The great Joe Sheehan, on the adding of two more ex-players to MLB Network’s roster of analysts:
All hail the Jockocracy
MLB Network now employs 17 former players, per their own press release, to present a viewpoint that doesn’t have 17 distinct angles to it.
[...]
There are two generations of baseball fans who grew up in the Bill James era, and one that grew up with Prospectus. Baseball fans -- particularly the fanatics who dial up DirecTV 213 when they wake up and leave it on until they go to sleep -- want more variety than hearing from the former left fielder and then the former starting pitcher and then the former right fielder. The non-player viewpoint isn’t the fringe any longer; it’s part of the mainstream. MLB Network’s coverage of baseball shouldn’t run from this. It should embrace it.
Brian Kenny has tried, with his offseason “Clubhouse Confidential” show and his work on the network’s other studio content. There’s been little to no crossover, though; the statheads -- and Kenny has put just about all of them on air at this point -- have their offseason ghetto and that’s it ... once the season starts the statheads go back in their box and the requirement for airtime is a baseball-reference.com page.
I’m all for bringing Clubhouse Confidential back, but not if it eats into The Kevin Millar Ha Ha Comedy Hour. I just love when he does GOT HEEM* and that he has frosted tips.
* I have no idea what GOT HEEM is.
See More:
