Leiter expands to MLB Network
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Nov 12, 2008 
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If ever there was a player built to be a broadcaster, it’s Al Leiter.
The lefty from the great state of New Jersey would find something to talk about in an empty room. He was with the Mets when I covered them and he was always up for conversation about baseball. Or movies. Or music. Or politics. Or whatever else was going on at the time.
Al, who is one of the 1,245 broadcasters on the YES Network, has landed a gig with the new MLB Network. He and Harold Reynolds will be studio analysts for MLB Tonight, which will be the main show on the network. The good news is that he will continue to call games on YES. The alternative was finding a new best friend for Michael Kay.
“To be part of a ground-floor operation like this, I’m extremely excited,” Leiter said today on a conference call. “The possibilities are potentially endless.”
The MLB Network will debut on Jan. 1 in 50 million homes, which is said to be a record for a new cable channel. They’ll have 26 games this season.
The network also hired Hazel Mae and Trenni Kusnierek as reporters.
The Steinbrenners won’t be happy. See David Cone.
Absolutely love Harold Reynolds. I think Hazel Mae is worthless. Nice job for Al Leiter. Congrats.
I am a day late and a dollar short with this one (my office wants work to come first, alas), but re: Damaso Marte -
*YAY!!!!!*
I heartily approve.
I LOVE Al Leiter. In fact, I have a red-footed tortoise lumbering around my house with his namesake. God Bless Al Leiter and his MLB Network.
Hmm Harold Reynolds on the same crew as Hazel Mae, I’m gonna save everyone some time and just get the lawyers working now.
Matt Vasgersian will host will Al and Harold.
Hazel Mae…..Niiiiiiiiice!
Phil LOL
I was thinking along those lines too when I first saw that
Harold Reynolds is great. I was pissed when Baseball tonight canned him for Steve Phillips. Granted I don’t condone his behavior but he is a great analyst, very unbiased unlike the rest of them.
for those of us who have seen Hazel Mae during her NESN days, it will be fun watching her talk out of both sides of her mouth on the MLB Network. She was very good at giving snarky comments about the Yankees, especially A Rod. She excelled at feeding the hate frenzy at Soxzera..I mean NESN. How can she now expect to be taken seriously as an unbiased reporter? It’s a perfect case of one’s past coming back to haunt you.
Drive- Obviously no one is going to take Hazel Mae serious given her past. Not to sound overtly sexist but most women who look like her are not given jobs for their broadcasting skills and analytical delivery.
Hazel Mae Cagulada? She uses her middle name as her last name?
She was in the running for “President” of Red Sox Nation.
When I first saw this news I figured he was done with YES. Its good news that he isn’t. He’s easily one of the best announcers on YES. I like Leiter, Flaherty and O’neill.
Al,
Right on the money. She is eye-candy, nothing more.
Well, it’s nice to know that we will still have Leiter! I like Reynolds, but don’t know anything about the other two.
This MLB Network, is it on basic cable or will it be a premium channel? And where will it be debuting? Anyone know?
I don’t get the obsession with Hazel Mae. She’s fairly attractive, nothing eye opening.
She has become almost as overrated as Rachel Nichols.
Good for Al (Leiter). I’m glad that he’s going to stay on YES, I thought he was gone.
Harold Reynolds is good. Smart, engaging, real. But it’s hard to understand him. He doesn’t have a clear, classic broadcasting voice. Sometimes it sounds like he’s got cotton in his mouth.
I don’t know who Hazel Mae is, but that’s a great name.
Tina Cervasio is the engine that made NESN go, not Hazel.
She has brought that edge to MSG now.
more Cone/Singleton would be good
They couldn’t lure Lisa Guerrero to the MLB Network?
I have a question. Will all cable providers have MLB Network or is it going to be like the NFL Network were only one cable company can provide it?
WARNING!!
Stop talking about female broadcasters looks. Petes pet pieve. Dont say i didnt warn you.
manny(yanksfan)
Not sure. But will you take a pay cut to come dh for us.
Good for Al as I’ve been a big fan of his since game 5 of the 2000 WS. He left it all out there that night.
I like Leiter a lot, but he may be too quirky/intellectual for this audience, even though those traits are virtues. Seems to me he’s far too thoughtful for mainstreamers. Hope he sticks, but have my doubts.
^^^The way Leiter moves about on the mound, he often reminded me of this homeless guy in my Upper Westside neighborhood. Really sweet guy, with too much energy, obviously very bright, but damaged by life, and poverty. He looks like Leiter, but more than that, the physical mannerisms are dead on. Whenever Leiter would pitch, I would utter: “home-less guy…” He’s just not your typical jock, God bless ‘im.
S.o.S.27 ,
If the Yankees want him I seriously doubt that Manny would have to take a pay cut to (i) return to his roots and his buddies in Washington Heights, (ii) open the new Stadium on the playground of his youth (iii) provide protection for A-Rod and allow him to realize his potential as he did for Big Papi, (iii) show his new teammates how to win games and possibly the Series, (iv) sell those 6 vacant luxury suites within moments after he signs on the dotted line, (v)teach his new teammates how simple hitting can be (if Donnie Baseball’s observations are accurate) (vi) take the YES advertising revenues and Yankee sponsor income to new levels, (vii) virtually assure sell outs for most, if not all, games (viii) strike absolute terror in the hearts of all Beantowners (ix) play Salsa music loud in the clubhouse with Girardi leading the dancing, among other things.
Anybody know if you’ll get this for no additional fee if you have Comcast Digital Cable or do you have to buy the package, kinda like the Howard Stern Channel??
Al Leiter staying on YES is a good thing?
It’s QuesTec’s fault.
MLB has made deals with all the cable companies and just did a deal with verizon. I think 150 million homes will have it off the bat. They made the deal when they renegiated ecra innings package this year.
“Tina Cervasio is the engine that made NESN go, not Hazel.”
Varitek is the engine that made Tina Cervasio go.
My love for Al is endless. too bad I dont have mlb network!
Isnt Hazel Mae the one who had escapes with the players? hence the reasoning she got canned?
escapades*