue Jays update, then a scoreboard, then a Nationals update. Amsigner narrates from the set the entire time.

And the night's biggest storyline is starting to develop. At 8:40, Amsinger is instructed, "Tease to Jeter -- he's coming up."

Catching History

Derek Jeter has a chance to catch Lou Gehrig for the Yankees' career hits record, and at 8:45, Jeter drives a ball to deep center that Rays outfielder B.J. Upton fails to run down. It goes for a double, leaving Jeter a hit shy of Gehrig.

Immediately, Patterson calls for tape of a play earlier in the game, in which Upton missed on a basket catch in center -- more fodder for analysis in the studio.

At 9:03, "MLB Tonight" goes to Fenway Park for a live look-in at Orioles-Red Sox, since Baltimore has the bases loaded with one out in the sixth.

Thirteen minutes later, it's time for a decision. Jeter is due up again, but they've already used two look-ins at Yankee Stadium. If they go live for Jeter's at-bat, they might have him tying Gehrig. But if he bats again -- it's the seventh inning and the Yankees or losing, so he could very well come up in the ninth -- they'll be out of look-ins. So should they pass now in case he bats again, which would be either a shot at breaking the record or another chance to tie?

Petitti decides it's a special enough moment to go for it, and if need be, break the three-look-in rule later.

It pays off, as Jeter singles to tie Gehrig.

"Well done," Petitti tells the control room.

It's just 9:24.

And Into The Night

Because MLB brought in cable and satellite providers as partners, MLB Network has the largest cable debut ever, available in about 50 million homes.

Nielsen said it's too early in the network's life for ratings, but ad sales are obviously up since the network went on the air Jan. 1.

MLB Tonight has evolved along the way. And there are more adjustments to come.

In anticipation of pennant races, MLB Network has decided to add an hour to its signature over the season's final week, going on the air at 5 PM.

And during the playoffs, there will be shows anchored from Secaucus and reporters on-site at games. Entz figures MLB Network can show pre-game news conferences from the first Division Series game of the day and come back after that game for the rest of the day, filling with pre-game matter from games to come and post-game analysis and news conferences as games finish.

But that will seem easy after handling 15 games many nights.

At 9:46, Magrane is getting into his Wainwright breakdown. "You just feel like you're only getting a look at the top half of the ball," Magrane says.

But he needs to wrap it up. "We've gotta go," someone says, because there's a save situation in Washington, and it's time to revisit the Lidge storyline.

At 9:53, MLB Network goes live to Nationals Park to show Ryan Madson warming up in the top of the ninth instead of Lidge. At the same time, Larkin talks about his 1990 Reds, who used a committee of relievers -- known the "Nasty Boys" -- instead of a closer.

But wait. Here comes Jeter, batting again in the eighth with a chance to break out of his tie with Gehrig. Petitti has given the go-ahead for a fourth look-in, so off to Yankee Stadium.

At 10, Jeter walks.

"Awwwwww," goes the control room, in unison.

And it's time for a shift change, with Rojas, Leiter and Valle in to replace Amsinger, Larkin and Magrane.

At 10:08, it's back to Washington to see Madson get the save. Then more discussions, a look-in in Anaheim, a 10:30 highlights package narrated by Mae, and a quick series of updates: Kendry Morales' three-run double, Manny Ramirez's RBI infield hit and the last out of the Yankees game.

In Houston, the Astros rally in the ninth to beat the Braves. Time to use the ballpark cam.

The coordinating producer, Bryan Meyers, calls a media relations person in Houston to ask for an interview with Miguel Tejada. By 10:46, Tejada is interviewed live by Rojas on his game-winning single.

At 11:03, Caiafa calls out, "Guys, you've got to go to Colorado." It's tied in the bottom of the eighth, and there's two on and two out.

At 11:12, MLB Network picks up the top of the ninth in Kansas City. And the Rockies come up in the bottom of the ninth.

"Double-box this one?"

Yes, time for the "Double Play" screen again, with action from the two games.

There's another ballpark cam interview at 11:40, with Colorado's Seth Smith, who also had a game-winning hit. And soon after, Leiter and Valle are showing the finer points of bunting.

