Schedule Includes MLB Opening Series Sydney 2014, Boston Red Sox’s Home Opener,

and a New Slate of Sunday Afternoon Games

Bob Costas, Matt Vasgersian, Jim Kaat, John Smoltz, Sam Ryan & Tom Verducci to Call

MLB Network Showcase Games All Season Long

March 12, 2014 – With the 2014 season approaching, MLB Network today announced its first schedule of live regular season games, which includes more than 40 game telecasts beginning with the exclusive national telecast of the MLB Opening Series Sydney 2014 next weekend.

MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz will have the call live from the Sydney Cricket Ground as the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers match up in a two-game series in Australia on Saturday, March 22. The first game will air live at 4:00 a.m. ET, immediately followed by a replay telecast at 7:30 a.m. ET, and the second game live at 10:00 p.m. ET. Former Australia cricket captain and International Cricket Council Hall of Fame member Ian Chappell of Australia’s Nine Network will join Vasgersian and Smoltz for commentary throughout each game.

Back in the U.S., MLB Network will televise nine games during Opening Week from April 1 through April 6, including the World Series champion Boston Red Sox’s home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on MLB Network Showcase on Friday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m. ET with Bob Costas, Jim Kaat and Sam Ryan on the call. The next day, the 2013 National League champion St. Louis Cardinals will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a rematch of the 2013 NLDS on Saturday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MLB Network will begin a new slate of Sunday matinee games for the first half of the season as the Baltimore Orioles travel to Detroit to face the Tigers on April 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Later in the month, MLB Network Showcase will travel to Boston on Patriots’ Day, April 21 for a special matinee telecast of the Orioles against the Red Sox at 11:00 a.m. ET, called by Costas, Kaat and Tom Verducci. The next night, the same MLB Network Showcase crew will call the New York Yankees at Red Sox on April 22 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MLB Network’s Intentional Talk with Chris Rose and Kevin Millar will also head to Boston and air live from Fenway Park on April 21 and 22 at 5:00 p.m. ET.  

The remainder of MLB Network’s April game schedule is available here, including the following matchups on MLB Network Showcase presented by Chevrolet (all times Eastern):

Fri., April 4, 2:00 p.m.:             Milwaukee Brewers at Boston Red Sox (Costas, Kaat and Ryan)

Thu., April 10, 7:00 p.m.:         Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (Costas, Smoltz and Verducci)

Thu., April 17, 7:00 p.m.:         St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals (Vasgersian, Smoltz and Ryan)

Mon., April 21, 11:00 a.m.:      Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox (Costas, Kaat and Verducci)

Tues., April 22, 7:00 p.m.:        New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (Costas, Kaat and Verducci)

Tues., April 29, 7:00 p.m.:        Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees (Costas, Smoltz and Ryan)

Games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory unless otherwise announced. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.

MLB Network’s commercial-free, highlights-focused Strike Zone channel will return on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 p.m. ET, taking viewers on a high-speed trip around MLB on Tuesday and Friday nights during the regular season. When live game telecasts air on MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone brings fans to every game across the league, with up-to-the-minute highlights, live look-ins and updates. MLB Network Strike Zone is available on providers across the country including AT&T U-verse, Bright House Networks, DirecTV, DISH, Google Fiber and Time Warner Cable.

Longtime Radio Personality Russo to Host His First TV Talk Show

Weekdays Throughout the Year

March 5, 2014 – This spring MLB Network will launch a brand new weekday studio program as Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, one of the most accomplished sports radio voices in the country, hosts his first TV-based baseball talk show, High Heat with Christopher Russo. Starting on Opening Day, March 31 at 12:00 p.m. ET, Russo will bring his passionate opinions and energetic delivery to MLB Network for a one-hour live program every weekday with discussion on all 30 MLB clubs and interviews with players and club personnel.

