This Week in Baseball 5/4 - 5/10

[wnyxmcneal]

MLB Extra Innings decided to stop working for me today. I'd complain, but it is free

 

[Bored]

Free as in you are getting some sort of extended free preview or free as in someone else is paying for it?

 

[alkeiper]

Free as in you are getting some sort of extended free preview or free as in someone else is paying for it?

Whichever it is I bet he sneaks in outside food to watch it.

 

[Smues]

Only if it's Wendy's.

 

[wnyxmcneal]

Free as in you are getting some sort of extended free preview or free as in someone else is paying for it?

I'm getting an extended free preview. I think it's because NHL Centre Ice is still active, so they're just giving me all the channels associated with that, even though most of the Centre Ice channels are now MLB Extra Innings channels.

 

[jimmy no nose]

Albert Pujols got hit in the back with a 93 mph fastball and actually fell down and looked to be in pain. I think it was just an act though. I'm convinced that SportsCenter commercial is true.

 

[sfaJack]

I'm getting an extended free preview. I think it's because NHL Centre Ice is still active, so they're just giving me all the channels associated with that, even though most of the Centre Ice channels are now MLB Extra Innings channels.

This is probably it. I was getting Center Ice on Tuesday and I definitely didn't order it. Those channels are shared by the services, apparently.

 

[Smues]

Question for you people luckily enough to have Extra Innings and what not as an option, what do they do during commercial breaks? Do they go to the local commercials of the broadcast? Or just a blank screen? Because if it's anything besides "Show ads specifically for that package and subject you to more god damned five dollar footlong commercials" then I'll wish I had that as an option even more. Mlb.tv is great, but it's annoying to get five...five dollar...five dollar footlongggggg commercials in between every half inning.

 

[sfaJack]

I get local commercials most of the time, though it will sometimes just go to a blank screen until play resumes. During the free preview periods, it's nothing but their lame "order Extra Innings NOW" commercials that get annoying after the 3rd inning.

 

[CanadianChris]

I always get local commercials. Of course, some of those really are "five dollar footlonggggggg".

 

[alkeiper]

Watching Phillies/Mets of course. Jamie Moyer is brutal to watch when he's not getting the outfield strike. The SNY television crew though is excellent.

 

[alkeiper]

For you Mets fans, I agree that it was a bad call. That's an old trick for the Phillies to initiate contact on a run-down.

 

[Czech]

The Arizona Republic reports that Bob Melvin just got fired. That's a puzzler. He was Manager of the Year! How can a *~Manager of the Year~* get dispatched like this? He was the reason the 2007 Dbags were so good! Clearly!

 

[fairtoflair7]

The Mets SNY crew is the best in the game I'd say. Ron Darling might be the best analyst in baseball.

On the other hand, Michael Kay might be the worst PBP man too. Just brutal, brutal homer.

I'd also like to announce that all the empty seats aside, the Yankees have a serious Home Run problem at Yankee Stadium. first homestand, ok maybe a fluke. Tonight 8HRS!!

 

[Loaded Glove]

Well the Dodgers are adjusting to life without Manny decently enough so far. James Loney with an RBI single, followed a few batters later by a Matt Kemp grand slam. 5-0 in the first inning.

 

[Brooklyn Zoo]

Michael Kay isn't really a homer. He sounds like a douche sometimes the way he'll insult someone like Ramiro Pena making an error like if no one makes errors.

 

[treble]

While I don't like Michael Kay, anyone calling him the worst PBP guy hasn't had to deal with Jamie Campbell calling 120 games a year.

 

[fairtoflair7]

We'll he might not be the worst PBP man but between the SNY and YES broadcasts, it's like night and day between the quality of broadcast teams. I do like John Flarhety though.

 

[Czech]

Hawk Harrelson is the homer of homers, and he's not even from Chicago nor is he a former White Sock, which at least one can say for Ed Farmer. Didn't he do the same act for Yankees telecasts?

John Sterling/Michael Kay seems like a better pairing to me. Isn't that what it used to be?

 

[naiwf]

We'll he might not be the worst PBP man but between the SNY and YES broadcasts, it's like night and day between the quality of broadcast teams. I do like John Flarhety though.

I like Flash, Cone and Singleton. I think those guys are all still with YES, but I used to watch games whenever Kaat was in the booth because he was awesome. The rest of their crew sucks. I'm really happy with the SNY guys, but Cohen doing TV has made their radio team pretty week. I like Howie, but that other dude Wayne Hagen (sp?) bores me to tears.

 

[NoCalMike]

Of course the A's decide to score some runs on a game I have no way to witness while at work.....and the Sac radio affiliate only broadcasts night and weekend games....

 

[Bored]

On the subject of announcers, I caught the last couple of innings of the MLB Network telecast of the Phillies/Mets game which was my first opportunity to hear Bob Costas since his return. He sounded like a guy who didn't want to be there. This wasn't a surprise given how much he seems to hate the modern game.

The Dodgers day didn't get any better as they've blown a six run lead against the Nats.

 

[naiwf]

I just noticed that Mariano gave up back to back homers for the first time in his career (862 games, ~1034 IP). That's crazy.

 

[jimmy no nose]

The lack of Manny behind them in left field caused Dodgers pitching staff to give up 10 runs in 3 innings.

 

[Smues]

And while at home. Damn you Manny!