Most nights, MLB Tonight runs till 1 a.m. ET. With so few late games this night, it wraps up at 12. Then comes "Quick Pitch," a straight one-hour highlights show that can be repeated through the night and in the morning.

Even though the show was a mere five hours this day, it was packed.

"There's definitely enough drama," Petitti said, "to get us through the night."

Pinpoint Planning, 'Constant' Ad Libbing Blend at Fledgling MLB Network originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ernie Harwell May Top Them All

Terence Moore — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, MLB Media Watch

Bob Prince. Jack Brickhouse. Harry Caray. Jack Buck.

Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau -- you know, "from beautiful and lovely Wrigley Field in Chicago ," as Lloyd used to gush before every home game.

No offense to the others, but in many ways, Ernie Harwell was the best of them all when chatting about baseball for hours over the airways as the years became decades. He was knowledgeable. He was poetic. Mostly, he was highly addictive. He spent 42 seasons using his southern drawl to make "Tighas" famous around Detroit and wherever the 50,000 watts of WJR 760 AM shipped his words.

Now the Cracker Jack just got a little staler, because Harwell announced that he has inoperable cancer of the bile duct.

This is happening so fast. One by one, they're going, going, almost gone, the magic voices of my youth. They dominated every summer in the Midwest during the 1960s and 1970s, when radio was more relevant to baseball fans than television. These announcers were an extra set of uncles and even grandfathers to those of us who faithfully listened. They made you catch nearly all of their syllables -- from the start of the pregame show, through the seventh-inning stretch and until the closing phrase of a broadcast such as, "This is the old left-hander rounding third and heading for home," which is what the late Joe Nuxhall uttered after his post-game shows for the Cincinnati Reds.

Which brings me back to Harwell, an eternally pleasant man. He is 91, and he hasn't worked full-time in a broadcast booth in seven years, but it doesn't matter. Neither does the announcement of his upcoming final days.As is the case for Caray, Buck and the rest, Harwell's voice will live forever inside of the hearts and minds of millions.

As is the case for Caray, Buck and the rest, Harwell's voice will live forever inside of the hearts and minds of millions.

It's impossible to forget.

For instance: I'll always remember many things about Harwell, whose majestic style I encountered during the late 1960s in South Bend., Ind. , while flipping around my transistor radio dial. He introduced me to Kaline, Freehan, Horton and the Browns (Ike and Gates) -- then later to the wonders of the World Series on radio with that 1968 classic between the Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals.

I heard Harwell's broadcasts often after that. I even met him for the first time during the early 1980s, when I worked for a San Francisco newspaper and the Tigers played the Athletics in Oakland. With sparkling eyes and a firm handshake that made you feel as if he really was glad to see you, he was as gracious as he sounds. He remained that way through the several other times we chatted through the years. In fact, he always was quick with a smile and a story.

That said, I never experienced Harwell like I did during a July night in 1998, and I still recall the joy of that night.

There I was, sitting in the upper deck during the last days of Tiger Stadium. The weather was hot, but the home team wasn't. The place was nearly empty. Several rows below me, a couple of youngsters in Tiger caps had enough room to play catch between innings. The game was forgettable. Even so, Harwell sounded as if it was the seventh game of the World Series. With seagulls darting in and out of the lovely old place, I listened forever to Harwell on my headphones.

I had somewhere else to go, but I didn't dare. Harwell's voice was so clear, so smooth, so brilliant at painting a picture of the nothingness around me that suddenly became something courtesy of his gifted tongue.

No question, I wanted to leave. I really needed to leave. But I couldn't. This was the last time that I likely would come to Tiger Stadium (and it was), and this was Ernie Harwell at his captivating best.

Those other announcers were intriguing, too. I remember Caray delivering his "holy cows" and blunt comments with the Cardinals and later the Chicago White Sox. That's right. Long before Caray was an icon for the Cubs' superstation, he was huge on Chicago's south side. And get this: When Caray left St. Louis, Buck stayed behind to become as synonymous with the Cardinals as Musial and Clydesdales.

Brickhouse was the Cubs' jolly face on television, and their radio voices were the highly emotional Lloyd and Boudreau. Objectivity wasn't their thing. That's because all three announcers were wrapped tightly in Wrigley ivy, and you could tell the Cubs' plight at any given moment by the tone of their words.