Each show will begin with “The Brushback,” Russo’s opening monologue on the day’s biggest headlines, followed by “Coast to Coast,” a fast-paced look at the top news around the league with a roster of on-air contributors including MLB Network analysts Al Leiter, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds and Bill Ripken, insider Tom Verducci, and national and local beat writers and broadcasters. High Heat will also highlight the voices of the game with “Curtain Calls,” where Russo will give his take on the most talked about game calls from the previous day, while viewers will have the chance to give Russo their feedback in a voicemail segment called “Man Bites Dog” to close out every show.

After Opening Day, High Heat will lead off MLB Network’s live studio programming schedule at 1:00 p.m. ET unless a game telecast is scheduled at that time, in which case it will air live at 12:00 p.m. ET. High Heat will be produced by MLB Network and simulcast on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM.

Russo joins MLB Network’s programming lineup in addition to his roles hosting “Mad Dog Unleashed,” his all-sports radio show, weekdays on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, and serving as SiriusXM’s Baseball Ambassador on MLB Network Radio. Russo joined SiriusXM in 2008 after nearly 20 years in New York hosting the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show. Russo can be followed on Twitter via @MadDogUnleashed.

Bob Costas and Tom Verducci Interview Johnny Bench, Bob Gibson, Tom Glavine, Cal Ripken Jr., Ozzie Smith and John Smoltz in New Series Premiering Thursday, January 16 at 9:00 p.m. ET

Secaucus, NJ, January 14, 2014 – Major League Baseball legends recount unforgettable games in their careers in MLB Network’s new series My Most Memorable Game beginning this Thursday at 9:00 p.m. ET as Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. discusses the night in September 1995 he played his 2,131^st consecutive game and broke Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig‘s streak of games played.

Co-hosted by Bob Costas and Tom Verducci, My Most Memorable Game features Ripken, eight-time All-Star John Smoltz, and Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson, Johnny Bench and Tom Glavine as they relive the memories they have from a signature game in their storied careers.

Throughout the hour-long interview filmed in Cooperstown, New York in July 2013, Ripken talks about his emotions leading up to and during the game, being linked to Gehrig in baseball history, criticism he faced during the streak, the closest he came to missing a game prior to breaking the record, and the mentality needed to accomplish the feat.

My Most Memorable Game will continue throughout the offseason as Smoltz discusses his complete game shutout to win Game Seven of the 1991 NLCS (Jan. 23, 9pm ET), Smith reminisces about his walkoff home run to end Game Five of the 1985 NLCS (Jan. 30, 9pm ET), Gibson talks about his record-setting 17 strikeout performance in Game One of the 1968 World Series (Jan. 30, 9:30pm ET), Bench recounts his game-tying home run during Game Five of the 1972 NLCS (Feb. 6, 9pm ET), and Glavine relives his eight shutout innings to clinch Game Six of the 1995 World Series (Feb. 6, 9:30pm ET).

Highlights from the conversation with Ripken include:

On where his 2,131^st game ranks in his career:

To me, the best feeling I’ve ever had on a baseball field is catching the last out of the World Series. Fulfillment, gratification, part of the dream, it all floods to you at once. The best human moment has to be September 6, 1995. I would have rather had it been about the team going for a pennant, but as it turns out, we fell out of the race and it was all about celebration and maybe linking current history with past history.

On criticism he faced leading up to breaking the streak:

I was proud of the fact that I could play all those games. I was proud of the fact that in order to do that you have to be responsible, you have to be willing to come out there. … I think the only part about the streak that bothered me … is that [fans] said it was a selfish obsession. It wasn’t. It was actually the opposite. I was giving up a little bit of me for the sake of the challenge of today because that’s how I was brought up.

On what he felt the morning after he tied Gehrig’s record:

There was a lot of pressure starting to build up. I never felt the pressure in the streak itself because that wasn’t my goal. And then all of a sudden there was this celebration and there was this set time for this to happen, and all of a sudden, you felt like you had a responsibility to get to the finish line. Once the tying game was over, it was a foregone conclusion that … the record-breaking game would come, so there was a little sense of relief. I was worn out. I was trying to give as much as I can to that process. Mentally and emotionally, I was a little worn down.

