Another day....another ESPN hire. This time it's the bane of Red Sox fans everywhere, Aaron Boone. Boone officially retired today, and immediately following that announcement, signed with ESPN. Via the "Leader"....

Aaron Boone today formally announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after a 12-year career and his new role as an ESPN baseball analyst. Boone will mainly be seen on Baseball Tonight (debuting in March), in addition to select appearances as a game analyst. He worked for ESPN Radio as a guest analyst during the 2009 National League Division Series.

“It is with a sense of pride, sadness, and enthusiasm that I formally announce my retirement after 16 years of professional baseball,” Boone said. “It has been a privilege and honor to have played in the Major Leagues for 12 seasons for six different clubs.

“While it's tough to leave the game as a player, I am eager to start my next career with my new team at ESPN. I am very grateful that I'll be able to stay in the game as an ESPN analyst and work with people who share the same passion for baseball that I do. I really appreciate ESPN giving me the opportunity to evolve in the sport that I love.

“Finally, I'd like to express my thanks to everyone that treated me so well throughout my Major League career.”

Jay Levy, ESPN senior coordinating producer, said, “As a player, Aaron was a tremendous competitor known for one of baseball's most dramatic postseason walk-off home runs. He offers an important perspective, being recently removed from the game and having deep baseball roots, which will make him a great addition to our team.”

I caught a bit of Boone on the radio last year, and I have to say that he wasn't that bad. He obviously needs some time under his belt, but I think he might actually work out for them.

The Saints won a rather thrilling Super Bowl last night, and the majority of the East Coast got to drink themselves to sleep after learning of most business calling an audible day-off for workers because of snow. Now that the haze has worn off, there are three rather interesting stories that happened over the Super Bowl weekend that I'm looking at today. In order they are Michael Irvin's rape allegation and firing from ESPN Radio, Warren Sapp getting arrested and being dropped from NFL Network's coverage and Steve Phillips sitting down with Matt Lauer this morning. First up....Michael Irvin....
______________________________

On the same day that his former teammate Emmitt Smith was getting into the Hall of Fame, Michael Irvin was getting fired from his ESPN Radio job after another alleged rape charge was levied against him Dallas. Not only that but ESPN decided to fire the former Cowboy WR from his gig at 103.3 FM even though Irvin's contract was set to expire at the end of the week. There were reportedly no plans to renew it, but ESPN opted to fire him anyway. Irvin (unlike Sapp) made his appearances on NFL Network over the weekend, spoke briefly about the allegation to reporters, and then filed a $100 Million counter suit against his alleged victim. Via ESPN....

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin made his first public appearance since he was accused in a civil suit of rape. He filed a $100 million countersuit against his accuser.

Irvin worked the Hall of Fame ceremonies for the NFL Network on Saturday. He was subdued at times but also emotional, especially when former teammate, running back Emmitt Smith, was selected for induction.

"It's not about me, but that's it," Irvin told a small group of reporters before they had a chance to ask questions. Irvin said he would only talk about the Hall of Fame.

Irvin's suit, filed in Dallas County, Texas, asks for $100 million in damages for allegations filed in a lawsuit that claim Irvin raped a woman identified as "Jane Doe" at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., in 2007.

The countersuit claims that the civil suit filed by the woman caused him to be fired from his radio job.

It's interesting that ESPN decided to follow up with the story after taking no time in firing Irvin. Like the story said, no charges were filed against him and his contract was set to run out, so it really makes no sense as to why ESPN Radio decided to fire him right away.
__________________________________

The day after Michael Irvin got his walking papers, another analyst in Miami spent the night in jail. A crazy story came out of South Beach that NFL Network Analyst Warren Sapp had been dropped from the network's coverage of the Super Bowl, and after NFL-N confirmed the claims, Sapp spent the night in jail on a domestic abuse charge. Via the Sun Sentinel....

Police arrested Sapp on Saturday on one charge of misdemeanor domestic battery. An arrest affidavit says the incident happened around 5 a.m. Saturday in the former defensive tackle's hotel room at the Shore Club on Miami Beach.

Sapp's attorney said the former player is taking the matter seriously and will cooperate with authorities.

"He sincerely apologizes to the NFL family and fans for taking away any distraction from today's big game," Christopher Lyons said. "We ask that everyone reserve judgment on the matter until all the facts come out in a court of law."