Then there was Prince, with his gravely voice for Pittsburgh Pirates games. He had all sorts of folksy sayings. Here was my favorite: Since a restaurant in Pittsburgh's Hill District gave free meals to those present during the time of a Willie Stargell home run, Prince would plead through his microphone when No. 8 stood at the plate, "Come on, Will. Let's spread some chicken on the Hill."

Harwell was just good. No, Harwell was great -- not only as an announcer but as a person, because he remained that appreciative kid from Washington, Ga. I wrote as much several years ago for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and to my surprise, I got a handwritten letter in the mail from Farmington Hills, Mich.

I still have the letter. It says, "Dear Terence. Thanks for your observations about me and my work. Your column Sunday was much too kind to me. I deeply appreciate your support. Best regards. Ernie Harwell."

See what I mean about the guy?

Terence Moore is a national columnist and commentator for FanHouse. He is a frequent panelist on "Rome Is Burning," an ESPN show hosted by Jim Rome, that is seen Monday through Friday at 4:30 PM ET. Moore spent more than three decades working for major newspapers, including 26 years as an award-winning sports columnist for the San Francisco Examiner and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He resides in Atlanta.

Ernie Harwell May Top Them All originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB, ESPN Move Yankees-Red Sox From Yom Kippur Eve

Ed Price — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:48:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, MLB Media Watch

NEW YORK -- Yankees vs. Red Sox is almost as much a part of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball as Joe Morgan.

If the blood feud from the Northeast is being played out over a weekend, you can be sure that ESPN will choose Boston-New York for its showcase game.

Except maybe on Sept. 27.

Major League Baseball and ESPN have decided to move that day's game at Yankee Stadium back to 1 PM ET after it had been switched to 8 PM, because it is the day before Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

Jewish holidays begin at sundown the night before, so if the Yankees and Red Sox play the night of Sept. 27, observant Jews won't be able to attend or watch the game. (Sunset in New York that night, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, is 6:44 PM)

But as the NFL did a few months ago, MLB paid heed to the large Jewish population in the New York area.

When the NFL schedule came out in April, the Jets were originally scheduled to play a 4:15 PM home game on Sept. 27, against the Titans -- a game that would have run past sundown. A U.S. Congressman from New York sent a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell as the Jets asked the NFL to change kickoff to 1 PM, and the league cooperated.

ESPN will still have exclusive rights to the Sept. 27 Yankees-Sox game.

"I am pleased we were able to resolve this sensitive issue that impacted many baseball fans and are able to move the game at Yankee Stadium to 1:00 PM," MLB commissioner Bud Selig said in a prepared statement. "I want to thank our broadcast partners at ESPN, especially ESPN President George Bodenheimer, for their support and for working with us to adjust the timing of this game which has allowed us to solve this conflict."

MLB, ESPN Move Yankees-Red Sox From Yom Kippur Eve originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jerry Remy Returning to Booth Friday

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:41:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, MLB Media Watch

Beloved Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy will return to the NESN booth Friday night after missing more than three months while recovering from health complications related to lung cancer surgery he had after the 2008 regular season.

"I want to thank NESN, the Red Sox and all of Red Sox Nation for their incredible level of support," Remy said "I'm really looking forward to getting back to work and doing the job that I miss terribly."

The former Red Sox and Angels second baseman will ease back into a part-time role at first. Of course, there's nothing relaxed or laid-back about the atmosphere he'll be returning to this weekend.

The Red Sox will open a three-game series with the rival Yankees at Fenway Park Friday night. With Boston seven games back of New York in the AL East standings, it amounts to a last stand for the Red Sox and their hopes of winning the division.

Remy made a brief appearance at Fenway last week, visiting partner Don Orsillo and Dennis Eckersley, his primary replacement, in the broadcast booth and waving to the fans when he appeared on the center field video screen.

During his appearance, Remy discussed not only the physical health problems that sidelined him, but also the mental ones, admitting that he has battled depression during his recovery.