On running around the field to thank the fans after breaking the streak:

It was a World Series-sort of atmosphere in that game. All of a sudden…you start to see some people you know…This massive celebration became very personal very quickly. As I went around, I wanted to touch as many people as I could…As I went around, the pace got slower and slower and slower, and [I] really started to enjoy that moment.

On making eye contact with his father after breaking the record:

That was the most emotional part of the whole thing. … He wanted to be up in the skybox so I didn’t get a chance to speak any words to him, but when [I] actually caught eyes and looked at him, a million words were going back-and-forth. … Dad was from the old school, maybe it’s his generation where he didn’t express himself in terms of love out loud. He just showed it. … Looking up … it was an expression of love that we communicated in that brief period of time. … It’s still emotional to this day.

Extensive Coverage Begins at 12:00 p.m. ET and Will Feature First Interviews with Electees

Bob Costas, Ron Darling, Harold Reynolds, Chris Russo, Ken Rosenthal and Joel Sherman to Appear on

Special Hall of Fame Roundtable Show Tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. ET

Secaucus, NJ, January 6, 2014 – The results of the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot will be announced exclusively on MLB Network and simulcast on MLB.com on Wednesday, January 8 live at 2:00 p.m. ET.

The announcement will be part of a three-hour live show beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET anchored by MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, Brian Kenny and Heidi Watney, and including the first interviews with any electees immediately following the announcement, plus analysis from Bob Costas, Harold Reynolds, John Smoltz, Hall of Fame award-winning baseball writer Peter Gammons and Hall of Fame voters Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal, Joel Sherman and Tom Verducci, and segments analyzing the ballot from a sabermetric perspective.

Live coverage and analysis of the Hall of Fame announcement will be featured throughout the day on MLB Network beginning with Hot Stove at 9:00 a.m. ET and continuing on Intentional Talk, Clubhouse Confidential and MLB Tonight starting at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Tomorrow, January 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET, Costas, Ron Darling, Reynolds, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, Rosenthal and Sherman will debate the first-year eligible nominees, returning candidates from previous elections, the election process, and candidates who deserve more consideration during a special Hall of Fame roundtable show. The day after the announcement, MLB Network and MLB.com will air the National Baseball Hall of Fame press conference featuring the electees live from New York on Thursday, January 9 at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by in-studio interviews with the electees at MLB Network later that day.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) 2014 Hall of Fame ballot features 36 candidates with 17 holdovers from previous elections, including Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jack Morris, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling and Alan Trammell,  plus 19 newcomers, including Tom Glavine, Jeff Kent, Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina and Frank Thomas.

Managers Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre were elected to the Hall of Fame in December by the Expansion Era Committee. Cox, La Russa and Torre will be inducted along with any candidates who receive votes on at least 75 percent of all ballots cast from the BBWAA vote. Eric Nadel, who has spent the last 35 years as the voice of the Texas Rangers, has been selected as the 2014 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award presented annually for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Roger Angell, a senior editor at The New Yorker who has been writing about baseball for more than 50 years, has been named the 2014 winner of the J.G. Taylor Spink Award presented annually to a sportswriter for meritorious contributions to baseball writing. Joe Garagiola, who has helped others in the game through his role in founding The Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) and the National Spit Tobacco Education Program, has been selected as the 2014 winner of the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented to an individual for extraordinary efforts to enhance baseball’s positive impact on society.

The 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Sunday, July 27 and air exclusively on MLB Network and MLB.com.

BOB COSTAS EXAMINES 40 YEARS OF THE DESIGNATED HITTER IN

BEHIND THE SEAMS: DECODING THE DH TONIGHT AT 9:00 P.M. ET

Interviews Featured with Renowned DHs Including Harold Baines, Billy Butler, Edgar Martinez, David Ortiz, Frank Thomas & Jim Thome

Documentary from MLB Productions Covers the Origins and Decades-Long Debate

About the Designated Hitter

Secaucus, N.J., November 25, 2013 – The 40-year history of baseball’s designated hitter is examined tonight in Behind the Seams: Decoding the DH, a one-hour show narrated by Bob Costas and produced for MLB Network by MLB Productions, premiering at 9:00 p.m. ET.