The woman said she had been dating Sapp about two years. She told officers the two were partying with a large group of friends when she got tired and went to lay down.

Sapp entered hours later, pulled her out of bed and tried to get her out of the room, according to the complaint. The complaint says he yelled at the woman about men she had been hanging out with and men listed in her cell phone. The woman told police Sapp choked her, threw her down on a couch, then picked her up by her shirt and neck and threw her down again — injuring her leg. The victim had a swollen knee and bruises on her neck, the affidavit says. She was taken to the hospital.

Just a messy situation all around. According to Sports by Brooks, Sapp had been seen around Miami with a certain lady friend, but as of now the accuser wants to remain anonymous.
______________________________________

As far as Steve Phillips, the former ESPN Baseball analyst made an appearance on the Today Show this morning to talk about his sexual addiction. Phillips, who is giving his first public interview since leaving the same rehab clinic Tiger Woods reportedly has been staying at, told Matt Lauer that he, "I couldn't stop myself from doing the things I was doing, even knowing the consequences." Here's the clip....


Man, what a weekend!

It's hard to believe it, but the Baseball season gets underway in just a little over two months. Which is why ESPN has just released their early season Sunday Night Baseball schedule. This year will kick off with the Opening Night matchup between the Yankees and Red Sox, and will feature multiple games with the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals. Here's the schedule (all games start at 8pm, and are on ESPN, unless otherwise noted)....

April 4 - Opening Night: NY Yankees at Boston (ESPN2)
April 11 - St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers
April 18 - NY Mets at St. Louis Cardinals
April 25 - Atlanta Braves at NY Mets
May 2 - NY Mets at Philadelphia Phillies
May 9 - NY Yankees at Boston Red Sox
May 16 - Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers
May 23 - NY Yankees at NY Mets
May 30 - Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins (ESPN2)
June 6-27 - TBD
July 4 - Kansas City Royals at LA Angels
July 11 - Chicago Cubs at LA Dodgers
July 18 - Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs (6pm)

At about 3pm, the news came down that Peter Gammons was leaving ESPN. At about 6pm, the rumors that he was joining the MLB Network started surfacing. And 30 minutes ago, came word from MLB-N that he is in fact making the switch. Here's the release....

MLB Network and MLB Advanced Media today announced that Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons has joined MLB Network and MLB.com as an on-air and online analyst. As part of a multi-year deal, Gammons will offer analysis and commentary on MLB Network for breaking news and special events like the Trade Deadline, First-Year Player Draft, Winter Meetings and Postseason. Gammons will also serve as a signature and regularly featured writer for MLB.com’s new columnist initiative, writing commentary on breaking news and posting several articles online each week.

“After 40 years covering baseball, the opportunity to move on to MLB Network is a great and daunting opportunity,” said Gammons. “My journalistic life has revolved around baseball, and to be involved with people whose network is devoted to baseball, and baseball only, is something I look forward to with excitement. We all wish pitchers and catchers reported tomorrow. One of the greatest things about baseball is that it is held to a higher standard than any other sport, which holds those of us who care about it to a higher standard. I hope I can contribute to that standard.”

“For generations, baseball has been the writers’ sport, from John Updike to Roger Angell to Tom Boswell,” said Gammons. “To be afforded the opportunity by MLB.com to write about breaking news, inside information, issues, players, people, history and the perspective of the game’s place in society from Jackie Robinson to our current generation of socially-conscious players like Torii Hunter, Carlos Pena, and C.C. Sabathia is a forum that makes this next chapter of my journalistic life exciting and rewarding.”

Gammons will be appearing on Hot Stove to start out, but you can expect him on just about every single offering MLB-N has to offer. For someone who loves Baseball as much as Gammons does, the network choice is an obvious move. However, you have to wonder what it took to wrestle him away from the "Leader". If you asked me at the start of this blog, who are the two people ESPN couldn't lose from their Baseball roster it would be Gammons and Harold Reynolds. Both are now with the budding MLB Network.

Update: Brooks from SbB also has received word that Gammons could be part-timing with NESN soon.

Update #2: And here is your official NESN press release....