"Now I'm glad I did it [return to Fenway last week] because it really kind of gets that out of the way and when I do come back on Friday to do a game, it's just a normal day," Remy said. "The Yankees being in town, obviously that's a little bit different, but to get all this personal stuff out of the way I think was a great thing for me last week. But it is a little bit uncomfortable. You know I'm not a player, I'm just a broadcaster. To have that much attention put on you it means people care about you.

"I'm anxious right now just thinking about it. But I'm sure once you get back into the swing of things after an inning or so it will be just like old times, and we'll have hopefully a good game and a little bit of fun."

Remy may be "uncomfortable" with all the attention he's received since taking his leave of absence, but it just speaks to his status in New England, one of the most baseball-rabid regions in the country. Quite simply, Remy has become a rock star in the 21 years he's been broadcasting for NESN.

Red Sox Nation will surely be pleased to have him back.

Jerry Remy Returning to Booth Friday originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bronson Arroyo Isn't Afraid of the Big, Bad Steroid Wolf

Josh Alper — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:50:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, MLB Media Watch, MLB PEDs

It's a safe bet that there wasn't much of a race to bring Bud Selig a copy of Thursday's USA Today at the MLB offices on Thursday morning. After all, it's not exactly a strong career move to bring your boss an interview with a major league player making a mockery of everything you've said and done about performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

That's just what Bronson Arroyo did in a wide-ranging interview that's required reading for anyone on any side of the debate of drug use in Major League Baseball. Arroyo starts by admitting he takes a slew of supplements that aren't on the league's approved list, and has never failed a drug test, and then goes on to lacerate just about every sacred cow of the baseball world.

Now, you may be saying to yourself that it makes sense that he hasn't failed a drug test because clearly nothing he takes actually enhances performance. Perhaps, but it's everything else that Arroyo has to say that's making this interview a hot read around the country.

He takes fans and media to task for their outrage about steroid use, saying they're only concerned with records being broken and hypocritical about the health risks that may be associated with using the drugs.

"At the end of the day, you think anybody really (cares) whether Manny Ramirez's kidneys fail and he dies at 50? You were happy if the Red Sox won 95 games. You'd go home, have a cookout with your family. No big deal ... You think this country really cares about what ballplayers put in their bodies?" Arroyo asks. "If we really care, why are we pumping Coca-Cola in every kid's mouth, and McDonald's, and Burger King and KFC? That (stuff) is killing people."

Owners are also in the firing line when Arroyo says that none of them care what players are doing so long as they keep making money, which is also true of the player's union as they work to make sure players can make as much money as possible for as long as possible.

He cops to using amphetamines as well as androstenedione, when they were legal, even though he was warned about risks to his health. Arroyo also makes it clear that he doesn't regret either one because he felt they helped him be a better baseball player.

By the end of the interview Arroyo sounds a lot like Jose Canseco, both in his willingness to discuss what's actually going on and the lengths he goes to in trying to justify his own decisions. That doesn't make him particularly likable, but, just as with Canseco, it doesn't make any of what he said less true, either.

For all of the time spent discussing the use of steroids, HGH, supplements and all the others over the past few years, there's been far too little of this kind of raw speech without fear of the consequences. Baseball's better for it, even if they get a black eye in the process.

Bronson Arroyo Isn't Afraid of the Big, Bad Steroid Wolf originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Still Struggling to Find the Best Way to Develop Pitchers

Josh Alper — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Rangers, AL West, MLB Media Watch

When Nolan Ryan returned to the Rangers organization as the club's president much was made about the impact that move would have on the team's pitchers. No more pampering of young arms was the new touchstone, and it has been music to the ears to a certain generation of baseball fans and writers who have never stopped remembering when Ryan and his peers would throw 300 innings in a season.

To help establish their new system, the Rangers have allowed Alan Jaeger to start working with many of their young pitchers. Jaeger espouses a philosophy that encourages throwing more and resting less than the established norm around the major leagues.

Mychael Urban profiles Jaeger in an article for MLB.com. If there's a quick way to summarize Jaeger's beliefs it is that major league teams treat pitchers like their arms are hurt instead of being healthy.

