Slowly but surely this whole MLB Network is getting put together, and it's really starting to look like a pretty good roster. While they're still trying to lock up Costas, the Network will announce today the hiring of four new analysts. Via SBD....

MLB Network today officially will add Al Leiter, Harold Reynolds, Trenni Kusnierek and Hazel Mae to its on-air lineup today. The network will use Leiter and Reynolds as studio analysts and Kusnierek and Mae as reporters. Leiter comes to the channel after three years at YES Network, and Reynolds had been a commentator on MLB.com, SportsNet NY and TBS in the past year. Kusnierek spent last season with the Brewers on FSN Wisconsin, following five seasons with the Pirates on FSN Pittsburgh. Mae had spent five years with NESN.

Mae and Reynolds weren't surprises, but I hadn't heard about Leiter (who's actually pretty good) and Kusnierek. Look for a few more people to put added in the coming weeks, and then perhaps a bigger name more towards the network's opening day on January 1st.

MLB Network Adding Leiter, Reynolds, Kusnierek, Mae To On-Air Roster (Sports Business Daily)

So I've been taking in the White Sox-Rays game this afternoon, and I think it actually got me interested in Playoff Baseball this year. Sure the Cubs' misery is fun and all, but yesterday just came off extremely slow paced to me. Not sure if it was the teams involved, or the good pitching performances just put me to sleep, but I just wasn't into it yesterday. Well that's not the case anymore. This game is just the opposite of that. The fans are awesome (bandwagon or not), Reynolds and Orsillo are great together (although they've had their awful moments), there are actually runs being scored, Ozzie Guillen is still crazy....and most importantly....

It comes complete with random on-field arguments sparked by Orlando Cabrera kicking dirt at reliever Grant Balfour for seemingly no reason whatsoever!

Now that's what I'm talking about! HR suggested that the two may have a history, but I think the dirt kick was in response to Balfour celebrating after striking out Juan Uribe before Cabrera came up. Either way that was pretty fun. Feel free to use this as your open thread for the night and I'll see you for a full day tomorrow.

Hazel Mae had been busy blogging over at Sawxheads, but apparently she'll need to pack up soon and report to the MLB Network. The ex-NESN anchor has long been rumored to have something on the back burner and according to USA Today, the MLB-N is it....

After joining NESN in 2004, she covered the Red Sox, anchored NESN's SportsDesk, and hosted the Ultimate Red Sox Show and The Buzz. She left in June, according to NESN. Her contract expires at the end of this summer.

One possible landing spot is MLB Network, baseball's new 24-7, cable channel which is staffing up for its Jan. 1 national launch. The network is expected to reach more than 50 million homes across the country and air live games on Saturday nights.

Mae could not be reached. Susan Lipton, Mae's agent and senior director of broadcasting at IMG, says MLB Network is one of many outlets with a possible interested in her client. Mae asked NESN not to pick up her option, she says, and NESN granted her wish. "Hazel wants to stay within sports and explore other opportunities," Lipton says.

MLB Network executives declined comment.

I mistakenly thought that Bostonians loved the NESN reporter when she left, but a lot of people couldn't stand her. There are/were a ton of rumors about her love life as well which seemed to over shadow her work as a broadcaster. It's been rumored that she wouldn't work for a team/network that wouldn't let her to so (i.e. leaving Toronto) and her dating list includes Ricky Davis, ex-Blue Jay Kevin Barker and ESPN's Steve Levy.

It'll be an interesting hire to say the least.

After New England run, broadcaster Mae set to make her move (USA Today)

Here it comes folks...the weekend you've dreaded all season. It's the Sox, It's the Yanks, It's Buck and McCarver and it's on FOX.....NEXT! You'll be getting a double dip of the rivalry that people love to hate this weekend, but there is some good news as well. HR is going to be in the booth for TBS! It's been awhile Harold....welcome back.

Here's the schedule....