The ratification of the DH in 1973, more than eight decades after it was first proposed within baseball in 1891, became one of the most pivotal changes to shape the game, and to this day it fuels debates between those who oppose it and those who embrace it. In looking at the position’s origins and those who rose to prominence or extended their playing careers because of the position, Behind the Seams: Decoding the DH features 25 new interviews with Hall of Famers, writers and historians as well as current and former DHs, including Harold Baines, Billy Butler, Edgar Martinez, David Ortiz,  Frank Thomas and Jim Thome, among others.

Baseball-Reference.com’s Sean Forman, SB Nation’s Rob Neyer, Fangraphs.com contributor Bill Petti and MLB’s official historian John Thorn also analyze the statistical impact the DH has had on run scoring in the American League and National League. Noted quotes from the episode are featured below.

Pro-DH

John Thorn, Official Historian, MLB: As a historian, I should be expected to embrace pitchers as batters, but this tradition has outlived its usefulness.

Billy Butler: You’re not really coming to the park to watch the pitchers hit. You’re watching the guys that are paid to hit, hit, and the guys that are paid to pitch, pitch.

Joe Mauer:  Would we rather want to see one of our starting pitchers hit or Jim Thome hit? I think everybody has the answer to that.

Anti-DH:

Cliff Lee: I enjoy the National League style of play a lot more as far as playing it. A pitcher is not just a pitcher, he has to play the game.

Mark Melancon: Strategy wise, there is so much more that goes into a National League game than an American League game.

Alvin Davis: The biggest thing that I missed was the feel of the game. Playing defense regardless of how good of a defensive player you are, the focus that comes from that actually helps you offensively.

On being a DH

David Ortiz: It’s not easy because as you get older, you start losing skills, but I feel like I’m a better hitter now than what I used to be seven years ago. Seven years ago, I was more powerful, the kind of guy that if you throw me anything in the strike zone, I would hit it out. Right now, I feel like I …. stick … with the plan that I have. I walked away from my plan before. Right now I just stay with [it] more. Every year that I get older, I just try to attach ideas the way that I can continue doing what I do and it’s worked.

Frank Thomas: You got to stay involved with the game. You got to get yourself on that top step so that you still get that feel that you’re watching every pitch from the opposing pitcher.

Fred McGriff: I always laugh sometimes at home when you’re reading the paper and they’re like, “Oh yeah, we’ll just make this guy a DH and that guy a DH and it isn’t a big deal.” But it’s tougher than people think.

Edgar Martinez: We had this machine that threw tennis balls at a very high speed. The guy that operated the machine, he used to put numbers on the ball. I didn’t like to swing, but I would track the ball and would try to bunt. In the beginning, I couldn’t see anything, but I did it every day …  and was able to see the numbers. Your eyes see the ball at 150 [mph] and then you go see it at 90 [mph], it helps you wait on the pitch a little more.

Ortiz on Martinez: I remember when I was coming up, I used to watch a guy like Edgar hit and I was like, “This is ridiculous.” I don’t think anybody could get to that level as a hitter. He was, I would say “perfect.” He’s a .312 career hitter. When you’re a .312 career hitter at this level, that means you pretty much got everything done.

Cal Ripken Jr. on Martinez making the Hall of Fame: If you acknowledge that the DH is a position then they should be considered for the Hall of Fame. You shouldn’t take away judgment on him because he hasn’t played in the field.

Costas, Kaat, Reynolds & Verducci Headline MLB 2013: Unwritten Rules Roundtable Show on Saturday, November 16 at 9:00 p.m. ET

Secaucus, NJ, November 14, 2013 – It was one of the most hotly debated topics of the year: baseball’s unwritten rules. Is it okay for a player to admire a home run? Are home plate collisions part of the game or on their way out? Should the game police itself? MLB Network’s Bob Costas, Jim Kaat, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci discuss retaliation, on-field celebrations, bunting during a no-hitter, stealing signs and how these rules have changed in the last 50 years in MLB 2013: Unwritten Rules, a special one-hour roundtable show airing this weekend.