"Why on earth would you rehab a healthy arm? It's crazy," Jaeger said. "Instead of giving players the freedom to throw according to the individual needs of their arms, they are being forced to throw according to someone else's arbitrary set of rules, which places extreme limits and constraints on the arm. They are putting these arms in harm's way. Like any other muscle, the arm wants to stretch out, expand, and condition. It wants to be used, not coddled."

He's very convincing, especially when he cites the durability of Dan Haren and Barry Zito, each of whom follow his teachings. The article comes on the heels of an article in this weekend's New York Times Magazine, however, which paints a very different picture of how to treat the arms of young pitchers.

In that article, Ron Berler speaks to Dr. James Andrews about the sharp rise in shoulder and elbow, particularly Tommy John, surgeries on teenage pitchers. Andrews, the go-to guy for sports medicine, has sponsored research that's found that overuse is a direct factor in the rise in these kinds of surgeries. Berler also speaks to the Rangers' trainer and reads him pitch counts from a Little League pitcher and, in an interesting counterpoint to his boss, the trainer expresses concern for the young hurler's arm.

Obviously there are differences between 13-year-olds, 18-year-olds and 23-year-olds, but there are also differences between two different pitchers at any of those ages. While Haren and Zito have avoided injury, Joel Zumaya, another Jaeger devotee, has had his career sidelined by several arm injuries and there are plenty of pitchers who have followed more traditional methods without any negative outcomes.

The real takeaway from all of this, and you might as well throw in Daisuke Matsuzaka's comments about training in Japan vs. training with the Red Sox, is that there a lot of ways to skin a cat. What works for one pitcher isn't necessarily going to work for another pitcher.

The problem is that no team has enough staff or time to come up with completely individualized workout schedules for every pitcher in the organization, which means you figure out what works best for the most and go with that. It's worth listening to everyone before making that decision, though, and Jaeger's should be part of the discussion.

Baseball Still Struggling to Find the Best Way to Develop Pitchers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Under-the-Radar Jackson Deal Pays Huge Dividends

Ed Price — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Mets, Orioles, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, AL Central, MLB Media Watch, MLB Milestones, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

The most significant trade of last winter barely caused a ripple at the time.

The same day the Mets signed Francisco Rodriguez and traded for J.J. Putz, and the day after the Yankees came to terms with C.C. Sabathia, the Tigers sent outfielder Matt Joyce to the Rays for right-hander Edwin Jackson.

Or don't you remember?

Eight months later, Jackson is second in the AL with a 2.62 ERA and leads the league with a .217 opponents' average. Ignore his 8-5 record; Detroit has scored three runs or fewer in 10 of his 22 starts, and more than five runs just twice.

"We liked him," Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told FanHouse. "We thought he'd be one of our starters. But to say we thought we'd be trading for an All-Star starter, I would not ever have projected that."

While it may seem that Jackson is one of those pitchers who had plodded along forever, doing nothing special, and has put together a fluke year, it should be noted that he is just 25.

Jackson's unusual career is the result of getting to the big leagues too soon. He made his debut with the Dodgers on Sept. 9, 2003 -- his 20th birthday -- winning against 40-year-old Randy Johnson.

But Jackson then bounced back and forth between the minors and majors, understandable since he was still in his early 20s. He was traded to the Rays in January 2006 and by 2007 he was out of minor-league options despite being only 23. He went into that season with an 11-19 career record and a 5.64 ERA.

In other words, much of his development took place in the majors.

"When I did struggle it was in the limelight," Jackson said. "It wasn't like I was in the minor leagues and had a chance to struggle under the radar.

"I think it all just worked out to make me a stronger person at the end."

And Detroit caught him on the upswing.

"He's been tremendous for us," Dombrowski said. "I don't think anybody could anticipate he'd be good to this extent. I think everybody in the game has been aware of his ability. That goes back for a long time. He's always had great stuff. It was just one of those things where sometimes you get a guy at the right time."

It's not like Dombrowski set out to steal Jackson from Tampa Bay.

Jackson went into last winter eligible for arbitration, meaning he was in line for a big raise from his $412,700 salary (it wound up being $2.2 million this year). With top prospect David Price and others, the low-payroll Rays had some pitching depth, so trading Jackson was a way to save some money that could be spent elsewhere.

