On the Beat

Programming Diversity and Other Graces

by John Perrotto

With Thanksgiving only a day away, there is something new for baseball fans to look forward to and potentially be thankful for. In this time when we pause to consider all of the things that we often take for granted, there is also the upcoming arrival of the MLB Network, which will launch on January 1 and be available in nearly 50 million homes, making it the largest network debut in cable television history. The network will air 24 hours a day, and include live game broadcasts, replays of classic games, and original programming.

Major League Baseball has long discussed having its own network, and that is finally coming to fruition. While MLB may have lagged behind the NFL, NBA, and NHL, all three of which already have their own channels, it appears it will be making up for lost time by delivering quality from day one, particularly with what will be their two signature shows, MLB Tonight and Hot Stove.

MLB Tonight will be a live nightly show broadcast from its studios in Secaucus, New Jersey, that will air from 6 p.m. ET until the final game of the night every Monday through Saturday during the regular season, and will be the network's answer to ESPN's acclaimed Baseball Tonight. MLBN's feature show in the off-season months will be Hot Stove, a one-hour program that will air on weeknights at 7 p.m. ET.

They've put together an interesting lineup of talent for the shows, led by host Matt Vasgersian. Al Leiter, Harold Reynolds, and Joe Magrane will be the primary studio analysts, while Trenni Kusnierek and Hazel Mae will serve as the lead reporters. "One of the things we're most excited about is they all have great versatility," MLBN president and CEO Tony Petitti said. "What we were looking for in analysts were guys who could play the game at the highest level, but also those who are really comfortable talking about it and bring great experience. In Hazel and Trenni's case, they followed local clubs, and are able to function both as hosts and reporters. We have a great, diverse team."

Vasgersian has been considered one of the top television play-by-play talents in baseball; he spent the past seven years calling Padres games after a five-year stint with the Brewers, while also doing NFL games on Fox. However, he is more than willing to make the transition from booth to studio for such a heralded startup project. "I was intrigued by this concept when I heard about MLB starting their own network, and everything I heard about the facility, the operation, and specifically about the people involved, got me more and more excited," Vasgersian said. "I fashion myself as the David Nied of the MLB Network: first pick for the expansion team, I'll make very little impact in my career, and then fade into obscurity after two or three seasons at the big-league level."

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Hank Brockett

(23734)

You don't wake up every day to read a David Nied reference. That and some Nigel Wilson dap and the new network might be a fun alternative to Baseball Tonight's stranglehold.

Nov 26, 2008 09:38 AM