Saturday:

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver & Ken Rosenthal (Fox, 3:55pm, 85%)

MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, Washington, West Palm Beach

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies- Kenny Albert & Eric Karros (FOX, 3:55pm, 15%)

MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Nashville, Philadelphia

Sunday:

Florida Marlins at Chicago Cubs- Chip Caray & Harold Reynolds (TBS, 1pm)

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox- Jon Miller, Steve Phillips & Orel Hershiser (ESPN, 8pm)

The long rumored 24/7 all Baseball network is finally on the road to be a reality. The channel will be much like the NFL Network and will feature many similar elements including NFL Films-like shows and the airing of classic games. There are many challenges that MLB Network and its President and CEO, Tony Petitti faces but none bigger than a launch in the next 160 days. Via Sports Business Daily....

With such a small window before going live, there have been some industry whispers that MLB Network has too much to do in too short a time to have an effective debut.

Petitti, who has the channel's first couple of hours mapped out in his head, is aware of that. He offered the first glimpse at how the network, which will launch in about 50 million homes, will look when it premieres.

Initially, he plans to focus on studio programming, which will make up the bulk of the schedule, up to seven hours live a day during the season, starting at 5 p.m. ET, and two hours a day in the offseason.

The network also plans to pursue rights to non-MLB live programming such as the World Baseball Classic, Arizona Fall League, Caribbean World Series and the Cape Cod League.

"There's also midnight games in Alaska," said Petitti, referring to the Alaska Baseball League. "All that stuff is going to be talked about. We'll take pieces of all that hopefully and sprinkle it throughout the schedule."

All of that seems pretty amazing on the surface, and airing a variety of games and circuits is something that not many other leagues can do. Still the turn around time seems a little forced and the beginning product might not be the leagues best effort.

There's also an interesting list of talent that the MLB Network is looking at and at the top of the list is one Harold Reynolds....

Sources said that the network is considering bringing on former ESPN analyst
Harold Reynolds, but Petitti wouldn't comment on that directly. "We're
talking to a lot of people," he said.

Petitti said he's not necessarily looking for stars to fill out his on-air
lineup, saying he'd rather get people who know how to present on TV. He
didn't offer any specific baseball examples, but said he admired ESPN
college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit as somebody who "obviously has some
natural talent. But on top of that, he's on a lot of shows and gets a lot of
reps."

A Herbstreit comparison is interesting but definitely makes a lot of sense. You need someone with crossover appeal and someone like Herbie definitely falls into that category. I'm not sure who else the network has in mind but Reynolds is always a good place to start.

MLB Net sprints toward start (Sports Business Daily - Subscription)

Hey TBS finally listened to me! I told them to pick up HR for the Playoffs last year but they were probably (and understanably) waiting out the whole lawsuit thing. Reynolds and current NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley will join Cal Ripken and Ernie Johnson this Sunday at 2pm for the unveiling of the All-Star teams....

“We are excited to add analysts to our studio show with the on-air credentials and on-field experience of the caliber of Harold and Dennis,” said Jeff Behnke, SVP and executive producer for Turner Sports. “We look forward to providing their insights and opinions as fans and players around the country learn who will be representing their teams in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.”

During the telecast, TBS will exclusively reveal the All-Star Game starters elected by fan voting, as well as the player selections and manager picks to round out this year’s AL and NL squads. Throughout the hour-long telecast Reynolds, Eckersley and Ripken will provide in-depth review and analysis.

Random but certainly interesting. As far as "Selection Shows" go, the MLB All-Star Game doesn't really top the list, but with that many different personalities involved I might have to check it out. Hopefully this leads to HR getting a role in this year's playoffs because I'm not watching his random interviews on MLB.com.

Oh and TBS, no Tony Gwynn is a good move.

Caught this quick exchange in an interview that Reynolds did with Newsday late last night, and couldn't stop laughing. I don't know what it is about Mike Soltys that I like, but the guy just doesn't care. Check it.....