Citing specific situations that took place during the 2013 regular season and throughout baseball’s history, Costas, Kaat, Reynolds and Verducci will also offer their thoughts on base-running etiquette and rules that should be added or further enforced in the game.

MLB 2013: Unwritten Rules premieres this Saturday, November 16 at 9:00 p.m. ET and will re-air on Sunday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m. ET and on Thursday, November 21 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Highlights from MLB 2013: Unwritten Rules include:

On retaliation:

Jim Kaat:  Pitchers don’t really know how to brush hitters back without hitting them. The object is to make them move their feet, send a message for whatever reason. … I think now it’s basically pitchers don’t have command of that real brushback pitch and, as a result, you’re seeing a lot of brawls.

Tom Verducci: What I have a big problem with and we really need to get it out of the game, I think, is retaliating because a guy does his job well. Somebody hits a home run and the next batter gets hit or that guy the next time up gets hit. … A guy is doing his job and you’re retaliating for a guy doing his job well.

On on-field celebration:

Verducci: Context is so important here. As a blanket rule that guys shouldn’t watch home runs, that’s nonsense. I’d like to see more of it.

Kaat: From my era, I still sort of like the motto of, “When you lose, say little. When you win, say less.” Willie McGee would sprint around the bases and I’d say, “Willie, take your time,” and he’d say, “Kitty, that pitcher feels bad enough, I want to get out of his way.”

Harold Reynolds: I came up at a different time because if I stood there, I was going to get hit the next time. These guys don’t realize the power of the baseball as a pitcher, and the fear of the hitter is not there. Maybe it is because of the arm guards and they’re not going to pitch inside. I think it comes down to respecting the game a little bit. There has to be some sportsmanship involved in this whole thing.

Verducci: If you’re a big home run hitter and you hit one 20, 30, 40 rows deep, you should watch it. Who appointed these pitchers the sheriffs of baseball?

Bob Costas:  A guy gets a big hit, he pumps his fist. To me, that’s all good. What I don’t like though is when the exuberance gets in the way of the first priority, which is to play the game. So now the guy is admiring what he thinks is a home run, the next thing you know is he’s almost thrown out at second base on what should be a triple. I’m not good with that.

 

On stealing signs:

Reynolds: I never had a problem with players stealing signs to pass to a hitter. …  Guys could not wait for me to get to second base and if I figured out the sequence they were using, I went back to the bench, we sat down and talked about it. As a middle infielder, I felt it was my duty that if I had a catcher at second base for two or three hitters, I’m like, “Time out, change our signs, he’s figuring it out.” So, I always thought that was legit.

Costas on bunting during a no-hitter: A key would be how close is the game, and also what are the standings? If your team is 20 games out, maybe you don’t do it, but if this game is crucial and if the game is close, then maybe you can bunt in a situation like that.

Verducci on collisions at home plate: It’s on its way out of the game and it should be. Think about it: if you were inventing the game of baseball today, would you allow a guy to be barreling down [a catcher]? A 250-pound guy, 220-pound guy running around full-speed into a catcher who is just, let’s face it, he’s a defenseless receiver equivalent in the NFL. Why would you allow it? You can’t do it at first base. You can’t plow into a guy at second base who has the ball. You can’t do it at third. Why can you do it home? I think it will be taken out of the game.

MARK DEROSA JOINS MLB NETWORK AS STUDIO ANALYST

Secaucus, N.J., November 13, 2013 – MLB Network today announced that after a 16-year career, Mark DeRosa has joined its roster of on-air talent as a studio analyst. DeRosa, who served as a guest analyst on MLB Network during the 2013 and 2011 Postseasons, will appear across MLB Network’s studio programming and make his debut on MLB Tonight on Monday, December 9, live from the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida.

“While I still had the opportunity to return as a player, it became clear to me that the chance to begin a career at MLB Network was too good to pass up, and I am very excited to get started,” said DeRosa.