 

[Matt Young]

I just noticed that Mariano gave up back to back homers for the first time in his career (862 games, ~1034 IP). That's crazy.

Damn. That's impressive.

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks fired Bob Melvin on Thursday, hoping a new manager will be able to get the most out of their talented core of young players.

The Diamondbacks will make A.J. Hinch, their vice president for player development, Melvin's replacement on Friday, according to a person familiar with the move who requested anonymity because the announcement had not been made.

The 34-year-old Hinch is a former major league catcher with no professional managerial experience. His promotion was first reported by radio station KTAR.

[+] EnlargeBob Melvin
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireBob Melvin has been fired by the Diamondbacks.

The 47-year-old Melvin's firing comes after a disappointing start by the Diamondbacks, who entered Thursday 8½ games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Melvin, who went 337-340 in four-plus seasons, had one year left on a contract he received after being the 2007 NL Manager of the Year.

"This is a difficult decision, but I feel that our organization needs to move forward with a new voice," general manager Josh Byrnes said in a statement.

Hitting coach Rick Schu also was fired, and pitching coach Bryan Price resigned.

Melvin's stock rose when he guided a youthful but talented group to the NL West title two years ago. He was dismissed because many of the same players have failed to live up to expectations based on that season, when the Diamondbacks posted an NL-best 90-72 record despite being outscored by 20 runs across the season.

Justin Upton, Arizona's 21-year-old right fielder, is off to a solid start, but some of the team's other young players have struggled. Conor Jackson went 1-for-3 in Arizona's 4-3, 10-inning loss at San Diego on Thursday and is batting .191 on the year. Mark Reynolds has struck out 36 times in 102 at-bats.

"We're counting on everybody to develop further," Melvin said in an interview before the season. "We don't rely on one guy to hold up the brunt of this thing. We expect them all to develop and score more runs."

Arizona's few veterans also did little to help Melvin.

Eric Byrnes is hitting .139 in the second year of a three-year, $30-million contract. Melvin this week decided to bench Chad Tracy, who is hitting .221.

Speculation about Melvin's future grew with every 1-2-3 inning by the Diamondbacks' hitters. Arizona entered Thursday with a .225 batting average, by far the worst in baseball.

Team president Derrick Hall, speaking on KTAR on Thursday morning, called the team's play "unacceptable."

Making matters worse for Melvin, the Diamondbacks have been beset by injuries.

Ace Brandon Webb went on the disabled list with a shoulder injury shortly after his opening day start and has yet to return. Then Stephen Drew went on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Reliever Tom Gordon, acquired over the winter to shore up the bullpen, is already on his second DL stint.

This is the second time in their 12-year history that the Diamondbacks have changed managers in midseason. In 2004, the Diamondbacks fired Bob Brenly after a 29-50 start and replaced him with Al Pedrique on their way to a franchise-worst 51-111 record.

That disaster paved the way to Melvin's return to Arizona, where he had served as Brenly's bench coach on the 2001 World Series champions.

Melvin's hiring as the Diamondbacks' manager came under bizarre circumstances. The club had selected Wally Backman as manager, but Backman was dismissed four days later following revelations he had been arrested twice and struggled with financial problems.

Arizona then turned to Melvin, who was out after two seasons in Seattle, where he went 156-168.

Melvin made an immediate impact in the desert. He led the 2005 Diamondbacks to a 77-85 record, a 26-win improvement.

Two years later, the Diamondbacks made a surprise run to the NL West title despite scoring 20 fewer runs than they allowed -- a fact that led many to praise Melvin's ability to squeeze the most out of his lineup.

Melvin was honored as the 2007 NL Manager of the Year, and soon after the club extended his contract through 2010.

"I am grateful for all the success and memories associated with Bob," Byrnes said. "Bob has done great things for this organization. Having worked with him for nearly four years, I have a great deal of respect for his character and skills."

Arizona opened its NL West title defense last spring by bolting to a 20-8 record. But after leading the division for most of the season, the Diamondbacks faltered and were caught in the stretch by a Los Angeles Dodgers squad energized by the arrival of slugger Manny Ramirez.

The Diamondbacks came into this season expecting to make another run at the division title.

Like most of the coach firings in the NBA this past season, this was quite premature. But I hope the D-Backs lose all remaining games, anyway, so more power to the possibly inept replacement.

 

[Czech]

Eric Byrnes is hitting .139 in the second year of a three-year, $30-million contract.

That's a lot of money for Eric Byrnes. I always wodnered what the value was of a putz who just yelled "PICK IT UP DON'T STOP PICK IT UP DON'T STOP YEAAAAAAHHHH DUUUUUUUUDE!!!!" Well, now I know: ten million dollars a year! Okay.

 

[Dobbs3K]

That was a dumb signing that was done more for PR than anything. They didn't want to let their most popular player go because of the fans, even though he only had one really good year.

 

[alkeiper]

Dom Dimaggio passed away this morning. Dom was a hell of a player in his own right, making seven All Star teams despite missing three prime years due to World War II. Dimaggio had a .383 career OBP and had the Gold Glove award existed in his era, he would have won several. Borderline HOF candidate.

 

[treble]

Re-signing Eric Byrnes also meant they had to get rid of Carlos Quentin, so I'm sure they're really glad they dropped all that money on him now.