"Obviously, it's making a difference. People are starting to call," he said of the settlement of a suit he was focused on "setting the record straight."

Reynolds declined to discuss specifics but said, "The settlement speaks for itself. I don't think they could settle if they think they have a case."

ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys responded:

"That is ridiculous, and he knows it. Our case was strong. We only settled to spare the women involved further difficult disruptions in their lives and because he accepted substantially less than it would have cost us to litigate it. He walked away with little from it."

It's usually not in a company's best interest to keep providing quotes, but in this case I think Soltys has definitely got his point across. It's about the fourth or fifth time that I've read him saying something similar.

In all honesty it's ESPN who lucked out after this whole thing. I think Soltys is trying to make everyone forget that Reynolds was prepared to open the door to ESPN's closet and reveal all of the skeletons hiding in there. ESPN knows what they're doing but they need to be careful with all of the lying accusations. Harold still knows more about the "campus" then we can even imagine and could hypothetically "release" some of that information at any time. At this point I wish they would both just drop it and move on, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Reynolds catches on with SNY as analyst (Newsday)

Not that doing internet pieces for MLB isn't a job, but come on....that's not exactly the pantheon of Sports jobs. Well according to Neil Best's Watchdog, our loveable/huggable friend Harold Reynolds is now gainfully employed by SNY....

Harold Reynolds, formerly of the Alaska Goldpanners, Seattle Mariners and ESPN, and currently of MLB.com, has joined SNY as a part-time studio analyst, the network will announce this morning.

Reynolds will make his debut Friday night on the pre- and post-game shows for Mets-Braves, the first of about 20 appearances this season.

Lee Mazzilli, the network's lead studio analyst, works about 85 games. Darryl Strawberry, who was hired earlier this month, will handle 15-20.

Actually come to think of it, being an analyst for SNY isn't really the pantheon of Sports jobs either. I guess it's a good a place as any to start over though, but I'm telling you that someone should/will take a chance on him for the playoffs (*AHEM*tbs*COUGH*).

Harold Reynolds Joins SNY (Watchdog)

The trial wasn't supposed to happen until 2009, and according to AP it's not going to happen at all. A settlement has reached in Reynolds vs. ESPN.....

BRISTOL, Conn. — ESPN says a settlement has been reached in the lawsuit filed by former baseball analyst Harold Reynolds over his firing. Reynolds sued the sports network for at least $5 million in October 2006, three months after he was fired. He claimed he was wrongly fired after a female intern complained about what he called a “brief and innocuous” hug. Reynolds played 12 seasons in the major leagues and worked at the network for 11 years. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. An ESPN spokesman says the suit was settled last week in Hartford Superior Court.

Obviously no numbers are going to be released, but you can imagine how big that check for Mr. Reynolds is going to be. And thus ends our long and strange trip that has taken us from Bristol, to an Outback, to MLB, to Connecticut Courts, and now a settlement. We'll never really know what happened and thanks to this settlement there will be no ESPN "Dirty Laundry" (rats), but I hope that Harold Reynolds is at least feels somewhat vindicated by this.

The only reaction I have to this all is.........I really miss Baseball Tonight.

Update: ESPN's "Johnny on the Spot" Spokesman Mike Soltys has made a statement on the Network's behalf....

According to the lawsuit, ESPN terminated Reynolds’ contract “for cause,” but gave no further explanation or specific reasons. ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys said the resolution allows the network to spare the people involved any further disruptions and that the settlement was “economically compelling” for ESPN. “Our confidence in both the appropriateness of our action andour legal position never wavered,” Soltys said Tuesday.

I wouldn't expect anything else from the "Leader".

Update #2: Here is HR's response....

“My family and I are ecstatic,” Reynolds said in a statement Tuesday night. “This was a matter of principle and I stood on principle and never wavered. All of my goals were met and now I look forward to concentrating on the game I love.”

Now if MLB could only put you in a format that I could see. Good for you HR.