NESN, New England’s most watched sports network, announced today that Hall of Fame baseball writer and longtime ESPN and Boston Globe baseball analyst/reporter Peter Gammons has entered into a multi-year agreement to join NESN as a regular studio analyst, reporter and online contributor.

“I’m a New Englander who wanted to be Jackie Jensen,” said Peter Gammons. “I started out at the Boston Globe and wrote about Jerry Remy when he was at Somerset High School. I was lucky enough to be there for the Munson-Fisk fight in 1973 and The Sixth Game and the ’78 playoff, and when my local cable company wouldn’t put NESN on our system I signed the override petitions.”

Well it took the weekend for a decision, but late Sunday night, ESPN officially fired Steve Phillips citing his inability to be an effective representative for the network. VP Mike Soltys has the announcement on his Twitter page....

I really hope they didn't feel pressure from Deadspin's stunt near the end of last week, but there was really no other choice for the "Leader". You would think this line of reasoning would be used more often by ESPN. (More tomorrow when the full release comes out)

ESPN MikeS (Twitter)

(Top image via WEEI)

I haven't watched much Baseball Tonight since the Playoffs began, but apparently their missing one key player. Steve Phillips has been rumored to be suspended from ESPN after having a brief affair with a 22 year old, but that's just half of the story. According to the NY Post, the 22 year old not only stalked Phillips, but she even made contact with both his wife and son before finally showing up at his house....

The former Met general manager, whose tenure with the team was rocked by admissions of infidelity, confessed to his wife and local cops that he had slept with ESPN assistant Brooke Hundley several times this past summer before dumping her.

In retaliation, the jilted young woman repeatedly phoned Phillips' wife, Marni, saying, "We both can't have him!" an explosive police report claims.

Hundley's desperate actions -- including accidentally smashing her car into a stone column while speeding away from the Phillips' home after leaving the letter -- terrified the family, according to the Wilton, Conn., police report.

"I have extreme concerns about the health and safety of my kids and myself," Steve Phillips said in a police statement, adding that the woman became "obsessive and delusional" after he dumped her.

But Phillips, 46, declined to pursue criminal charges against Hundley, a Bristol, Conn., woman who cops learned may have used an ESPN computer to contact Phillips' 16-year-old son on Facebook while posing as a high-school classmate.

Phillips -- who admitted having multiple affairs with women while working for the Mets -- is now being sued for divorce by his 40-year-old wife, the mother of his four sons. Two months ago, Phillips deeded the family's five-bedroom, multimillion-dollar Wilton home to her.

While that is a pretty good summation of the events, the details are even wilder, and not only does the Post have various statements (including a detailed on from Phillips), but they even have a letter that Hundley wrote to Mrs. Phillips. Just a crazy mess, and while I don't wish bad things on anyone, I think a divorce is best for everyone in this case.

ESPN's Steve Phillips in foul affair with production assistant (NY Post)

Near the end of every Baseball season, networks scramble to pick up some of the games in the Playoff race, and this year is no different. We saw some of it last weekend, but the real fun will start this Friday night. TBS has decided to pick up the Red Sox-Yankees game that evening, with Chip Caray and Buck Martinez on the call.

The MLB Network will also air a BOS-NYY game (today, 3:30pm), as well showing the Tigers, Twins, Cardinals and Rockies, in the coming week. Add to that the FOX and ESPN schedules and you have one heck of a Baseball weekend. Here's a schedule for you....

Wednesday, September 23rd

Yankees at Angels - TBD (MLB-N, 3:30pm)
Phillies at Florida Marlins - Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe (ESPN, 7pm)
Giants at Diamondbacks - Dan Shulman and Joe Morgan (ESPN, 10pm)

Thursday, September 24th

Tigers at Indians - Victor Rojas and Mitch Williams (MLB-N, 7pm)

Friday, September 25th

Red Sox at Yankees - Chip Caray, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager (TBS, 7pm)

Saturday, September 26th

Cubs at Cardinals - Josh Lewin and Mark Grace (FOX, 4:10pm)
Dodgers at Giants - Chris Rose and Jose Mota (FOX, 4:10pm)
Tigers at Twins - Dick Bremer and Ron Allen (FOX, 4:10pm)
Cardinals at Rockies - TBD (MLB-N, 8pm)

Sunday, September 28th

Cardinals at Rockies - Chip Caray and Buck Martinez (TBS, 3pm)
Twins at Tigers - TBD (MLB-N, 7pm)
Red Sox at Yankees - Jon Miller, Joe Morgan and Steve Phillips (ESPN, 1pm/Re-Air @ 8:30pm)

ESPN decided to pull off an interesting idea the other night, by placing both of their Monday Night Baseball analysts in opposite camera wells, while the PbPer stayed up in the booth. I thought the plan had some promise, but after watching some of the game, I quickly figured out that wasn't the case. It wasn't that the reports from the wells were bad, rather that they were just boring. Others, namely Diane Pucin of the LA Times, seemed to agree as well....

Anybody watching ESPN's Dodgers-Cardinals television broadcast, where analysts Orel Hershiser and Steve Phillips are working the game from photo wells near the dugouts? Has it been noticeably bad or good?

Seems kind of neutral. Not at all like when Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray used to take off his shirt and report from the Wrigley Field bleachers with some beery-headed observations that often didn't make sense. But Caray always had the professional Steve Stone to lead the fans gently back to the action when Harry was having too much fun.

Honestly, if ESPN hadn't told us this was happening would you have even noticed Dan Shulman was alone in the booth? At least, so far, neither Hershiser nor Phillips have been nailed in the chin by a baseball a la Erin Andrews a few weeks ago.

Zing! Good one, Diane. As far as the whole sideline analyst thing goes, the reason this setup works for Hockey and NBC in particular, is because there's so much action between shifts. That and Pierre McGuirre actually talks with the players on the bench, as the game is going on. It just doesn't work with the slow pace of Baseball. Hershiser and Phillips, just did their same old analyst jobs, but from a different location.

No harm, no foul. It was worth a shot, didn't work, and now you move on.

ESPN's announcers in the photo well experiment (LA Times)

Baseball announcing has rarely ever deviated from the norm. You usually have two or three announcers in the booth, and an on-field reporter. That's the way it's been for years, and very few networks have tried something different. Well that's until ESPN airs its Monday Night Baseball game, between the Dodgers and Cardinals tomorrow night.

The "Leader" plans on dividing up its three man team of Shulman, Hershiser and Phillips, by putting the two analysts in the camera wells beside each dugout. Via USA Today....

ESPN will formally announce Monday that it will experiment Monday night on its Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis game (7 ET). ESPN will keep play-by-play announcer DanShulman in the booth, but analysts Orel Hershiser and Steve Phillips will be stationed in the camera wells beside each dugout.

Matt Sandulli, ESPN senior coordinating producer, says the Cardinals preferred ESPN use the camera well on the outfield side, rather than home plate side, of its dugout to reduce chances its analysts might somehow interact with players. Sandulli says that won't happen anyway — "we're not supposed to talk to players and wouldn't do it" — and hopes to get the Dodgers to allow access to the well on its dugout's home plate side.

TV sports commonly station reporters along sidelines, in pit road or on golf fairways. But putting main game announcers in separate locations rarely has been done, such as NBC's Pierre McGuire being rinkside on NHL games or ESPN having Paul Maguire chime in on football from a sideline camera cart. Says Sandulli: "There's lot of non-verbal communication in the booth. We joked that maybe (the analysts) will will send signals from dugout to dugout."

Sandulli says its possible that ESPN could send more baseball announcers out of the booth on future games, depending partly on whether Monday night's experiment delivers a "wow factor."

While my initial reaction is that this might become a bit distracting, the intrigue almost outweighs that. The Pierre McGuire idea has worked wonders for NBC Hockey, and the same could potentially work for Baseball. Besides, it's Monday Night Baseball, why not?

ESPN baseball announcing team goes separate ways (USA Today)

Oh god no!!! I wish I was joking about the above title, but according to TMZ, Erin Andrews took a foul ball to the chin last night during the Mets-Dodgers game. According to the gossip site, Andrews was in her usually spot when a 4th inning liner by Alex Cora popped her one good....

Super hot sportscaster Erin Andrews shouldn't participate in any activities where balls fly at her face -- "Clueless" anyone? -- because a line drive hit her perfect mug last night during the Mets/Dodgers game.

Andrews -- who serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN -- was struck in the chin by a foul ball hit by New York Mets player Alex Cora during the 4th inning.

