MLB Network To Add Analytics Show To Offseason Lineup

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:27 am

According to this afternoon's SportsBusiness Daily, the MLB Network is going to provide a sabrmetrics type show starting next month. This will be interesting to see how this is presented and accepted. Here's the story:

MLB Network Adding Analytics Studio Show To Offseason Lineup

MLB Network today announces its offseason weekday programming lineup, which will include a new analytics-based studio show titled "Clubhouse Confidential." The net also will bring back the "Hot Stove" and "Intentional Talk" programs starting on Oct. 31. "Clubhouse Confidential," which the net claims will be the first show of its kind, will be hosted by Brian Kenny and will debut Nov. 7. It will feature regular contributors from the sabermetrics community as well as MLB Net's own hosts, analysts and insiders (MLB Network).

Our View: MLB Network debuted without any fantasy baseball show, but has really started to progress in recent years. There was the half hour daily fantasy baseball show with Nando and Cory Schwartz, which was very good. And now this show that deals even more with numbers and analytics has to be a good sign for fantasy players and number-crunchers. I hope this works because it could lead to even more analysis shows like this one. Good job MLB Network.

bjoak · Post by **bjoak** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:05 am

Finally, a sabermetrics show hosted by...Joe Sheehan...or was it Bill James...nope, it's none other than sabermetrics guru Brian Kenny. :rolleyes:

Hopefully, we see some good guest contributors.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:34 am

Originally posted by bjoak:

Finally, a sabermetrics show hosted by...Joe Sheehan...or was it Bill James...nope, it's none other than sabermetrics guru Brian Kenny. :rolleyes:

Hopefully, we see some good guest contributors. The prevailing thought of most networks is that anybody on air has to be pleasing to the eye and ear.

It's crap.

But, once somebody said that this was the standard to attract an 18-30 male audience and it has stuck for years.

Would you and I like to have Todd Zola hosting this show?

You bet your ass we would!

But, in this 'every tv character has to look like a model society' it won't happen.

Big hair trumps big brain.

Sublime trumps substance.

The networks don't give us enough credit. Even for informational shows.

Listening to baseball games gets harder and harder. It's not what they say any more. It's more about how they say it.

I have a hard time listening to Hawk Harrelson, but he is a dying breed.

The unpolished announcer.

It is one of the reasons why Ron Santo was so universally loved. He was the working man and it was ok to say, "Ohhh NOOOO!"

I miss that.

Soon, every baseball listener will only hear games from the voice, not from the heart.

NorCalAtlFan · Post by **NorCalAtlFan** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:43 am

Originally posted by bjoak:

Finally, a sabermetrics show hosted by...Joe Sheehan...or was it Bill James...nope, it's none other than sabermetrics guru Brian Kenny. :rolleyes:

Hopefully, we see some good guest contributors. so true. it's a start, but i hope mlb network doesn't go down the espn path

ToddZ · Post by **ToddZ** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:56 am

In his defense, of the professional TV/radio hosts, Kenny is probably amongst the most well versed in sabermetrics.

Navel Lint · Post by **Navel Lint** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:24 am

Originally posted by ToddZ:

In his defense, of the professional TV/radio hosts, Kenny is probably amongst the most well versed in sabermetrics. I was gonna say something similar. I find him to be very entertaining and knowledgeable about the game and it's numbers..

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:29 am

Yes and I would agree that Kenny knows his stuff.

And for their purposes, the best man for the job.

I let that get lost in my 'mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it' rant

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:35 am

It sure is nice seeing these Boards humming along again!

rkulaski · Post by **rkulaski** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:43 pm

Along the lines of tv hosts,

I'm really struggling with the Chris Rose (is that his name?), AJ Pierzynski, and Eric Karros tandem when watching the World Series. Odd thing is, it's not really substance, it's more delivery than anything else.

bjoak · Post by **bjoak** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:30 am

Yeah, to be fair I don't know the first thing about Kinny, except that he's not any kind of noted expert in the sabermetrics community. That doesn't mean he doesn't know his stuff.

But I thought Sheehan was great when he used to do his ESPN segment. He had such confidence when going against the grain of conventional wisdom. It's hard to believe someone from outside the community can pull that off.

ToddZ · Post by **ToddZ** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 4:01 am

I think they need the host to be able to make the viewer comfortable with sabermetrics and not scare them or intimidate them like Joe might - that said, I would be surprised if Joe was not a frequent guest.

It would not shock me if Cory Schwartz popped up a few times.

[ October 29, 2011, 10:01 AM: Message edited by: ToddZ ]

Navel Lint · Post by **Navel Lint** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:54 am

I've seen the show a couple of times now. Kenny knows what he is talking about and is doing a good job relating the info to the viewers.

He also did a nice piece today explaining why Minnie Minoso should get voted into the HOF this fall. (he is on the veterans ballot)

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:43 am

Yesterday Brian Kenney interviewed Bill James on this show, which I thought was very interesting. When asked which player he would like to have to build a franchise around he surprised me with this answer. "Ben Zobrist." He said that Zobrist is so versatile defensively and so good at hitting anywhere in the lineup that he'd start with Zobrist. Very interesting.

NorCalAtlFan · Post by **NorCalAtlFan** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 2:58 am

i was very reluctant when i first heard about the show, but after watching it a few times, i'm chaning my tune. solid start so far. nothing earth shattering, but the content is much better than i anticipated. good stuff

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:02 am

Originally posted by NorCalAtlFan:

i was very reluctant when i first heard about the show, but after watching it a few times, i'm chaning my tune. solid start so far. nothing earth shattering, but the content is much better than i anticipated. good stuff Agreed. I thought Joe Sheehan did a great job yesterday, even though I didn't know what the hell xFIP was!!

I hope they keep bringing Joe back. He's the type of industry guy this show needs. And I think Brian Kenney is doing a good job, too.