It was Tampa Bay that approached Detroit first, Dombrowski said.

"They liked Matt Joyce a lot," Dombrowski said. "And we liked Matt Joyce a lot. I still think Matt Joyce is going to be a good player."

And Jackson didn't take it personally.

"A trade is a trade," he said. "That's the business aspect of it. ... As long as a team wants me, I don't have a problem.

"Without the opportunity [the Rays] gave me, I wouldn't be [an All-Star]. But at the end of the day you can only do so much with a player. You have to kind of let them go out and find themselves. That's what I went through when I had my struggles."

Jackson has thrown more strikes, going from 4.9 walks per nine innings in 2007 to 3.8 last year to 2.9 this year, and success has followed.

"I was just trying to continue to do the same thing I did last year," he said. "I just wanted cut down on my walks, attack the strike zone more. You make the hitters put the ball in play, good things happen for you."

Another reason Jackson took time, as former Rays teammate Carl Crawford noted, is that when the Dodgers signed Jackson out of Columbus, Ga., he was a pitcher and outfielder.

"So he's still learning," Crawford said. "He's not gonna do nothing but get better. He's going to be a dangerous guy for a long time."

But Jackson said he won't mind if, like when he was traded to Detroit, not too many people notice.

"It's not a bad thing to fly under the radar," he said. "It makes life a little easier."

Overheard and Understood

o. Arizona manager A.J. Hinch said ace Dan Haren excels at, as Hinch put it, breaking a game down into 110 one-pitch games -- i.e., focusing on one pitch at a time. But Hinch is also monitoring the mental and physical strain from putting so much effort into every delivery. Including Saturday at Washington, Haren has failed to get into the seventh inning in four of his past seven starts. "He executes that one pitch at a time," Hinch said, "and he exhausts about every bit of energy that he has on every one of his pitches."

o. The Twins' best chance to win the AL Central lies in their schedule. Of their 52 remaining games, 35 are within the division -- including 12 against Kansas City, nine against Cleveland and eight against Detroit (which is 3-7 against Minnesota).

o. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles are the first team in 121 years to have five pitchers (Brian Matusz, David Hernandez, Jason Berken, Brad Bergesen, Koji Uehara) start and win in their major league debut. The only other team to accomplish that was the 1888 Chicago White Stockings.

Chart of the Week
The Mariners are 27-14 in one-run games, putting them on pace for 40 one-run victories this season. That would rank tied for fourth all-time and the most since 1978:
Team	Record
1978 Giants	42-26
1969 Mets	41-23
1940 Reds	41-17
1974 Orioles	40-21
1970 Orioles	40-15
1979 Astros	39-27
1985 Reds	39-18
Source: Mariners, baseball-reference.com

o. The trade of Carl Pavano to Minnesota left Cleveland with just 11 players on its 25-man roster who were on the Opening Day roster or disabled list. Only four players have made it all season on the Indians' active roster: Kerry Wood, Kelly Shoppach, Jhonny Peralta and Shin-Soo Choo.

o. Colorado's Todd Helton reached 500 doubles in 1,749 career games -- third fastest all-time after Joe Medwick and Nap Lajoie.

o. Since Luis Castillo's game-losing dropped popup against the Yankees on June 12, Rodriguez has a 7.71 ERA, four blown saves in 12 chances, and 17 walks and four homers allowed in 18 2/3 innings.

o. Because Dallas Braden is out with a foot infection, Oakland has started a rookie in eight straight games, with Brett Anderson scheduled to make it nine Sunday. The last team to use a rookie starter in nine straight games was the 1997 Cardinals, who used rookies Manny Aybar, Rigo Beltran, Matt Morris, Sean Lowe, Mike Busby and Brady Raggio over their final 19 games.

o. Darren O'Day retired 18 straight batters before walking the first man he faced Friday and has a 1.91 ERA for the Rangers. The Mets took him in last winter's Rule 5 draft but, shortsightedly, opted to cut him in April when they called up Nelson Figueroa for a spot start.

o. Bruce Chen's win Thursday for Kansas City was his first since Oct. 2, 2005, for Baltimore against Tampa Bay. In between Chen's wins, Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia each won 63 games.

o. Florida's Dan Uggla joined Joe Gordon as the only second basemen ever to begin their careers with four 20-homer seasons.

o. The Phillies broadcasters have created a sports-broadcasting scholarship for Philadelphia-area college students, called the Kalas Award, in memory of their late colleague Harry Kalas. Scholarship applications and the eligibility requirements are available at www.phillybroadcasters.org.