Erin was hustled to the hospital a few innings later, but only suffered a bruised chin.

Whew! Crisis avoided. I'm actually surprised this doesn't happen to sideline reporters more often, and even though it did, thank goodness it wasn't more serious than it could have been. Get better soon, EA!

Update via ESPN: "She's totally fine. The producers on site suggested she go to the hospital as a precaution. Doctors released her soon thereafter. She flew home as scheduled and is looking forward to working MLB All-Star events and the ESPYs in the coming week."

Erin Andrews Takes One on the Chin (TMZ)

A-Rod has dealt with a lot of gossip over the past few months. While most of it has been justified, some of it has been pure speculation. One of those rumors appears to be the possibility that Rodriguez tipped/tips pitches to teammates, and at the forefront of those rumors is ESPN's Rick Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe recently said that he believed A-Rod was sending signals to Mark Teixeira, and the two decided to confront the analyst last night. Via Newsday....

Hours before they were to do battle with the Red Sox Tuesday night, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez were involved in different type of confrontation, this one inside the Yankees' clubhouse.

Upset with an accusation made by ESPN's Rick Sutcliffe two weeks ago, the two players approached the former Cy Young winner to discuss the situation.

Sutcliffe said on the air that A-Rod had been feeding Teixeira verbal signs from the on-deck circle, giving his teammate a heads-up on the catcher's location before the pitch was delivered. Teixeira and A-Rod pulled Sutcliffe aside when they saw him in the clubhouse last night, expressing their displeasure with his charges.

"Me, Alex and him talked about it," Teixeira told the Daily News, confirming that the conversation took place. "No doubt it's disappointing when someone makes an accusation like that. Whatever. I can't control what they say."

I would caution any person to take what Sutcliffe says seriously, because he's borderline crazy, but they have every right to defend themselves. Sutcliffe also needs to learn to keep his mouth shut, especially if he's making accusations like this.

Accusations bring A-Rod, Mark Teixeira to tipping point (Newsday)

Has anyone out there been wondering what happened to once All Star third baseman, Morgan Ensberg? Well, he's working for ESPN now of course! Morgan, Robin Ventura, Jim Bowden and THE Pam Ward, will be on ESPN's coverage of the NCAA Super Regionals this weekend, and here is your schedule! (If you see games at the same time, it's because ESPN will be doing a "whip around" during those contests)....

Friday, June 5th

Arkansas vs. Florida State, Game 1 (ESPN, Noon)- Mike Gleason and Mike Rooney
Virginia vs. Mississippi, Game 1 (ESPN2, 2pm)- Dan McLaughlin and Jim Bowden
Rice vs. LSU, Game 1 (ESPN, 7pm)- Clay Matvick and Kyle Peterson
Louisville vs. Cal State Fullerton, Game 1 (ESPN2, 10:30pm)- Justin Kutcher and Robin Ventura

Saturday, June 6th

East Carolina vs. North Carolina, Game 1 (ESPNU, Noon)- Pam Ward and Keith Moreland
Florida State vs. Arkansas, Game 2 (ESPN2, Noon)- Mike Gleason and Mike Rooney
Mississippi vs. Virginia, Game (ESPN2, Noon)- Dan McLaughlin and Jim Bowden
Southern Mississippi vs. Florida, Game 1 (ESPNU, 3pm)- Bob Wischusen and Brian Jordan
LSU vs. Rice, Game 2 (ESPN, 5pm)- Clay Matvick and Kyle Peterso
Cal State Fullerton vs. Louisville, Game 2 (ESPN, 5pm)- Justin Kutcher and Robin Ventura
TCU vs. Texas, Game 1 (ESPNU, 6pm)- Dave Ryan and Eric Young
Clemson vs. Arizona State, Game 1 (ESPNU, 9pm)- Eric Collins vs. Morgan Ensberg

