MLB Network
With the start of the new year came the new cable channel the MLB Network. Since all of my friends are tired of hearing about it, I decided to tell someone else: you, the blog reader.
The MLB Network has provided a much-needed baseball fix during these downright mild winter months. The studio shows and “hot stove” talk has been interesting at times, especially when the panel of experts includes erstwhile Rangers’ GM John Hart. If people in Detroit had a problem with Matt Millen being part of the Super Bowl broadcast crew, people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area should be equally up in arms about the idea of Hart’s talent evaluation ability being showcased.
My question is, what golf course is he playing near the MLB Network studios in New York?
But back to the original point, the MLB Network’s best feature is its look back at baseball’s rich tradition.
They have dusted off Ken Burns’ Baseball for another well-deserved viewing. They are replaying old World Series highlight films, which have given us the chance to see some of the great names from baseball’s past, including many of those who have visited LaGrave Field in the last few years.
Watching Bobby Bragan’s double in the 1947 World Series was outstanding as well as seeing some of the stars like Maury Wills, Duke Snider and Harmon Killebrew in their prime has been very enjoyable. Last Sunday, they replayed Nolan Ryan’s 7th No-Hitter in it’s entirety as well as the White Sox-Red Sox game from 1981, Carlton Fisk’s first against his old team.
At a time when major league baseball’s image is in crisis, it’s great to be reminded of why we care about the game in the first place.
If you get the MLB Network through your cable or dish provider, check it out and enjoy.
May 29th, 2009 at 11:19 am
I enjoy some of the historical aspects of the channels’ programming, but greatly dislike their coverage of live baseball. They interrupt the game constantly and their coverage is biased towards the team winning that game. Since they aren’t affiliated with any one team, give us objective broadcasts. I will watch their coverage sometimes, but always muted with MLB Radio on my PC going. Their coverage of the Cubs/Cards series was awful. They treated LaRussa and Dave Duncan as immortal gods of the diamond, to the point they skipped basic details, such as lineups! I thought it was supposed to be a baseball game, not “Pay homage to Cards coaches”.