Baseball Brunch: Under-the-Radar Jackson Deal Pays Huge Dividends originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hall of Fame Beat Writer Hal McCoy Forced Into Retirement

Pat Lackey — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:50:00 EST

Filed under: Reds, NL Central, MLB Media Watch

Long-time Cincinnati Reds beat writer Hal McCoy announced Thursday night on his blog that his newspaper, the Dayton Daily News, would be cutting the Reds beat from their coverage. As a result, he would be forced into a retirement that, in his words, isn't "early" but also "isn't something [he wants] to do."

McCoy is a Hall of Famer, receiving the 2002 J. G. Taylor Spink Award, and continued on the beat despite being legally blind in both eyes.

It's a sad enough story that a Hall of Fame writer is retiring, especially when he implies that he's been pushed out by his own paper, but it's sadder still to read the Daily News' official release on the subject. Their official story indicates that he retired on his own volition, including several quotes from McCoy that don't indicate at all that he feels he was pushed out by the pape. The final line of the story reads, "The newspaper has had a long tradition of covering the Reds and will reassess it in light of McCoy's retirement."

So if you're keeping track at home, the Dayton Daily News has chosen to trim their budget by cutting the beat covered by one of the most respected men in the business, then turned around and told the public that it was his decision to retire and, because he's decided to retire, they're thinking about cutting the beat from the paper. Unfortunately for the Daily News, the Hall of Famer had one more trick up his sleeve and wrote a blog post detailing the entire story, exposing the paper for what they'd really done.

The worst part of this is that the story today should be about McCoy. The story of how he suffered a stroke in both optic nerves, which left him legally blind, and still stayed on the beat after some encouragement from Aaron Boone, is even more inspiring and impressive than his 37-year career.

The two writers at FanHouse who knew McCoy best both had nothing but positive things to say about him this morning. Ed Price calls him: "A great man ... Classy and universally respected ... One of the last few lifelong newspaper beat men," while Jeff Fletcher says, "What Aaron Boone did for him tells you all you need about how well respected he was. I doubt a player would even notice if most of the rest of us got out of the business."

It's a sad day for baseball, both because one of the all-time great writers is retiring and because the newspaper that was lucky enough to have him for his entire career can't be bothered to show him the respect he deserves. That's not just a slap in McCoy's face, it's a slap in the face of every reader that's enjoyed him over his distinguished career.

Hall of Fame Beat Writer Hal McCoy Forced Into Retirement originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Replays Hosed Pirates on Monday's Craziest Catch of the Year

Will Brinson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: Pirates, MLB Media Watch, MLB Video

Dewayne Wise had -- arguably anyway -- the best catch of the baseball season so far when he made an over-the-wall snag to save Mark Buehrle's perfect game. The circumstances surrounding the catch made it just ridiculous. But not as ridiculous as the following snag (H/T Men's Fitness, via Digg, natch) which wasn't even ruled a catch on Monday. As you can see in this Comcast replay, it most certainly was a catch, and it most certainly was awesome. So, downside: replay still sucks. Upside: I could watch this all day.

Replays Hosed Pirates on Monday's Craziest Catch of the Year originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vin Scully Likely to Retire After 2010

Andrew Johnson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:33:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, MLB Media Watch

Speaking in an interview with Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke, legendary broadcaster Vin Scully indicated he would likely retire from the booth after the 2010 season, instead of after this one, likely ending what would be a 61-year run as the voice of the Dodgers.

"God willing, I will probably come back for one more year," Scully said in a phone interview. "At this moment, my health is excellent, and I'm leaning toward one more year."

And then retire?

"Yes, that makes sense," he said.