Sunday, June 7th

North Carolina vs. East Carolina, Game 2 (ESPN, Noon)- Pam Ward and Keith Moreland
Arkansas vs. Florida State, Game 3 (ESPNU, Noon)- Mike Gleason and Mike Rooney
Texas vs. TCU, Game 2 (ESPN, 3pm)- Dave Ryan and Eric Young
Virginia vs. Mississippi, Game 3 (ESPNU, 3pm)- Dan McLaughlin and Jim Bowden
Florida vs. Southern Mississippi, Game 2 (ESPN2, 7pm)- Bob Wischusen and Brian Jordan
Rice vs. LSU, Game 3 (ESPNU, 7pm)- Clay Matvick and Kyle Peterson
Arizona State vs. Clemson, Game 2 (ESPN2, 10pm)- Eric Collins vs. Morgan Ensberg
Louisville vs. Cal State Fullerton, Game 3 (ESPNU, 10pm)- Justin Kutcher and Robin Ventura

Monday, June 8th

East Carolina vs. North Carolina, Game 3 (ESPN, 1pm)- Pam Ward and Keith Moreland
Southern Mississippi vs. Florida, Game 3 (ESPN, 1pm)- Bob Wischusen and Brian Jordan
TCU vs. Texas, Game 3 (ESPN2, 7pm)- Dave Ryan and Eric Young
Clemson vs. Arizona State, Game 3 (ESPN2, 7pm)- Eric Collins and Morgan Ensberg

I'm going to try and get a weekly Baseball announcing schedule up on Mondays now, with the weekend one to be posted on Friday as usual. There are only usually three games for the week, but I figured someone would want to know which broadcasters and games they are getting. Here you go....

Monday, April 20th

Oakland A's at New York Yankees (ESPN, 7pm)- Dan Shulman, Orel Hersheiser, Steve Phillips, Erin Andrews

Wednesday, April 22nd

New York Mets at St. Louis Cardinals (ESPN, 8pm)- Dave O'Brien, Rick Sutcliffe

Thursday, April 23rd

Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston Astros (MLB-N, 8pm)- Matt Vasgersian, Joe Magrane

I mentioned that Erin Andrews would be taking you on a tour of the Mets' Citi Field last night, so I had to follow-up with at least a screenshot this morning. Thanks to Deadspin we have such an image. Here is Erin sampling some of the cuisine, while local New Yorkers try not to drool....



If you feel so inclined, please create a caption.

The Queen Of Queens (Deadspin)

ESPN will be airing the first two Mets games from their new digs at Citi Field, and not only will you be seeing the park for the first time, but Erin Andrews will be taking you on a tour of the digs. Oh and there will be a special Baseball Tonight from the stadium, which is sponsored by the new "Star Trek" movie. Via ESPN PR....

ESPN’s April 13 Monday Night Baseball telecast will feature the first regular-season game from Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets, who host the San Diego Padres at 7 p.m. ET. Dan Shulman will call the game – also available in high definition on ESPN HD and via ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV – with analysts Orel Hershiser and Steve Phillips. During the game, reporter Erin Andrews will provide viewers a tour of the new ballpark.

The game will be available locally on ESPN in both team markets, co-existing with local coverage in New York and San Diego. In New York, the game will also be available on the ABC SuperSign in Times Square.

Additionally, Baseball Tonight presented by Star Trek – with host Karl Ravech and analysts Peter Gammons and John Kruk – will originate live from the ballpark for segments during the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter, along with a highlights, news and information show at 10 p.m.

I love seeing new stadiums, so having a tour is a great idea. Oh and having Erin Andrews conduct it isn't a bad idea either. Here is the rest of your national announcing schedule for the week (I'll have the weekend one up by Friday)....

Monday, April 13th

San Diego Padres at New York Mets (ESPN, 7pm)- Dan Shulman, Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Phillips, Erin Andrews

Wednesday, April 15th

San Diego Padres at New York Mets (ESPN2, 7pm)- Dave O'Brien, Joe Morgan, Rick Sutcliffe

Thursday, April 16th

Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees (MLB-N, 1pm)- Bob Costas, Harold Reynolds, Jim Kaat
Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins (MLB-N, 8pm)- Victor Rojas and Dan Plesac

ESPN's Baseball Graphics Department had a bit of a slip up today, and while it wasn't that bad, it was still pretty funny. The start of the Mets-Reds game was delayed about ten minutes, and when ESPN finally got around to introducing the lineups, they accidentally showed a graphic of the Ballpark in Arlington and a Rangers logo behind a shot of David Wright....

Again, not that bad of a slip up, especially when you consider that the Rangers are playing on ESPN2, but still a bit humorous.