Update #3: And now the video....



(Thanks to Anon for the tip. Both quotes via the Associated Press.)

HR update time and this one is a biggie. Over the weekend Harold dropped a huge bomb on the case by providing the press with a statement blaming his firing on racial issues.....

Reynolds’s filing in state court in Hartford described instances of sexual harassment and lewd and drunken acts by white employees in which the punishment fell far short of termination. Reynolds has said that he only gave a hug to a female intern, who later complained.

“ESPN’s rush to its decision to terminate Mr. Reynolds was affected by racial bias,” the filing said. Reynolds now works for mlb.com.

The incidents listed included one in which an analyst showed a cellphone photograph of his genitals to male and female employees and received a one-week suspension. In June, a makeup artist for “Cold Pizza,” a defunct talk show, sued ESPN, saying she was fired after complaining about sexual harassment by the host, Jay Crawford, and an analyst, Woody Paige.

In a statement, ESPN said “Mr. Reynolds’s new claims represent a litigation strategy designed to deflect attention from his own conduct.”- NY Times

While I'm normally inclined to agree with Harold....isn't one of the people that has been brought up repeatedly Mike Tirico? And isn't Mike Tirico black as well??? Seems like a calculated lawyer type move, but we'll see how it plays out in a year and a half!!!!!

Update: Here's ESPN's official response....

In a statement, ESPN said it will “respond to these allegations in court and vigorously defend against them. We will not publicly discuss personnel matters other than to note that Mr. Reynolds’ new claims represent a litigation strategy designed to deflect attention from his own conduct”- Sports Business Daily

Harold Reynolds Court Date Set For Not Near Future (Awful Announcing)
Breaking News: Harold Reynolds Wins Round One In Court (Awful Announcing)
Harold Reynolds Says Race Played a Role in His Firing (NY Times)

I saw the tagline this morning and got all giddy. Harold Reynolds court date set for February. Wow, perfect timing....right after Bowl Season and the Super Bowl. 2008 is (was) going to be off to a great start. Well get this....the Portland Tribune is reporting that the date is February...

2009!

The court date for Harold Reynolds’ lawsuit against ESPN has been set – for February 2009. Reynolds is asking for up to $15 million for breach of contract, wrongful dismissal and defamation of character after the network dismissed him in July 2006 on sexual-harassment charges. The Corvallis native and former major league All-Star second baseman, who worked for ESPN for 11 years, will begin depositions next month.

Wow. The Justice System sure is fast! The Portland Tribune is actually the only paper that has this item, so it could be false. But that's a hell of a long time.

Do you think that's enough time for ESPN to get their ducks in a row? Yeah, me too.

Fair Game (Portland Tribune)

From the breaking news department....that laughter you hear from NYC is Harold Reynolds....

A woman who worked on the set of the ESPN talk show "Cold Pizza" is suing the sports network, claiming she was fired after complaining about sexual harassment by the show's host and one of its regular panelists. In the lawsuit, which also names ESPN host Jay Crawford and sports commentator Woody Paige, Rita Ragone claims that Paige pinched and fondled her and she was subjected to crude sexual comments from Crawford.

Ragone, a makeup artist and hair stylist from the Bronx, claimed Paige once grabbed her backside so forcefully, she was "propelled forward and into the air."

Well now! No time to comment, but that sirs is craaaaaazy.

ESPN, Woody Paige Sued For Sexual Harassment (Deadspin)
NYC Makeup Artist Sues ESPN, Claiming She Was Sexually Harassed (AP)

It seems that I just received the same press release as Deadspin, but it's official....Harold Reynolds is gainfully employed again. Things are looking better for the former ESPN Analyst...

MLB Advanced Media, LP (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, announced today that it has hired former Major League All-Star second baseman Harold Reynolds as a broadcaster for MLB.com. "We are delighted to bring one of baseball’s most respected analysts to our team," said Dinn Mann, Executive Vice President, Content, Editor-in-Chief for MLB Advanced Media.