Known for his versatility, DeRosa played six different positions and batted .268 with 100 home runs and 494 RBI in his career. DeRosa batted .358 with 10 RBI in 22 career Postseason games and was a member of the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants. DeRosa spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Atlanta Braves (1998-2004) before joining the Texas Rangers (2005-2006), Chicago Cubs (2007-2008) Cleveland Indians (2009), St. Louis Cardinals (2009), San Francisco Giants (2010-2011), Washington Nationals (2012) and Toronto Blue Jays (2013).

DeRosa joins former Major Leaguers Eric Byrnes, Sean Casey, Joey Cora, Ron Darling, Cliff Floyd, Darryl Hamilton, John Hart, Jim Kaat, Al Leiter, Mike Lowell, Joe Magrane, Jerry Manuel, Kevin Millar, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, Billy Ripken, John Smoltz, Dave Valle and Mitch Williams as analysts at MLB Network. DeRosa can be found on Twitter at @markdero7.

2013 BBWAA AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Winners Will Be Announced Live Exclusively on MLB Network November 11 – 14

BBWAA Awards Week to Feature Live Interviews With This Year’s Award Winners and Finalists

Secaucus, N.J., November 5, 2013 – The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) tonight on MLB Network named the top three finalists in the American League and National League for the 2013 Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young and Most Valuable Player Awards.

Starting on Monday, November 11 through Thursday, November 14, BBWAA Awards Week on MLB Network will feature the exclusive announcements of the winners of each award in the American League and National League by BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell. The complete list of finalists and the dates for each award announcement are listed below:

2013 BBWAA Awards Finalists – All Award Winners Will Be Announced Exclusively On MLB Network:

Monday, November 11, 6:00 p.m. ET:

AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year: Chris Archer, Jose Iglesias, Wil Myers

NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year: Jose Fernandez, Shelby Miller, Yasiel Puig

Tuesday, November 12, 6:00 p.m. ET:  

AL Manager of the Year: John Farrell, Terry Francona, Bob Melvin

 

NL Manager of the Year: Fredi Gonzalez, Clint Hurdle, Don Mattingly

Wednesday, November 13, 6:00 p.m. ET:

AL Cy Young Award: Yu Darvish, Hisashi Iwakuma, Max Scherzer

NL Cy Young Award: Jose Fernandez, Clayton Kershaw, Adam Wainwright

Thursday, November 14, 6:00 p.m. ET:

AL Most Valuable Player: Miguel Cabrera, Chris Davis, Mike Trout

 

NL Most Valuable Player: Paul Goldschmidt, Andrew McCutchen, Yadier Molina

Hosted by MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger, BBWAA Awards Week will feature live interviews with this year’s award winners and finalists as well as BBWAA members, plus insight from MLB Network analysts Ron Darling, Al Leiter, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, Bill Ripken and Tom Verducci. Each awards show will also include a segment analyzing the award finalists from a sabermetric perspective, hosted by Brian Kenny.

Throughout the next week, MLB Network will cover the BBWAA award announcements across Hot Stove, Intentional Talk , Clubhouse Confidential and MLB Tonight.

About the BBWAA:

Founded in 1908, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was established to assist journalists covering Major League Baseball for daily newspapers. Its purpose is to ensure proper working conditions in press boxes and clubhouses, and to ensure its members have access to players and others in the game so members’ reporting can be accurate, fair and complete. Today there are more than 700 active members of the BBWAA working for newspapers, magazines and major web sites.