He's not really breaking any new ground there, but apparently one of Mike and Mike's regular guests actually think their show is the stupidest show he's ever been on. That guest was ESPN's own Tim Kurkjian, who was "On The DL" with Dan Levy today, but there's a bit of a twist within the quote. He actually meant it in a nice way, or so he says....

“I’ve acknowledged several times on that show that ‘this is the stupidest show I’ve ever been on.’ And I really mean that and I actually mean that in a really nice way. You suspend all journalism, obviously, when you go on that show, and I’ve made the point several times that I used to be a journalist, but now I’m a cartoon character when I go on their show.

But everyone understands that they're not journalists, they're entertainers, and they're just having a good time, and I'm here to help out the company and I love those guys.”

Well, I guess I can sort of understand that. I get that they are "entertainers" (however loosely you want to use that word), but I also think that they should be held to some sort of standard. Part of the reason that I personally can't stand the show, is that they never take a stance on anything, but if you like the show....I'm not going to tell you what to listen to, or watch each morning.

As far as Kurkjian goes, he's one of the best minds that ESPN has, and you should definitely check out the whole interview with Levy when you get a chance.

Spring Training Begins With Tim Kurkjian
Tim Kurkjian Audio (On The DL)

There are a ton of games scheduled for the World Baseball Classic starting on March 5th, and because of that the MLB Network has worked with ESPN to pick a pretty capable set of announcers for the tournament. Unfortunately none of those people will be on the A-team that will call the Championship Game. Calling that game will be one of AA's most despised annoucers, in Gary Thorne, and the one and only Rick Sutcliffe.

Those two aside, the rest of the lineup is pretty impressive and includes ex-Yankee announcer Jim Kaat, and the great Charley Steiner! Here's you schedule....

ROUND ONE (March 5th - March 12th)

Pool A (Tokyo, Japan) - China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea
Announcers: Jon Sciambi, Orestes Destrade

Pool B (Mexico City, Mexico)- Australia, Cuba, Mexico, South Africa
Announcers: Charley Steiner, Jose Mota

Pool C (Toronto, Canada)- Canada, Italy, United States, Mexico
Announcers: Dave O’Brien, Rick Sutcliffe, Victor Rojas, Joe Magrane

Pool D (San Juan, Puerto Rico)- Dominican Republic, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico
Announcers: Rich Waltz, Jim Kaat

ROUND TWO (March 14th - March 19th)

Pool 1 (San Diego, California)- Pool A Winner, Pool B Winner, Pool A Runner-up, Pool B Runner-up
Announcers: Jon Sciambi, Buck Martinez

Pool 2 (Miami, Florida)- Pool C Winner, Pool D Winner, Pool C Runner-up, Pool D Runner-up
Announcers: Charley Steiner, Gary Thorne, Jose Mota

FINALS (March 21 - March 24)

Los Angeles, California- Pool 1 Winner, Pool 2 Winner, Pool 1 Runner-up, Pool 2 Runner-up
Announcers: Gary Thorne, Rick Sutcliffe

Update: This is the World feed announcers, ESPN and MLB Network will have a separate list coming tomorrow.

The audio and video were a bit off on the MLB Network's simulcast, but you can get the general idea. Nothing that groundbreaking was said, but it still might be worth a viewing. Basically, A-Rod is still sorry, he got the drugs from his cousin and took them two times a month and he plans to work with an organization founded by a father who lost his kid to steroids. Here's the beginning of the press conference, when A-Rod issued his statement. There were a handful of good questions from the reporters on-hand in the next 30 minutes or so, and I'll try to add those in once I go through them all.

Update: Here's a trimmed down version of the questions....

Now this all makes sense. Why did A-Rod decide to go with ESPN as his interviewer following the news that he did steroids? Well because ESPN is using him to promote their coverage of the World Baseball Classic. I honestly wish I was kidding. ESPN and ESPN2 are carrying 23 games of the Baseball tournament this March, and along with Jorge Cantu, Ichiro and Derek Jeter, A-Rod will be one of their marquee names in advertisements starting this Saturday....


It is certainly possible that these ads were long in the making, but even so, don't you think ESPN would have pulled the Rodriguez ones? Seems far too convenient if you ask me. Oh, and tell me that quote they used for him, doesn't piss you off even more? I'm just about done with Baseball.