New Year's Eve is tomorrow, but my holiday travels are over. After an enjoyable six days visiting family in southwest Ohio, I am back in warm and sunny central Florida, awaiting the start of spring training. Until then, I will at least have the debut of the MLB Network to stave off my severe case of baseball withdrawal.
If you haven't heard, the MLB Network hits the airwaves tomorrow at 6 p.m. ET with the first broadcast of Don Larsen's no-hitter in the 1956 World Series since it actually happened.Sox and Pinstripes regulars know that I am an ardent fan of baseball history - even if that history involves the Yankees. I have a feeling that - even though the Yankees spent about a half-billion dollars on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira - they will still fall short of the playoffs in 2009 if they head into the season with their current roster.
That is topic for a future post, though. Recent history has not been kind to the pinstripers, but yesteryear was a fond period for the franchise. At the very least, Yankees fans will be able to see their team in the Fall Classic from more than 50 years ago in what was an amazing feat, especially considering that Larsen was a journeyman pitcher with an 81-91 record in 14 seasons.
On January 12, the MLB Network will broadcast the announcement of who will head to Cooperstown this summer. Hopefully, Jim Rice's name is called.
The MLB Network is expected to be the largest launch in cable television history when it immediately appears in approximately 50 million homes. That sure puts the NFL Network to shame. Unlike the game of the week on the NFL Network, viewers will actually be able to witness games televised on the MLB Network. It will be interesting to see how the presence of this new network impacts ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball.
It remains to be seen who will occupy the catcher's spot when the Boston Red Sox make their debut on the MLB Network. Josh Bard's deal is non-guaranteed, so it is not a given that he will even make the team as the backup catcher. Tony Massarotti's column on Boston.com suggests that Bard will catch Tim Wakefield if he does earn the backup backstop role. This is puzzling since Bard looked lost attempting to corral Wakefield's knucklers in a brief stint in 2006. Also, as Massarotti pointed out, Bard is more effective as a right-handed hitter than he is from the left side. Jason Varitek is also effective from the right side but woeful from the left side (at least he was in 2008). So, simply put, Varitek and Bard would be automatic outs against right-handed pitching.
If Varitek returns, and the Red Sox acquire a young catcher, there will be no room for Bard. However, if the Sox acquire a young catcher who hits better as a left-hander (such as Jarrod Saltalamacchia), Bard could stick. Saltalamacchia could catch Wakefield, sparing Bard of further embarrassment. Of course, Varitek would be a better mentor to Saltalamacchia. Which catching combo would you prefer next season?
Recent Comments