 MLB Network Offseason Studio Programming Begins Monday, November 4

Peter Gammons, Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal, Joel Sherman & Tom Verducci Featured in

New Weekly Studio Program Inside MLB Starting Monday, November 11

Secaucus, N.J., October 31, 2013 – MLB Network today announced that World Series champion and award-winning baseball TV announcer Ron Darling has joined its roster of on-air talent as an offseason analyst. Darling will appear across MLB Network’s offseason studio programming, which begins Monday, November 4, and make his MLB Network debut live on MLB Tonight on November 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Since beginning his broadcasting career in 2000, Darling has won two Emmy Awards for Best Sports Analyst for his work covering the Mets on SportsNet New York (SNY), and he works as a game analyst for Turner Sports’ MLB regular season and Postseason coverage. Over his 13-year pitching career, Darling collected 136 wins with a 3.87 ERA. He was named a National League All-Star in 1985 and won the World Series with the New York Mets the following year. Darling also won 17 games for the 1988 NL East champion Mets and was the first Mets pitcher to be awarded the Gold Glove Award in 1989. Darling began his MLB career with the Mets (1983-1991) and also spent time with the Montreal Expos (1991) and Oakland Athletics (1991-1995).

“Ron’s experience from his career on the field and his work on local and national baseball broadcasts give him a unique perspective that will be a great addition to our offseason programming,” said MLB Network President and CEO Tony Petitti.

Taking an in-depth look at the offseason’s news on free agents and managerial candidates, MLB Network will launch a one-hour weekly studio show called Inside MLB featuring MLB Network insiders Peter Gammons, Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal, Joel Sherman and Tom Verducci, hosted by Greg Amsinger and Paul Severino. Inside MLB premieres on Monday, November 11 at 10:00 p.m. ET following the announcement of the 2013 Rookie of the Year Award winners by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America live on MLB Network at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Starting Monday, MLB Network’s offseason lineup will feature Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds returning to host Hot Stove, the only television morning show dedicated to baseball, along with Chris Rose and Kevin Millar hosting Intentional Talk  and the return of Clubhouse Confidential, hosted by Brian Kenny, airing weekdays. MLB Network’s signature studio show MLB Tonight will continue to provide the latest news and interviews around the league throughout the offseason.

MLB TONIGHT & INTENTIONAL TALK TO AIR LIVE ON-SITE EVERYDAY

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD SERIES

World Series Champions Al Leiter, Mike Lowell, Kevin Millar and John Smoltz Among

MLB Network Analysts On-Site

Secaucus, N.J., October 21, 2013 – MLB Network’s extensive coverage of the 2013 World Series hits the road this week as MLB Tonight and Intentional Talk will air live every day from the studio and each World Series ballpark with previews, analysis and highlights of the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals matchup, plus interviews from Fenway Park in Boston and Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

• Two-hour editions of MLB Tonight presented by Bacardi OakHeart will air live at 3:00 p.m. ET and 6:00 p.m. ET on the day of each game, plus a live one-hour recap show after every game. MLB Tonight’s on-site coverage from Boston and St. Louis will be anchored by Greg Amsinger and Brian Kenny with analysis from Sean Casey, 1993 and 1997 World Series champion Al Leiter, two-time World Series champion and MVP of the 2007 World Series with the Red Sox Mike Lowell, Dan Plesac, Harold Reynolds, 1995 World Series champion John Smoltz, Mitch Williams and Tom Verducci, who is covering his 27^th World Series.

• Studio coverage during MLB Tonight throughout the World Series will be anchored by Fran Charles, Paul Severino and Matt Yallof with analysis from 1980 World Series World Champion Larry Bowa, Eric Byrnes, Darryl Hamilton, Joe Magrane, Bill Ripken and Dave Valle.

• Kevin Millar, a 2004 World Series champion with the Red Sox, and Chris Rose will interview MLB players and celebrities as they co-host Intentional Talk presented by Jack Honey on the road every day live at 5:00 p.m. ET throughout the World Series.

• Hall of Fame award-winning baseball writer Peter Gammons, who is covering his 41^st World Series, Sam Ryan and Heidi Watney will report from each ballpark throughout the World Series.

• On off-days, MLB Tonight will air live at 6:00 p.m. ET, while MLB Network’s Path to the Championship will recap the latest World Series results.

• MLB Network will keep its social media followers updated during the World Series with the latest news, quotes, interview clips, photos and breakdowns using #MLBTonight and #WorldSeries through its presence on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can also stay up to date by following MLB Network’s on-air personalities on Twitter.

·         MLB Network local channel listings are available at www.FindMLBNetwork.com.