"The addition of Harold to our staff of former players, including Jim Leyritz, John Marzano, Brian McRae and Billy Sample, further provides our audience with insights to the game that are unique to the digital space." After the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Reynolds will appear five days per week at 2p.m. (ET) to bring his unique viewpoint of the game directly to fans around the globe. Reynolds will also interact with fans via weekly online chats and through his blog, giving MLB.com users unprecedented, round-the-clock access to one of baseball’s most knowledgeable and popular personalities.

Don't get me wrong....I'm happy Harold Reynolds is employed again, but this seems like a pretty big step in the wrong direction. The guys needs to be in a booth somewhere, and if you believe that he's innocent....how good would you look if you did so now? Just a thought.

P.S.- I do enjoy the fact that they sought out Deadspin and blogs to break the news.

P.P.S.- I'd also be wary of getting all giddy before all of the details of the case are out. While I don't trust ESPN.....anything could happen.

MLB Press Release (Deadspin)
Harold Reynolds is Back Baby (Deadspin)

Via a very credible source Awful Announcing has learned that Connecticut Court has approved Harold Reynold's Motion for Discovery today. ESPN is forced to turnover all items by May 18, 2007.

The skeletons are coming out of the closet my friends, and it shall be glorious. Tirico, Sean, and Cell Phones.....Oh my! More to come!


Reynolds Prepares for his day in Court (Pretrial article: Sports Tribune)

UPDATE: Here's the documentation from the Superior Court of Connecticut......click on the photos for the larger version of each.

Maybe Irvin wasn't blowing smoke when he said he left to pursue his "acting" career??? Dallas News reporter Barry Horn leads me to believe it was because Irvin really did want to explore other avenues of work.

Irvin, buoyed by his new Pro Football Hall of Fame status, overestimated his value to ESPN.

When the parties couldn't decide on a dollar amount, Irvin asked about supplementing his income outside the ESPN empire. He says he was told he could but only if ESPN, which doesn't like to have its employees appear elsewhere, approved of the project.

End of negotiations.

That actually makes a ton of sense. Call Irvin what you will, but I don't portray him as a liar. I might actually be turning around on him a bit if he stood up to the Leader (Come on, I said MIGHT! be).

ESPN protected Irvin for quite sometime, and with him gone it looks like (FREE) Harold Reynolds! is the loser in all of this.....Well, and Michael Irvin who might get the Craig Kilborn/David Caruso treatment when looking for work. But I'm fine with that.

Money Matters Made Irvin Leave ESPN (Dallas News)

So every year I attempt to bat a thousand when picking the Bowl Games. I've gotten relatively close a few times. 5 games off and 7 games off, and during the 5 loss year I was even given the moniker of Picky McPickerson. I have a really good feeling though that this is the year.

So my challenge to you AA readers.......try and beat me.

We're going to have an open thread during each of the bowl games with a preview and my prediction. I will most likely have a live(ish)-blog for each of the games and we'll be able to talk trash to each other and about each of the 7,000 Announcers ESPN will trot out there over the next few weeks.

Before each game just email me your pick (using the spread) at AwfulAnnouncing@Gmail.com and/or post a comment in the open thread. You can also just email me your entire pick list before tonight's game as well (if the spread changes I'll email you back for the new pick). I'll keep a running tally and the winner will be dubbed champion with the prizes listed below.

We start tonight.......Pointsettia Bowl......Northern Illinois and Garrett Wolfe's 1900 Yards VS. The #25 TCU Horned Frogs........8pm from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The AA posted spread is TCU by 12...it won't change so get your picks to me before 8pm.

The Prize: You've seen it before....you've always wanted to buy it....but it IS a tad expensive........













Yep....your very own Free Harold! Shirt. You also get a free post on the site of whatever you want to talk about.

Free Harold Shirt: $20
Free AA Post: $Priceless

Let's have some fun this Holiday Season.