It's hard to think of a more iconic voice in broadcasting than Scully's. He's been with the Dodgers since 1950 when the team was in Brooklyn, taking over principal announcing duties before the team moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

But his work on national broadcasts has made him a familiar and beloved voice to baseball fans across the country and across many generations. Scully was at the microphone for, among other things, Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, Hank Aaron's record-setting 715th career home run, Bill Buckner's infamous fielding gaffe in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series and Kirk Gibson's dramatic walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

He's a walking, talking baseball museum who has forgotten more about the national pastime than most of us will ever know.

And still, his closest connection of all is with the Dodgers. More than Manny Ramirez or Sandy Koufax or even Tommy Lasorda, he is the Dodgers, something that makes him part of an increasingly rare breed -- the announcer who spends almost his entire career with one team. The baseball world lost Harry Kalas, who called Phillies games for 38 years, this April, and now the clock is ticking on Scully's time in the booth.

In the column built off of his conversation with Scully, Plaschke implores the Dodgers to do everything they can in the coming months to pay tribute to their singular voice. It's not often I agree with him, but there's no argument here when it comes to Scully. He should be celebrated at every possible turn and in every possible fashion until he signs off for the final time.

Vin Scully Likely to Retire After 2010 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mets COO Wilpon: Omar Minaya Was Wrong but Will Remain the GM

Ed Price — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:12:00 EST

Filed under: Mets, MLB Media Watch

NEW YORK -- Omar Minaya erred in his handling of Monday's Mets news conference, team COO Jeff Wilpon said Tuesday, and Minaya owes an apology to Daily News writer Adam Rubin. But, Wilpon said, Minaya is safe as the team's general manager.

In announcing the firing of Tony Bernazard, the Mets' controversial vice president of player development, Minaya said that Rubin had "lobbied" the Mets for a front-office job -- intimating that Rubin's stories, which helped bring down Bernazard, were part of an agenda.

"Omar's our general manager," Wilpon said. "Omar's going to be our general manager.

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"The collateral damage it caused and the collateral damage it caused my father [CEO Fred Wilpon] and my uncle [team president Saul Katz], the organization as a whole, he feels bad for. I think that's more punishment than anybody could ever put on him."

Minaya (whose contract runs through 2012 with team options for 2013-14) was not made available for interviews Tuesday. Wilpon said Minaya apologized to him and would apologize publicly to Rubin but was "visibly shaken" and needed a day to collect himself after Monday's events.

"I know he's told me he's remorseful about what he's said and what was done," Wilpon said. "I can only apologize from the organization standpoint. Omar made a mistake, and he admitted to me he made a mistake, and he's apologetic for his mistake.

"It hurt the organization. Omar admitted he hurt the organization. And he feels bad about that. And we'll overcome. It didn't go to our values. He didn't do the right thing."

Wilpon said ownership had no idea that Minaya would drag Rubin into the matter.

"I don't think a lot of us could believe it was happening when it was happening," Wilpon said of the news conference, which was televised live in New York. "He was just very angry and got out of his usual mode of dealing with the media."

As for the season as a whole -- the injury-riddled Mets are 47-51, 10 1/2 games out in the NL East and 6 1/2 out of the wild card -- Wilpon expressed frustration.

"We need to do better," he said. "Ownership is not happy with the direction right now. Obviously we have to play better on the field. We need to get the guys back. And once that happens we'll see how well this team can do. But it is disappointing."

Mets COO Wilpon: Omar Minaya Was Wrong but Will Remain the GM originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mark Buehrle's Perfect Game Lands Him Coveted Letterman 'Top 10' Spot

Will Brinson — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: White Sox, MLB Fans, MLB Media Watch, MLB Video, MLB Satire

Reading the Top 10 on the Late Show with David Letterman is truly an honor, yada-yada-yada. Well, thing is, if you pull off something awesome in the sports world -- winning the British Open, throwing a perfect game -- you'll probably get to appear on television and read some Top 10 list related to your accomplishment. Mark Buehrle, fresh off a perfect game, did just that recently, with a pretty funny list (it made him laugh while reading it, so clearly he practiced) of "Things That Went Through Mark Buehrle's Mind During His Perfect Game."

Mark Buehrle's Perfect Game Lands Him Coveted Letterman 'Top 10' Spot originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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